Jersey City, NJ Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- Chapter 319, Towers and Towing
- Non-consent tow basis
- N.J.S.A. 39:4-56.6, per § 319-17.A
- Report deadline
- Within 1 hour to police district
- Unclaimed vehicle window
- 90 days before public auction
- Rate cap
- Same max as citywide tows, § 319-11
- License authority
- Division of Commerce
Summary
Jersey City lets a property owner remove a vehicle parked without consent under N.J.S.A. 39:4-56.6, but the licensed tower who does it must report the tow to the police district within one hour and charge no more than the maximum rates set for towing done citywide.
Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 39:4-56.6, the owner or other person in control or possession of the private property on which a vehicle is parked or left unattended as described in the definition of "Disabled Vehicle" may remove and store or hire another person to remove and store the vehicle. It shall be the obligation of the owner of the vehicle to pay the costs for the removal and storage before he shall be entitled to recover the possession of the vehicle... The maximum charges for towing and storage of vehicles so removed from private property shall be the same as set forth herein for vehicles towed or stored from within the City under § 319-11.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 52).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 319, Towers and Towing, sets the rules for non-consent private-property tows. A. 2A:44-20 et seq. B requires the licensee who performs the tow to report to the police district covering the removal location, within one hour, the plate number and description of the vehicle, where it is stored, where it was removed from, and the identity of the person claiming control of the property. C caps what can be charged: the maximum charges for towing and storage of vehicles removed from private property are the same maximums set under Section 319-11 for tows performed within the city generally, so a private lot cannot be charged a premium rate.
Only a Class A or Class B tower licensed by the Division of Commerce under Section 319-2 may lawfully operate a towing business in Jersey City, and Class A licensees on the police rotation list must also meet the storage-space and staffing requirements of Section 319-3. General towing violations are punishable under Chapter 1, Section 1-25, and a licensee's rotation-list position and license itself can be suspended or revoked for violations of Chapter 319.
Violations & Fines
Charging above the Section 319-11 maximum rates, failing to file the required one-hour police report after a private-property tow, or operating without a Class A/B tower license or Impound Operator license violates Chapter 319 and is punishable under Chapter 1, Section 1-25; a licensee's tower license can also be suspended or revoked after a hearing on 10 days' notice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a private property owner in Jersey City have a car towed without the driver's consent?
How much can a Jersey City tower charge for a non-consent tow from private property?
What must a tower do after removing a car from private property without consent?
What happens if a towed vehicle's owner never pays or claims it?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Jersey City
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