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Jefferson County, MO Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)

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

Key Facts

Truck markings
Name/city/state required, 3-inch letters (§340.070(I))
Charge cap
Storage charges capped at negotiated consensual rate
Owner remedy
Owner can petition Circuit Court within 10 days
Interstate trigger
Interstate tow allowed at 10 hrs in urbanized area
Penalty class
Chapter violations are infractions (§340.220)

Summary

Jefferson County lets law enforcement or county officials authorize a towing company to remove abandoned vehicles from roads, interstates, and county property without the owner's consent under set conditions. Tow trucks must display the company's name, city, and state in letters at least three inches tall, and storage charges are capped at reasonable, negotiated-rate levels.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Jefferson County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

Any towing company which tows abandoned property for hire shall have the towing company's name, City and State clearly printed in letters at least three (3) inches in height on the sides of the truck, wrecker or other vehicle used in the towing.

View official code

Full Breakdown

040 or the state abandonment statute; property reported stolen; property whose operator is arrested and unable to arrange timely removal; property subject to towing for outstanding traffic or parking violations; posted-notice violations that create a safety hazard; and property on state waters obstructing traffic or unattended more than ten hours. 070 governs the tow itself: the Sheriff's Department or the authorizing agency must complete a crime inquiry and inspection report, check the National Crime Information Center, and notify the registered owner and any lienholder in writing within five working days.

Subsection (I) of that Section imposes the physical marking requirement: any towing company that tows abandoned property for hire must print its name, city, and state in letters at least three inches tall on the sides of the truck, wrecker, or other vehicle used. 080 caps what the company can then charge, limiting storage fees to no more than the negotiated rate charged for consensual tows and covering only the time the company is complying with the chapter's procedures.

Violations & Fines

A towing company that disposes of unclaimed property must follow Section 340.070(K)'s thirty-day unredeemed-property process, selling only to a scrap metal operator or licensed salvage dealer and forwarding the bill of sale to the Director of Revenue within two weeks, or risk liability alongside the county for a wrongful-taking petition an owner can file in Associate Circuit Court under Section 340.070(G). Chapter 340's general penalty at Section 340.220 makes any other violation of the chapter an infraction, with each act a separate offense.

Frequently Asked Questions

What must be printed on a tow truck operating in Jefferson County?
Section 340.070(I) requires any towing company that tows abandoned property for hire to print the company's name, city, and state on the sides of the truck, wrecker, or other tow vehicle in letters at least three inches tall, a marking requirement enforced alongside the chapter's other towing procedures.
How much can a towing company charge me for storing my towed car?
Section 340.080(A) limits a non-consent tow to reasonable storage charges that cannot exceed what the same company charges for a consensual tow negotiated with an owner, and those charges can only be assessed for the period the company is complying with the chapter's notice and reporting procedures.
How long can my car sit on an interstate before Jefferson County has it towed?
It depends on location and hazard. Section 340.060 allows a tow after ten hours if the interstate or freeway segment is in an urbanized area, or immediately if a Law Enforcement Officer determines the vehicle is a serious hazard to other motorists; outside urbanized areas the wait is twenty-four hours, or four hours for a hazard.
Can I stop a tow of my car from private property if I get there in time?
Yes, partially. Section 340.080(C) caps the charge at not more than half the regular towing charge if you or your agent return to the vehicle before it's removed from private real property, though the full charge applies once the vehicle has left the property and is in transit.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Jefferson County

Fence Regulations: Height LimitsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: RV & Boat ParkingSignificant RestrictionsAdult EntertainmentSignificant RestrictionsMassage EstablishmentsSignificant RestrictionsTattoo & Body ModificationSignificant RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Decibel LimitsSignificant RestrictionsParking Rules: Loading ZonesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Driveway RulesSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Retaining WallsSome Restrictions

All Jefferson County rules

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