Perth Amboy, NJ Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)
Key Facts
- Contract required
- Executed City contract, one-year term ending December 31
- Application fee
- $100 flat plus $50 for each wrecker
- Response time
- 15 minutes from the City's request
- Class I tow rate
- $165 flat rate
- Storage
- No charge first 12 hours, then $45 outside or $55 inside per day
- Fine
- $100 to $1,000, up to 90 days in county jail
- Enforced by
- Chief of Police or designee
Summary
In the City of Perth Amboy, no one may provide towing and vehicle storage services to the City without an executed contract, and the Police Department runs a rotating call list with a 15 minute response limit. Chapter 425 caps tow and storage rates and bars towing from private lots without the required signage.
The towing and storage service rates set forth in Subsection A of § 425-12 shall apply to all wreckers operating within the City of Perth Amboy ... Fail, when so requested by the owner or operator of a vehicle subject to nonconsensual towing, to release a vehicle to the owner or operator that has been, or is about to be hooked or lifted but has not actually been moved or removed from the property when the vehicle owner or operator returns to the vehicle or to charge the owner or operator requesting release of the vehicle for a fee no greater than $30. ... Tow any motor vehicle parked for an unauthorized purpose or during a time at which such parking is not permitted from any privately owned parking lot, from other private property, or from any common driveway without the consent of the motor vehicle owner or operator unless the signage requirements of the Predatory Towing Prevention Act, N.J.S.A. 56:13-7 et seq., its regulations, N.J.A.C. 13:45A-31.1 et seq., and any amendments thereto, have been complied with.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 425 of the Perth Amboy City Code, amended in its entirety on 5-27-2020 by Ord. No. 1944-2020, puts towing under the control of the Chief of Police or designee (§ 425-2). Section 425-3 provides that no person shall provide towing and vehicle storage services to the City of Perth Amboy without an executed contract. Contracts run for a term not to exceed one year and expire on the 31st day of December (§ 425-4). The application fee is a flat $100 plus $50 for each wrecker, payable to the City Clerk and not refundable (§ 425-5), and applications for the one-year period must be complete by October 15 of the final contract year (§ 425-6). Applicants must show zoning approval for the storage location, submit to fingerprinting, and carry insurance of not less than $1,000,000 combined single limit and garage keepers' liability of not less than $100,000 per vehicle (§ 425-11).
Contractors go on a rotating call list (§ 425-10) and must respond within 15 minutes. If the owner or driver names a specific tow service, that service is called instead of the list. If a tower fails to arrive within 15 minutes, police can call the next operator.
Section 425-12 caps rates for every wrecker operating in the City, whether under City contract, working for a private entity, or doing nonconsensual towing. Flat tow rates are $165 for a Class I vehicle (up to 10,000 pounds), $300 for Class II, $400 for Class III, $600 for Class IV and $200 for a motorcycle. A service call is $100, and call cancellation carries no charge. Storage is free for the first 12 hours, then $45 per calendar day outside or $55 inside. Storage lots must be open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and at least five hours on Saturdays including 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Every fee needs an itemized invoice.
Section 425-17(A) also bars a wrecker from patrolling private property to find vehicles to tow without being specifically contracted by the owner, and from towing off a private lot unless the signage requirements of the Predatory Towing Prevention Act have been met.
Violations & Fines
Under § 425-17(B), a violation is punishable by a fine of not less than $100 and not more than $1,000, imprisonment in the county jail for up to 90 days, or both, and each day of violation is a separate offense. The Chief of Police or designee can suspend an operator from the rotational list for up to 30 calendar days, and a subsequent violation can bring removal for a twelve-month period. Appeals go to the City Clerk within 10 business days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a contract to tow for the City of Perth Amboy?
How much can a tow company charge in Perth Amboy?
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Can I get my car back if it is hooked but not yet moved?
What are the penalties for violating the towing chapter?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Perth Amboy
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