Multnomah County, OR Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)
Key Facts
- Prohibited acts
- 14 practices banned, § 15.118(A)-(N)
- General penalty
- Fine up to state Class A violation amount
- Corrective notice
- 30 days to fix violation, § 15.110(D)
- Appeal window
- 30 days to request Board hearing
- Free release window
- 24 hours after tow, no charge
- Business-hours release
- 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon-Fri after 24 hrs
- Repeat denial bar
- Up to 2 years after 2 revocations/yr
Summary
Multnomah County licenses every tow truck operator through the Sheriff's Office, and Multnomah County Code § 15.118 bans fourteen specific practices, from monitoring police radios for profit to double-billing, on pain of a citation plus the § 15.999 general penalty and possible license revocation.
No licensee or employee of a licensee shall: (A) Make a false statement of a material fact, or omit disclosure of a material fact, in the application for license; (B) Monitor the police radio for profit or gain; (C) Solicit information as to accident locations by payment of any form of gratuity; (D) Solicit those at the scene of an accident without first determining whether towing assistance has already been requested... (K) Tow a vehicle which is occupied by persons; (L) Charge for services not performed or make duplicate charges for the same services; (M) Charge more than one daily storage fee for the initial 24-hour storage period or charge other than on a calendar day basis after that; or (N) Refuse the owner or the owner's authorized agent reasonable access to the licensee's storage premises for vehicle inspection.
Full Breakdown
118 lists fourteen acts no licensed tow operator or their employee may commit. 114. The list also bars towing an occupied vehicle, double-billing, charging more than one daily storage fee for the first 24 hours, and refusing a vehicle owner reasonable access to inspect the storage lot. 999 general penalty, a fine up to the state Class A violation amount with each day of continuing violation counted as a separate offense. 110(G) immediate corrective action. 100. , Monday through Friday.
Violations & Fines
A prohibited-act citation draws the § 15.999 general penalty, a fine up to the maximum for a state Class A violation with each day treated as a new offense. The Sheriff can also deny or revoke the tow operator's license under § 15.110, and anyone denied or revoked twice in a year, or four times total, can be barred from relicensing for up to two years.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can't a Multnomah County tow truck operator do?
Can Multnomah County revoke a tow company's license?
How does a towing company appeal a Sheriff's notice of violation?
How fast must a towed vehicle be released in Multnomah County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Multnomah County
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