Nashville, TN Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)
Key Facts
- Max tow fee (under 7,000 lbs)
- $155.00
- Max storage fee
- $40.00 per day
- Free storage window
- First two hours
- Police notification deadline
- Within one hour of tow
- Minimum sign size
- 24 in. by 18 in.
Summary
Private-property nonconsent towing in Nashville and Davidson County is capped at $155 for vehicles under 7,000 pounds, with storage limited to $40 per day and no fee for the first two hours.
Rate Schedule for Non-consent Towing from Private Property. Any towing and storage firm engaged in the business of non-consent towing shall not charge the owner of any towed vehicle or personal property in excess of the following rates. 1. Towing: a. Vehicles under seven thousand pounds GVWR ..... $155.00 maximum ... 2. Storage. The maximum fee for storage of any vehicle removed from private property is forty dollars per day. No storage fee may be charged for cars or pickup trucks stored two hours or less.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 53 | Charter: Republication 9).
Full Breakdown
Metro's Transportation Licensing Commission caps non-consent tows from private property under Metropolitan Code of Laws § 6.80.550(H): $155 maximum for vehicles under 7,000 pounds GVWR, all-inclusive with no added fees for dollies, lifts or mileage. Storage runs up to $40 per day, waived for the first two hours. Lots must post a 24-by-18-inch sign at each entrance/exit warning of towing before removal (§ 6.80.195), and operators must notify Metro police and obtain a tow control number within one hour of pulling a vehicle from private property (§ 6.80.580(M)).
Violations & Fines
Overcharging, towing without the required signage, or skipping the one-hour police notification violates Chapter 6.80 and is punishable under the general ordinance-violation penalties in § 1.01.030, plus TLC license suspension or revocation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much can a Nashville tow company legally charge for a nonconsent tow?
Does a private lot have to post a warning sign before towing?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Nashville
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