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

Three chapters of Title 4 of the Huntington Park Municipal Code regulate towing in the City of Huntington Park, Los Angeles County. Chapter 15 covers vehicles removed from private lots, Chapter 16 covers permits for tow truck operators, and Chapter 17 covers permits for towing firms. Section 4-17.01 makes it unlawful to conduct business as a towing firm in the City without first obtaining a permit from the Chief of Police, and § 4-16.01 imposes the same permit requirement on anyone who conducts towing operations.

Applications are made on forms from the Chief of Police or a designee. Under § 4-17.03 the applicant supplies a business plan with days and hours of operation, every storage location for towed vehicles, and a complaint-handling system acceptable to the Chief of Police. The application also lists each tow truck's make, year, model and license number and the name and permit number of every employee who will drive one. Under § 4-17.04 it comes with a fingerprinting fee set by resolution, a set of fingerprints taken by the Huntington Park Police Department, two clear color photographs of approximately 2 inches by 2 inches, and the filing fee. Section 4-17.05 allows denial for missing insurance, inadequate equipment or facilities, a conviction for a listed crime, knowing falsification, or lack of an FDIC-authorized bank credit card machine. A permit must be displayed conspicuously at the business address (§ 4-17.06), expires one year after issuance (§ 4-17.14), and requires semiannual proof of insurance (§ 4-17.10).

On the private-lot side, § 4-15.03 requires any firm towing under Vehicle Code Section 22658 to post its current fee schedule at every location where vehicles are claimed and to give a copy to anyone before they pay to release a vehicle. Section 4-15.04 ties towing and storage fees to the City's agreement with its towing contractor, and § 4-15.05 makes charging more unlawful. A firm must deliver a completed Vehicle Report CHP-180 to the Police Department within 30 minutes after leaving private property with the vehicle (§ 4-17.09). Section 4-15.08 requires release of the vehicle on payment by cash, personal or cashier's check, valid bank credit card, or money order.