New Brunswick, NJ Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)

Chapter 5.112 governs wreckers in the City of New Brunswick. Licensing runs one year from January 1st, and the police department, led by the director of police, is the supervising authority (Section 5.112.080). Section 5.112.020 caps licenses at one for every 6,000 residents or fraction, and never more than eight in a licensing year. Applicants need three years of towing experience, a storage yard inside the city or within two miles of its borders, and a certification from the city's zoning officer that the location is a permitted use. Section 5.112.030 requires insurance of at least $100,000 for customer property and $250,000 for personal injuries.

Section 5.112.050 fixes maximum charges. A light-duty passenger tow costs up to $125 Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and $135 at night and on weekends and holidays, with $5.50 for each additional mile outside the city when the tower agrees to go at the owner's request. Vehicles registered between 6,001 and 12,000 pounds are capped at $135 by day and $145 at night and on weekends and holidays. Heavy-duty conventional tows are capped at $250, $350 and $450 across three weight bands, with an additional $90 for nights, weekends and holidays. Storage is charged only after 24 hours: $60 per day inside and $30 per day outside. The decoupling fee is $50. Starting a vehicle, changing a flat tire and delivering fuel are each capped at $70. Every wrecker must accept cash, credit or debit cards, and business checks from insurers. Tows requested by the police carry a $20 administration fee paid at the police front desk before release, except collision-only tows or tows where the owner was a crime victim. Under Section 5.112.080, a wrecker must arrive within fifteen minutes under normal circumstances, and dispatch rotates among licensees. The storage lot must be open 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturdays.