Palm Springs, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)

040 of the Palm Springs Municipal Code makes it unlawful for any tow operator to perform nonconsensual vehicle towing at the request of the police department unless that operator is an official police tow services provider under contract with the city. 030 defines nonconsensual towing broadly to include any tow ordered by police or performed without the vehicle owner's knowledge or consent, on public or private property, such as towing a vehicle with registration more than six months past due or towing after an owner is arrested, incapacitated, or fails to designate a preferred towing company.

060: the police chief prepares a request for proposals, the city council evaluates bidders on financial strength, equipment, experience, safety record, and prior client evaluations, and awards a contract by resolution. weekdays, and twenty-four-hour, seven-day response availability. 140 requires an average response time of no more than fifteen minutes over any thirty-day period and caps any single response at twenty minutes. 100, adjusted each July 1st for cost-of-living changes tied to the local CPI-U.