Lenexa, KS Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)
Key Facts
- Police notice
- Required before any non-consent tow
- Required sign
- Reflective letters 2 inches high, 3 square feet maximum
- Owner disconnect fee
- Not more than one-half of the posted rate
- Personal property access
- Up to 48 hours after the tow
- Location report
- To Lenexa Police within 2 hours
- Penalty
- $500 to $2,500 fine, up to 6 months jail
Summary
In the City of Lenexa, Kansas, anyone who tows a vehicle from private property at a third party's request and without the owner's consent must first notify the Lenexa Police Department, post a compliant sign, and disconnect if the owner shows up. Violations carry a fine of $500 to $2,500 and up to six months in jail.
It shall be unlawful and a violation of this Chapter for any person to fail to comply with the following regulations when involved in the towing or request of towing of motor vehicles from private property at the request of third parties and without the consent of the owner or operator of the vehicle: Notification: Prior to the person or tow company towing or removing a vehicle from private property, they shall notify the Lenexa Police Department of their intent and of the following information concerning the tow or removal: ... Mandatory Disconnect: If the owner or other legally authorized person in control of the vehicle arrives at the scene prior to removal or towing of the vehicle, the vehicle shall be disconnected from the towing or removal apparatus, and that person shall be allowed to remove the vehicle without interference upon the payment of a reasonable service fee of not more than one-half (1/2) of the posted rate for such towing or removal ... There shall be no charge if the vehicle has not been connected to the tow truck.
Full Breakdown
Section 3-9-C aside, the towing rules sit in Section 3-8-C-2 of the Lenexa City Code. Before a vehicle leaves a private lot, the person or tow company must tell the Lenexa Police Department the vehicle's make, model, style, color and year, its VIN, its license plate number and state, where it is going along with a contact number for release, the reason for the tow, and who ordered it. If the owner or another legally authorized person in control of the vehicle reaches the scene before removal, the truck must disconnect. That person is then allowed to remove the vehicle without interference after paying a reasonable service fee of not more than one-half of the posted rate, with a receipt, and pays nothing if the vehicle was never connected to the tow truck.
Signs are required for most lots. The notice must sit at each primary driveway access or curb cut, in light-reflective letters at least two inches high on a contrasting background, reading "Unauthorized Vehicles Will Be Towed". The sign structure cannot exceed three square feet, must be permanently installed with its bottom edge between four and five feet above ground, and must stay up for at least 24 hours before any tow. Property appurtenant to a single-family residence, which the code says includes duplexes, townhomes and residential planned unit developments, is exempt, as are cases where the owner or operator is personally told the area is reserved.
A tow company is allowed to enter a vehicle only to remove it, using reasonable care and holding the keys or another legal non-damaging means of entry, and it is responsible for the security of the vehicle and its contents. Owners get access to personal property in the vehicle for up to 48 hours after the tow. The company must report the vehicle's final location to the Lenexa Police Department within two hours. Section 3-8-C-2-B caps private-property tow and storage charges at the schedule in Section 3-8-C-3-K: a basic tow is $100 maximum, mileage is $4.50 per mile, and storage is $25 per day outside or $30 per day inside.
Violations & Fines
Under Section 3-8-C-2-C, any person or tow company that violates the Article is fined not less than $500 and not more than $2,500, and the court can add up to six months in jail. That penalty stacks on top of any other remedy at law or equity available to the City. A company on the police rotation list also risks suspension or revocation by the Police Chief under Section 3-8-C-3-H, and a revoked provider is not eligible for reinstatement for at least one year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a private lot in Lenexa need a sign before a vehicle is towed?
What happens if I reach my car while the tow truck is still there?
How much can a tow company charge for a private-property tow in Lenexa?
How long do I have to get belongings out of a towed vehicle?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lenexa
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