Phoenix, AZ Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)
Key Facts
- Standard tow cap
- $105 total to storage yard
- Pre-transit release fee
- $20 maximum
- In-transit release fee
- $40 maximum
- Storage fee cap
- $12 per day
- Overcharge penalty
- Class 1 misdemeanor
Summary
Private towing carriers that tow vehicles from private lots without owner consent face strict fee caps, mandatory warning signs, and civil or criminal penalties for violations.
The fee that may be charged by a private towing carrier for, or in connection with, a tow from any private driveway, private property or private parking area, without the express permission of the owner or operator of the vehicle, shall not exceed the lesser of a reasonable fee or a fee limited as follows:
1. The total charge to tow a vehicle, including all related services, that has reached the storage area shall not exceed one hundred five dollars.
2. The total charge to load and unload a vehicle for which demand to release has been received prior to leaving the vehicle’s original location shall not exceed twenty dollars.
3. The total charge to load, transport, and unload a vehicle for which demand to release has been received while in transit to the storage location shall not exceed forty dollars.
4. No charge shall be permitted in connection with the release of the vehicle, including providing such access as may be necessary to view, prepare for removal or remove the vehicle.
5. The charge to store the vehicle shall not exceed twelve dollars per day. For purposes of this paragraph the charge may be assessed for each calendar day or portion of a calendar day that the vehicle is stored, excluding the day of release if the day of release is subsequent to the first day of storage. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no storage charge may be made for a day for which:
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance G-7524, passed June 17, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Phoenix City Code § 36-144 caps what a private towing carrier can charge for a non-consent tow: $105 total for a completed tow to the storage yard, $20 to release a vehicle before it leaves the original location, $40 if released while in transit, and $12 per day storage (fees double for vehicles 10,001-26,000 lbs and quadruple above 26,000 lbs). Property owners must post signs listing the restrictions, disposition process, maximum charges, and a phone number, and each sign must state "Phoenix City Code Sec. 36-144" -- a carrier cannot tow at all if the required signs are missing. Towing an unlisted vehicle or holding a vehicle hostage for extra fees is also barred.
Violations & Fines
Illegal parking-lot towing without proper consent is a civil traffic violation ($65-$250 sanction); overcharging, towing without required signage, or towing without written authorization is a Class 1 misdemeanor, with a mandatory $250+ fine for unauthorized private-property tows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Phoenix tow company charge whatever it wants for a non-consent tow?
Does a parking lot need signs to have vehicles towed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Phoenix
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