Louisville, KY Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)
Key Facts
- Standard vehicle cap
- $138 tow + first 24 hrs
- Storage cap after
- $25/day standard vehicle
- License fee
- $200/year, $25 application
- Police notice
- Call LMPD before towing
- Enforcing agency
- Dept. of Codes and Regulations
Summary
Private tow operators in Louisville Metro must be licensed, cap fees by vehicle weight class, post lot signage, and get written per-tow authorization before towing from private parking lots.
Charges for a standard vehicle: up to but not more than $138 for removal and the first 24 hours of storage, and up to but not more than $25 per calendar day for storage thereafter. In addition to the towing charges, private tow operators may charge an additional fee up to $27 per vehicle for a vehicle transported by a dolly type platform. Dolly fees shall not be allowed if a dolly is not needed to tow the vehicle.
(b) Charges for a medium duty vehicle: up to but not more than $280 for removal and the first 24 hours of storage, and up to but not more than $50 per calendar day for storage thereafter.
(c) Charges for a tractor trailer vehicle: up to but not more than $500 for removal and the first 24 hours of storage, and up to but not more than $100 per calendar day for storage thereafter.
(d) A private tow operator may not charge a calendar day for storage for days that the private tow operator or the storage facility to which the private tow operator has taken the motor vehicle is not open for the motor vehicle to be released.
(B) A private tow operator may not charge any fees beyond those set forth in subsection (A) of this section to release a motor vehicle properly impounded from a private parking lot.
(C) (1) If the private impound tow truck operator has lawfully fully hooked up and physically raised the vehicle to normal transportation height in accordance with the requirements and provisions of this ordinance, but has not
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-47: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ordinances passed by the Council and approved by the Mayor as of July 1, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Louisville Metro requires a Department of Codes and Regulations license before any private tow operator can impound vehicles from private lots, and caps what they can charge: up to $138 for a standard vehicle's removal plus first 24 hours, $280 for medium-duty, $500 for tractor-trailers, with set daily storage add-ons. Lots must post signs naming the tow operator and fees, and each tow needs a contemporaneous signed authorization from the lot owner plus a call to LMPD before the vehicle leaves. Tow companies cannot hook up occupied vehicles or pay kickbacks to lot owners for referrals.
Violations & Fines
Unlicensed towing, exceeding the fee caps, towing without signed lot-owner authorization, or skipping the required LMPD notification call are Codes and Regulations violations; a tow done in violation of the subchapter forfeits all towing and storage charges and exposes the operator to damages.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Louisville tow lot charge whatever it wants after towing my car?
Does a private lot need a contract with a licensed tower to tow my car?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Louisville
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