Orlando, FL Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)
Key Facts
- License required
- City occupational license/business tax receipt, § 39.85(3)
- Private-property contract
- Filed & approved annually, $100 per address
- Max tow fee (≤10,000 lbs)
- $125.00, § 39.89(1)a
- Max tow fee (>50,000 lbs)
- $500.00, § 39.89(1)d
- Immobilization fee cap
- $22.00 per 24-hour period
- Revocation trigger
- 3+ violations within 2 years, § 39.90
Summary
Every company that trespass-tows or immobilizes vehicles for profit in Orlando needs a City business tax receipt plus an approved written contract for each property it tows from. § 39.85 sets the licensing mandate; § 39.89 caps what they can charge, from $125 to tow a car up to $500 for the heaviest trucks.
(3)Every person, company, corporation, or other entity that owns or operates a service that engages in vehicle trespass towing, removing or immobilization for profit within the City of Orlando must secure and maintain a current occupational license or local business tax receipt issued by the City of Orlando consistent with the provisions of Subsection 36.02(2) and Section 36.03 and any other applicable provisions of Chapter 36. ... Towing of vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of up to and including 10,000 pounds .....$125.00 ... Towing of vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of more than 50,000 pounds .....$500.00
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 92).
Full Breakdown
85 declares that unauthorized and abandoned vehicles are a public nuisance and requires every towing or immobilization service operating for profit in Orlando to 'secure and maintain a current occupational license or local business tax receipt issued by the City of Orlando,' with every tow truck required to display physical evidence of that receipt. Operating a trespass tow without the sticker is itself a separate violation from the underlying business-tax requirement. A Towing Enforcement Administrator, designated by the Chief of Police, administers and enforces Chapter 39, Article IX, working with Vehicle for Hire inspectors, Orlando Police, Community Service Officers, and Code Enforcement Officers. 07. Fla. 00-per-24-hour immobilization ('booting') fee across all classes. 94.
Violations & Fines
Towing without a valid City business tax receipt, towing from a property lacking an approved § 39.86 contract, or charging above the § 39.89 rate caps are each separate violations enforceable through Code Enforcement Board proceedings or citation under §§ 162.21–162.30, Florida Statutes. Three or more violations within a two-year period creates a presumption under § 39.90 that the company's operation is contrary to public policy, supporting license revocation for at least one year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a towing company need a license to operate in Orlando?
What can a tow company legally charge in Orlando?
Can a towing company lose its license for repeat violations?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Orlando
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