Killeen, TX Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Police rotation list privilege permit, ch. 28 art. III
- Class A tow fee
- $175 flat, vehicles under 10,000 lbs.
- Class C tow fee
- $800 flat, over 26,000 lbs.
- Insurance minimum
- $100,000/$300,000 liability, $20,000 garage-keeper policy
- Driver background check
- No theft, DWI, drug or violent convictions
- First suspension
- 30 days (general), 60 days (major violation)
- Appeal
- Written appeal to city manager's office
Summary
Killeen requires every non-consent tow company that wants police-directed work to hold a police rotation list permit issued by the chief of police. Operators need a $20,000 garage-keeper's policy, $100,000/$300,000 liability coverage, and a background-checked driver's permit. Fees are capped by ordinance: $175 for a light tow, up to $800 for heavy-duty, plus storage and mileage.
In all police-initiated towing of vehicles, the operator of the vehicle, if present and not incapacitated, shall have the right to select a tow service of his choice to perform the service. If the operator of the vehicle to be towed is not present or is incapacitated or has no preference as to any towing service, the police officer ordering the tow shall request that the towing service be performed by the tow service then first on the rotation list maintained in the police communications center. When emergency circumstances exist which require the immediate removal of a vehicle from the roadway, the police officer may request towing service from the tow service nearest to the scene of the emergency. A police officer may also request towing service from any company operating large cranes or other heavy equipment if same is necessary to remove traffic obstructions involving large trucks or heavy equipment.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 38 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 28, Article III governs vehicle towing and the police wrecker rotation list. Section 28-58 lets the chief of police maintain rotation lists of tow companies willing to respond to police-requested tows; Section 28-59 gives the vehicle's driver, if present, the right to choose their own tow company, otherwise the next company on the rotation gets the call. Section 28-71 requires a police rotation list privilege permit before a company can perform police-directed tows, and Section 28-72 requires a notarized application disclosing owners, storage location, truck specifications, and proof of a garage-keeper's legal liability policy with a $20,000 collision limit, plus $100,000/$300,000/$50,000 liability coverage and $50,000 of on-hook cargo insurance.
), plus $20/day storage, $100/hour winching, and mileage of $3 to $7 a mile outside city limits. Section 28-64 requires each tow truck operator to hold an individual driver's permit, valid one year, after passing a background check disqualifying anyone convicted of theft, DWI, drug possession, felony assault, or vehicle-related crimes within specified look-back periods, or who is a registered sex offender. Section 28-76 authorizes the chief of police to suspend a company's rotation permit for general or major violations, such as soliciting business at a scene or missing three rotation calls in 30 days, and Section 28-79 lets a denied or suspended operator appeal in writing to the city manager's office.
Violations & Fines
Towing without a rotation list permit, or sending an unpermitted driver or truck, is a general violation drawing a 30-day suspension for a first offense and 60 days for a second under Section 28-76(d). Falsifying an application, losing required insurance, or losing state VSF or tow-truck registration is a major violation carrying a minimum 60-day suspension, rising to 90 days for a second offense within 12 months, at the chief of police's discretion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I choose my own tow company after a Killeen police stop?
What does it cost to get a car towed by Killeen police?
How does a tow company get removed from Killeen's rotation list?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Killeen
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