Orange, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit issuer
- Business Services Coordinator / Chief of Police
- Background check
- Fingerprinting and photographing of every applicant
- Minimum age
- 18 years old
- Employer notice on termination
- 5 days, written, to Business Services Coordinator
- Permit display duty
- Worn in plain view on all service calls
Summary
Every tow truck business and driver operating in Orange needs a City permit. Drivers must wear the permit in plain view on every service call, and the Chief of Police fingerprints and investigates each applicant before it is issued.
No person shall operate any tow truck business within the City or serve as a tow truck driver without obtaining a proper permit therefor, as provided in this chapter. Every driver's permit issued under this chapter shall set forth the following information: Name of company for whom the driver is authorized to operate a tow truck; Name, photo, driver's license number, and date of birth of the applicant; Date of expiration of the permit. The driver shall wear the permit in plain view during all service calls within the City limits of the City of Orange.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4796775; v10 updated 2026-01-27).
Full Breakdown
76 defines a tow truck as a vehicle altered or equipped exclusively for towing by crane, hoist, tow bar, towline or dolly, or otherwise used exclusively to render roadside assistance. No person may operate a tow truck business in Orange or serve as a driver without a permit, and every driver's permit must set out the company name the driver is authorized to work for, the driver's name, photo, driver's license number and date of birth, and the permit's expiration date; drivers must wear the permit in plain view during every service call within City limits.
010. Applicants must also disclose their towing experience and whether any prior tow truck driver's license was ever revoked or suspended. No driver's permit may issue to anyone under 18, or to anyone with a physical impairment that would interfere with performing the job. When a driver's employment ends, the employer must immediately surrender the permit to the Chief of Police and notify the Business Services Coordinator in writing within five days.
Violations & Fines
Towing vehicles in Orange without the required company or driver permit, failing to wear the permit in plain view on a service call, or an employer's failure to surrender a terminated driver's permit and give the five-day written notice are chapter violations that can lead to permit denial, termination, or referral for enforcement under the City's general business permit provisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a tow truck driver in Orange work without a City permit?
How old must a tow truck driver be in Orange?
What must an employer do when a tow truck driver quits or is fired?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Orange
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Towing Companies in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Orange County handle towing companies.