Haverford, PA Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)

Section 175-72B of the Haverford Township Code covers non-consent towing from private lots. No towing service can remove vehicles parked or left unattended on private property without the consent of the property owner, and the service must hold a Township license. The Haverford Township Police Department issues it annually, for a fee set by resolution of the Board of Commissioners, after the service completes a Department application. The application lists the towing service, everyone with an ownership interest, the property owners whose lots it is authorized to clear, the storage yard address, and the bonding company and its agent.

Under § 175-72D, authorized services must keep a $10,000 bond with the Township, in a form and with corporate surety satisfactory to the Township Solicitor. They must also provide certificates of insurance of $500,000 combined single limit for any auto, hired autos and nonowned autos, $100,000 for each personal injury, and garagekeepers' liability of $50,000 per occurrence. They must notify the Police Department within two hours of removing a vehicle from private property, display the service name and a valid phone number on both sides of the tow truck, staff a phone or answering service during off hours, and charge storage at a single rate per twenty-four-hour period.

Private lot signs are mandatory under § 175-72E. A sign at least three feet by two feet must stand at every entrance, naming the towing agency, its phone number, the hours of tow operation and the towing and storage fees. Lots with fewer than 20 parking spaces need additional signs at least 18 inches by 12 inches, one for every four spaces, posted approximately eight feet above ground level. Larger lots need a site plan approved by the Chief of Police.

Towing ordered by the Township runs through a separate duty tow license under § 175-65. The Board of Commissioners appoints duty towers by January 31 of each year. Applicants pay a $100 application fee, need a minimum five years' experience, must base their business within the Township, and must have three combination flatbed or wheel-lift trucks available. Licensees must reach the scene within 15 minutes of the Police Department's call, except during adverse roadway conditions.