Yakima County, WA Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)

060, the sheriff may appoint any tow truck operator who removes and stores motor vehicles in the county to act as the sheriff's agent for disposing of abandoned vehicles and automobile hulks. Appointment requires submitting an application to the sheriff, filing whatever reports the sheriff requires and in whatever frequency he sets, and posting a surety bond of $3,000 to compensate any vehicle owner harmed by the operator's negligence or misconduct in an unlawful sale. The sheriff can cancel an appointment on evidence the operator is not complying with applicable laws, rules and regulations.

Where more than one operator is appointed, the sheriff must distribute impoundments as nearly as practicable on a rotation schedule, except that a vehicle an operator discovers on its own is not counted against that operator in the rotation. 070: after 30 days from the first notice to the registered owner and landowner, an unclaimed, non-stolen vehicle goes to public auction advertised at least three days ahead in a local newspaper, with notice sent to the last known owner by first-class mail, return receipt requested; vehicles ten or more model years old can be disposed of without a sale notice if the operator secures a bill of sale from the Department of Licensing. 050.