Concord, NC Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)
Key Facts
- Police tow dispatch
- Rotation list run by the chief of police
- Admission rules
- Set by chief of police under § 58-41(c)
- Abandoned-vehicle contracts
- Annual city contracts with tow operators
- Owner notice
- 24 hrs (NC-plated) / 72 hrs (out-of-state)
- Redemption
- Pay towing/storage fee or post double bond
- Illegal self-help removal
- Barred until fees or bond are paid (§ 30-85)
Summary
Concord doesn't issue a general towing-company license. Instead, wrecker companies must be admitted to a police rotation list under rules set by the chief of police, and the city separately contracts annually with tow operators to remove abandoned and junked vehicles.
The chief of police shall establish a rotation list for wrecker services to be used by the police department when wrecker services are required by the police department for any reason and shall adopt reasonable rules and regulations for admission of applicant wrecker services to the list and for operation of such services while performing any act requested by members of the police department. ... The city may, on an annual basis, contract with private tow truck operators or towing businesses to remove, store and dispose of abandoned vehicles, nuisance vehicles and junked motor vehicles in compliance with this article and applicable state laws.
Full Breakdown
Section 58-41(c) puts the chief of police in charge of the city's wrecker system: the chief establishes a rotation list of wrecker services the police department calls on whenever it needs a vehicle towed, and adopts the rules for which applicant companies get admitted to that list and how they must operate while performing work requested by police officers. Separately, § 30-72(c) authorizes the city to contract on an annual basis with private tow truck operators or towing businesses to remove, store and dispose of abandoned, nuisance and junked motor vehicles under Chapter 30's vehicle-nuisance article, in compliance with that article and applicable state law.
Once a vehicle is towed under that chapter, the operator handling it must notify the last known registered owner, within 24 hours for an NC-registered vehicle or 72 hours for an out-of-state vehicle, describing the vehicle, where it's stored, the violation charged, and how to redeem it or request a hearing, per § 30-78. The owner can redeem the vehicle by paying the towing fee and any storage charges, or by posting a bond for double that amount, to the tow operator holding the vehicle, under § 30-80. S. 44A-4 through 44A-6, per § 30-81.
Violations & Fines
It is unlawful for any person to remove or attempt to remove a vehicle from a city-designated storage facility once it has been impounded under Chapter 30 unless all towing and impoundment fees due, or a bond in lieu of those fees, have been paid, under § 30-85. A towing business that fails to meet the chief of police's rules for the wrecker rotation list under § 58-41(c) can be denied admission to, or removed from, that list, cutting off police-referred tow work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Concord issue a business license specifically for tow truck companies?
How does the city arrange towing for abandoned or junked vehicles?
Can I take my car back from the tow yard without paying?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Concord
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