Odessa, TX Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- City Code §§ 4-11-1, 4-11-2
- Street solicitation
- Prohibited citywide, any method
- 1-hour presumption
- Uncalled scene presence within 1 hour
- Police tow contract
- Awarded by city council only
- Max fine
- $500 per day, per violation
Summary
Odessa bans wrecker companies from soliciting tow business on city streets or chasing accident scenes, while routing all police-requested tows through a single contract the city council awards by competitive proposal.
No person may solicit in any manner, directly or indirectly, on the streets of the city, the business of towing a vehicle which is wrecked or disabled on a street... Proof of the presence of a person engaged in the wrecker business... on a street in the city, at or near the scene of an accident, which has not been called to the scene by the chief of police or the operator of the vehicle, within one hour after the happening of an accident, is prima facie evidence of a solicitation in violation of this section.
Full Breakdown
City Code § 4-11-2 makes it a criminal offense for any wrecker operator to solicit towing, repair, storage, trading, or purchase of a wrecked or disabled vehicle on an Odessa street. If a wrecker or its driver turns up at an accident scene within one hour without being summoned by the police chief or the vehicle's own operator, that presence alone is prima facie proof of illegal solicitation. Separately, § 4-11-1 requires the city to award its police-department wrecker contract through a competitive proposal process that the purchasing director manages but only the city council can approve.
Violations & Fines
Illegal street solicitation or wreck-chasing is a code violation Odessa cites through Municipal Court, punishable by a fine up to $500 under the city's general penalty section.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I call a specific tow truck to an accident in Odessa?
What counts as illegal wrecker solicitation in Odessa?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Odessa
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