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Travis County, TX Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

List
Sheriff's Office Non-Consent Towing Rotation List
Service requirement
24-hour towing coverage
Location rule
Place of business in Travis County
Permit rule
Must hold a State permit
Fee cap authority
Set annually by Commissioners Court order
Fee study
Company can request via County Judge's Office
Marine program
Separate Lake Travis towing rotation list

Summary

A towing company cannot pick up non-consent tows for the Travis County Sheriff's Office without a spot on its Rotation List. Getting listed means running 24-hour service, holding a state permit, keeping a place of business in the county, and charging no more than the fee cap the Commissioners Court sets by order.

City-specific rules exist: Austin has its own towing companies rules that differ from Travis County's county-level regulations. If you live in Austin, check the city-specific page instead.

269.001 Travis County Sheriff's Office Non-Consent Towing Rotation List When a Travis County Deputy determines that the owner or operator of a vehicle requiring towing from a scene is unable to select a towing company for any reason, the Deputy will request that a towing company be selected from the Travis County Sheriff's Office Non-Consent Towing Rotation List. In order to be placed on the Towing Rotation List, towing companies must comply with reasonable conditions set by the Travis County Sheriff's Office, including but not limited to maintaining a twenty-four hour towing service, holding a State permit, having a place of business in Travis County, and agreeing to charge no more than the fees set forth by the Travis County Commissioners Court. 269.002 Travis County Regulation of Non-Consent Towing Fees The Travis County Commissioners Court will by Order determine the maximum fees to be charged by towing companies performing non-consent tows who wish to be on the Towing Rotation List.

Full Breakdown

001 directs the deputy to call a company off the Sheriff's Office Non-Consent Towing Rotation List rather than allow an open market pick. To get on that list, a company must meet conditions the Sheriff's Office sets, including maintaining 24-hour towing service, holding a state permit, keeping a place of business inside Travis County, and agreeing to charge no more than the fee schedule the Commissioners Court has set. 002 puts fee-setting in the Commissioners Court's hands directly: the Court sets the maximum non-consent tow fee by order and revisits the amount every year to check it still reflects fair value.

A towing company that thinks the cap is too low can trigger a review itself by writing to the County Judge's Office and asking for a fee study; the County then surveys fees charged in neighboring counties and counties of similar population before the Commissioners Court decides whether to adjust the cap. 004) that divides the lake into response zones, caps towing, storage, and haul-out fees, and sets response-time and suspension rules for marina operators on that list.

Violations & Fines

A company that is not on the Rotation List simply is not called for Sheriff's Office non-consent tows; it is a listing requirement, not a fine schedule. Overcharging above the Commissioners Court's fee cap, dropping 24-hour coverage, or losing the required state permit or in-county place of business is grounds for the Sheriff's Office to remove a company from rotation. The marine towing agreement spells out a formal escalation for that program: a suspended company can request a hearing before the Major Deputy for Law Enforcement, appeal that decision in writing to the Chief Deputy Sheriff, and take a final appeal to the Sheriff or the Commissioners Court.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can any towing company respond to a Travis County Sheriff's Office tow call?
Only if it is on the Sheriff's Office Non-Consent Towing Rotation List. Under Section 269.001, when a driver cannot choose their own tow company, the deputy calls a company off that list, and only companies meeting the Sheriff's Office's conditions get a spot on it.
Who decides how much a non-consent tow can cost in Travis County?
The Travis County Commissioners Court sets the maximum fee by order under Section 269.002 and reviews the amount every year to confirm it still represents fair value based on financial information towing companies provide.
Can a towing company challenge the fee cap?
Yes. Section 269.002 lets a company request a towing fee study through the County Judge's Office; the County then compares fees in neighboring and similarly sized counties before the Commissioners Court decides whether to adjust the cap.
Does Travis County regulate towing on Lake Travis too?
Yes. Section 269.003 sets up a separate Non-Consent Marine Towing Rotation List for boats and watercraft on the county's part of Lake Travis, run under a written agreement in Section 269.004 that divides the lake into response zones with its own caps on towing, storage, and haul-out fees.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Travis County

All Travis County rules

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