Newport News, VA Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)
Key Facts
- Light-vehicle tow cap
- $175 (up to 10,000 lbs GVW)
- Storage cap
- $40-$55 per day
- Consent required
- Written consent or posted sign
- Illegal towing penalty
- Class 3 misdemeanor
Summary
Newport News caps the basic charge a tow firm can bill for a non-consent private-property tow at $175 for light vehicles and requires signed owner consent or a posted parking-enforcement sign before any tow.
(a)No tow truck service or operator shall charge a basic fee in excess of that set forth in this section. The towing charge shall not exceed one-hundred seventy-five dollars ($175.00) for light vehicles weighing up to ten thousand (10,000) pounds gross vehicle weight.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 81).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 26's towing-operations rules cap what a towing firm may charge to remove a vehicle from private property without the owner's consent: $175 for vehicles up to 10,000 lbs GVW, $225 for mid-size, and $375 for vehicles over 18,000 lbs, plus storage fees capped at $40-$55 per day. A firm must have the property owner's written consent (or a standing removal agreement) and post a compliant sign before towing, notify police before or during the tow, and give the vehicle owner an itemized receipt. Charges above the posted or statutory amounts are not collectible.
Violations & Fines
Illegal towing without required signage/consent is a Class 3 misdemeanor under § 26-17.10; charges exceeding the posted or statutory fee schedule are not legally collectible from the vehicle owner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a towing company in Newport News charge whatever it wants for a non-consent tow?
Does a business need a sign before towing unauthorized cars from its lot?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Newport News
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