Sumter County, FL Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Code § 17-20
- Rate ceiling
- FHP troop's maximum towing/storage rates
- Covers
- Private-property, accident and non-consent tows
- Overcharge penalty
- Up to $500 fine, 60 days jail
- Release conditions
- Pay charges, prove ownership, clear hold
Summary
Sumter County caps what wrecker operators can charge for non-consent tows, adopting the maximum towing and storage rates set by the local Florida Highway Patrol troop as the ceiling for private-property tows, accident-scene recoveries and any removal the vehicle owner didn't agree to. Charging above that FHP-set rate is itself a code violation under § 17-20.
A.The county does hereby adopt the maximum towing and storage rates established by the Florida Highway Patrol Troop whose service area includes the county, as may be modified from time to time, as the maximum fees to be charged on the towing of vehicles or vessels from or immobilization of vehicles or vessels on private property, removal and storage of wrecked or disabled vehicles or vessels from an accident scene or for the removal and storage of vehicles or vessels in the event the owner or operator is incapacitated, unavailable, leaves the procurement of a wrecker service to a law enforcement officer at the scene, or otherwise does not consent to the removal of the vehicle.B.It shall be a violation of this section for an unauthorized wrecker operator to charge fees for removal and storage in excess of established rates as contemplated herein.
Full Breakdown
The rate cap covers non-consensual tows specifically: private-property removals, immobilizations, wrecked or disabled vehicles pulled from an accident scene, and any tow where the owner is incapacitated, unavailable, lets a law enforcement officer call the wrecker for them, or otherwise never agrees to the removal. Rather than setting its own dollar figures, § 17-20 pegs the ceiling to whatever the Florida Highway Patrol troop covering Sumter County has adopted as its maximum towing and storage rates, so the cap moves automatically when FHP revises its schedule.
An 'unauthorized wrecker operator' who bills above that FHP-set ceiling is in violation of subsection (B) of the same section. The rule pairs with the county's separate vehicle-impoundment authority in § 17-18, under which a Sheriff's deputy can direct a vehicle to the county's contracted tow storage facility when it is abandoned more than 48 hours, blocks traffic, or the driver is arrested, among other listed grounds; a towed vehicle isn't released until the towing and storage charges are paid, ownership is proven, and any law-enforcement hold is lifted. 00 fine, up to 60 days in the county jail, or both, with continuing violations treated as a separate offense each day.
Violations & Fines
A wrecker operator who charges more than the adopted Florida Highway Patrol rate for a non-consent tow violates § 17-20(B) and is subject to the Code's general penalty under § 1-6: a fine up to $500.00, up to 60 days in the county jail, or both, with each day a continuing overcharge counted as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the maximum a tow company can charge in unincorporated Sumter County?
Which tows does the rate cap apply to?
What happens if a wrecker company overcharges?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sumter County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Sumter County to another location·View the Florida business licensing & operations overview
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