Lake County, IN Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)
Key Facts
- County towing fee
- $75 per tow
- Minimum insurance
- $1,000,000 liability
- Hours required
- 24/7 operation
- Vehicle marking
- 4-inch lettering, both sides
- Selected by
- Board of Commissioners contract
Summary
Lake County selects and contracts with towing companies through its Board of Commissioners, and only a company under a Board-approved contract may be called to tow vehicles for the Sheriff's Department. Selected companies must carry at least $1,000,000 in liability insurance, mark every tow truck with the owner's name and address in four-inch letters, and stay open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
(A) Towing vehicles. All commercial towing vehicles operating at the direction of a department of Lake County government, including but not limited to the Lake County Sheriff's Department, shall be marked on each side fully identifying the owner thereof and the address of its principal place of business in printed letters not less than four inches in height. The markings shall be permanently affixed to the sides. (B) Liability insurance. All authorized towing companies shall carry liability insurance in the amount of not less than $1,000,000. (C) Hours of operations. Each towing company shall be open for business 24 hours per day, seven days a week. (D) County towing fee. (1) In addition to towing company fees, the county shall receive $75 per tow which shall be paid at the time the vehicle owner receives the vehicle from storage, or the vehicle is otherwise disposed.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-14: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through 6-9-2026; and State legislation current through Indiana Legislative Service, 2025 Acts, Pamphlet No. 3).
Full Breakdown
15 sets the operating standards for towing companies that work at the direction of county government, primarily the Lake County Sheriff's Department. Every commercial tow truck used for a county-directed tow must display the owner's name and business address on both sides in printed letters no smaller than four inches, permanently affixed. 15(C) requires the company to be open for business 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so a vehicle owner can always reach the lot. 15(D) adds a separate $75 county towing fee for every tow performed for a violation of a county ordinance, state statute, or federal statute; the vehicle owner pays that fee when picking up the vehicle from storage or when it is otherwise disposed of, and the money is deposited into the County General Fund for appropriation by the Lake County Council.
16 makes the vehicle owner, not the county, liable for all costs of removal, storage, and disposal. C. 5-4(b)(4). Only a company holding a Board-approved contract, and notified by Lake County personnel, may tow a vehicle for the county.
Violations & Fines
A towing company operating without a Board of Commissioners contract has no authority to accept a county-directed tow call. A vehicle owner who disputes storage or towing charges remains liable for all removal, storage, and disposal costs under § 101.16; the $75 county fee is billed separately from the company's own charges and is due when the vehicle is released from storage or otherwise disposed of.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who picks which towing company responds to a Sheriff's Department call in Lake County?
How much does Lake County charge in addition to the tow itself?
Who pays if my car is towed and stored in Lake County?
Does a Lake County-contracted tow company have to be open at night?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lake County
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