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Hendersonville, TN Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Standard tow cap
$125 (police-called)
License fee
$25 per year
Storage cap
$30/day after 12 hrs
Liability bond
$100k/$300k/$750k minimum
License term
1 year, non-transferable

Summary

Wrecker companies that want police-called tows in Hendersonville must hold an Emergency Wrecker Service license, and non-consent tow rates are capped at $125 for a standard vehicle under Municipal Code § 9-608.

Except as set forth in this section, the maximum fee that may be charged a vehicle operator by a licensed emergency wrecker service when the service is called by the City Police Department for standard vehicles shall be one hundred twenty-five dollars ($125.00)(2)Additional charges for labor shall be limited as follows:(a)Use of dollies or winching for unusual circumstances beyond the intended purpose of removing vehicles from the roadway: $35.00;(b)Winching without towing: one hundred dollars ($100.00) plus twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per quarter hour unit after the first fifteen (15) minutes;(c)Labor after the first hour on scene: sixty dollars ($60.00) per hour;(d)Mileage outside of twenty (20) miles of the Hendersonville city limits is not to exceed two dollars and fifty cents ($2.50) per mile.(3)Storage charges may be assessed at thirty dollars ($30.00) per day after the vehicle has been stored for at least twelve (12) hours. (Ord. 1991-28, July 1991, Ord. 2013-20, May 2013)

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 4).

Full Breakdown

Title 9, Chapter 6 regulates wrecker services citywide. No company may be listed on the police call list without an Emergency Wrecker Service license under § 9-618, which costs $25 a year, requires two wreckers, a Police Department inspection, and indemnity bonds or insurance of at least $100,000/$300,000 for bodily injury and $750,000 for property damage under § 9-622. Section 9-608 caps the fee for a police-requested standard tow at $125, limits winching and after-hours labor charges, and caps storage at $30 a day after twelve hours. The City Administrator can suspend or revoke a license for overcharging, fraud, or any chapter violation.

Violations & Fines

Charging above the capped rates, cruising the streets to solicit towing work, or operating on the police call list without a current license violates §§ 9-608 and 9-614/9-618 and can bring license revocation or a fine.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much can a Hendersonville wrecker charge for a police-called tow?
No more than $125 for a standard vehicle under § 9-608, plus limited add-ons for winching, extra labor, and mileage beyond 20 miles of city limits.
Can any tow company respond to a police call?
No: only companies holding a current Emergency Wrecker Service license under § 9-618 sit on the police call list; unlicensed operators can still tow under private contract.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Hendersonville

All Hendersonville rules

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