Auburn, AL Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)

Under Sec. 12-271, only a wheel locking/towing company duly licensed by the City of Auburn may remove or disable a vehicle left on private property without the owner's permission, and the article does not apply to city-ordered tows under Chapter 22. Before any vehicle can be towed or wheel locked, Sec. 12-273 requires the property to be posted with signs at every driveway or curb cut, in two-inch reflective letters reading "Tow Away Zone" or "Wheel Lock Zone," listing the operating hours and the statement "Fees are Regulated by City Ordinance," maintained for at least 24 hours before enforcement begins.

Sec. 12-274 requires the towing lot itself to be inside city limits, securely locked, fenced at least six feet high, and lit to reveal people and vehicles 150 feet away at night. Sec. 12-276 requires a City of Auburn business license plus garage liability and automobile liability coverage of at least $750,000 combined single limit, with garage keepers coverage of at least $50,000; letting the policy lapse voids the license immediately. A wheel lock cannot be converted to a tow until it has been attached for at least four hours (Sec.

12-278), the company must report every tow to the Auburn Public Safety Department Communications Division within one hour (Sec. 12-279), and it must release a vehicle within one hour of a request, accepting both cash and a Visa or MasterCard (Sec. 12-280). Receipts must itemize charges and name the property owner who authorized the removal (Sec. 12-275). It is separately a violation to block a vehicle to prevent its owner from retrying it (Sec. 12-281), to charge a fee if the owner returns before the vehicle is hooked up (Sec. 12-282), or to "crab" a towed vehicle so it does not travel in a single lane (Sec. 12-285).