Iowa City, IA Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)

Under Code section 9-4-4A, no person may park on public or private property without the consent of the owner or person in possession, and a vehicle parked in violation may be ticketed and towed. But the section builds in a specific procedure rather than letting any private wrecker company remove the vehicle on its own: the police department is authorized to act as an agent of the property owner or lawful possessor and to tow or cause to be towed, under the Iowa Code, any vehicle parked without consent.

Before any such tow, the owner, lawful possessor or the agent must, in writing, authorize the police to act as agent, agree to notify the county sheriff as state law requires, and agree to release, defend, indemnify and hold harmless the city, its officers, employees and agents from any damages or liability claims arising from the tow. The vehicle owner may then reclaim the towed vehicle under the Iowa Code redemption provisions. Separately, Chapter 9-9 governs city-directed towing and impoundment for illegally parked, abandoned or accumulated-violation vehicles, with redemption and hearing procedures at sections 9-9-10 and 9-9-11, but that chapter addresses city enforcement action, not a private landowner's authority to remove a vehicle from private property.