Brockton, MA Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)

Section 12-28 puts the chief of police in charge of the city's non-consent towing rotation. To get on the list, a company must be currently and in good standing licensed by the Commonwealth's Department of Telecommunications and Energy Transportation Division (formerly the Department of Public Utilities), have a place of business in Brockton, and have been in the towing business at least five years; a newer company can get temporary emergency approval, but it cannot exceed thirty days and the company must then get city council approval to remain listed.

Applications are due to the department by December 1 each year, with placement effective January 1; once set, the list stays active for three years, and any listed company that fails to furnish documents the chief requests is removed. Each selected company pays $1,000 for its three-year contract, due at signing, to help defray the cost of administering the chief's rules. The list is capped at ten companies total, and the chief will not accept new applications until the number falls below that cap. Companies are sorted into at least three categories they can apply to serve: Category I covers vehicles or combinations under 10,000 GVWR/GCWR (passenger cars, light trucks, motorcycles); Category II covers vehicles over 10,000 GVWR/GCWR and HAZMAT recovery (commercial trucks, buses, rotator recoveries); and Category III covers electric vehicles.

The department calls listed companies in rotation for police-requested tows, and every listed company must agree in writing to indemnify and hold the city harmless for towing-related claims.