Chicago tow operators need a Public Vehicle license under MCC Ch. 4-340 plus relocator registration. CPD-initiated impounds use the rotation tow contract under MCC 9-64. Private property tows require posted signage and written authorization, with fees capped by the city.
Municipal Code of Chicago Ch. 4-340 makes the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection the sole licensor for public vehicles, including tow trucks. Operators register every vehicle, drivers complete background checks, and rates are filed with BACP. CPD-initiated impounds for parking violations, abandoned vehicles, and crash recovery use the citywide rotation tow contract administered through MCC 9-64-160 and the Department of Streets and Sanitation pound system. Private property impounds (relocators) need a separate BACP relocator license under MCC 4-340-140, posted 24-by-12-inch warning signs at every entrance, and a property owner's signed authorization per individual tow. Maximum hookup fees, mileage, and storage rates are set by ordinance. Drivers arriving before hookup must be released for a drop fee.
Towing without a BACP license, charging above posted caps, missing warning signs, or refusing pre-hookup release are misdemeanors under MCC 4-4-340 and 9-64-180, with fines $1,000-$2,500 per offense, license revocation, and triple-damages restitution to vehicle owners.
Chicago, IL
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