Gilroy, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)

Gilroy City Code Chapter 24A gives the Gilroy Police Department control over which wrecker companies may respond to accident and non-consent tows in the City of Gilroy. Under Section 24A.2, a company applying for the police department's towing list submits its business address, a 24-hour contact number, storage-facility details and a current business license; the chief of police has thirty days to investigate suitability and add a qualified applicant to the list in chronological order under Section 24A.3, or state disqualification reasons in writing. A rejected applicant can appeal to the city administrator within ten days and, after that, to the city council, whose decision is final under Section 24A.4.

Once listed, Section 24A.5 requires every towing service to keep on file with the chief of police a garage keeper's legal liability policy of at least $100,000, and Section 24A.9 gives the police department the right to inspect the company's records, equipment and storage facilities for specific complaints. Section 24A.6 requires the towing service's current price schedule to be on file with police, and bars charging any other price. Calls are dispatched on a rotation basis off the towing list under Section 24A.10, and the chief may remove a service under Section 24A.11 for fraud, rule violations, lapsed insurance or unsatisfactory service, with the same appeal path.

Separately, Section 24A.12 makes it an infraction, and declares illegal against public policy, voidable and unenforceable, any charge a towing service imposes for hooking up or removing a vehicle from private property under Vehicle Code Section 22658 without first complying with Sections 24A.2, 24A.5, 24A.6 and 24A.8, the non-consent tow provisions.