Greensboro, NC Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)

Greensboro doesn't license private tow-truck companies broadly; its regulation runs through Sec. ," which governs the wrecker companies the city itself contracts with for police-directed towing. " Subsection (h) sets the ground rules for the wrecker companies eligible to work that system: fee schedules for towing services are set by the city manager through a request-for-qualifications process, not negotiated case by case, and a company must meet the requirements listed in Appendix A of the city's "Standards for Wrecker Service" to qualify. Contracts run three years, with the city able to extend twice in one-year increments, so the roster of eligible wreckers turns over on a fixed cycle rather than open enrollment.

The same section's earlier subsections spell out the impoundment side of the relationship: administrative and towing/storage fees the vehicle owner pays are drawn from Appendix A's published schedule, the owner has a right to a hearing on the lawfulness of the impoundment before paying, and unresolved disputes go to the Greensboro Police Department watch commander. A private towing company operating outside this city-contract system, for example, towing from a private lot without police involvement, isn't reached by Sec. 16-39's permit and fee-schedule mechanics.