Puyallup, WA Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)
Key Facts
- License fee
- $50.00 annual towing license
- Performance bond
- $10,000 approved by finance director
- Licensing authority
- Director of finance
- Contractor reporting
- Monthly report to city clerk by the 5th
- Owner notice
- Per RCW 46.52.111
Summary
Any wrecker or towing operator doing business in Puyallup needs an annual $50.00 towing license from the director of finance on top of a general business license, backed by a $10,000 bond approved by the finance director and city attorney, under PMC § 5.80.020. Chapter 5.80 also sets the rules for police-ordered impounds and vehicle redemption.
The city shall grant a towing license to a qualified applicant who has filed the application and information required by the director of finance and who has otherwise complied with this chapter upon the payment by the applicant of an annual license fee and the posting with the city of a good and sufficient bond which has been approved by the director of finance as to sufficiency and as to the form by the city attorney. The annual license fee shall be $50.00. The towing license is in addition to a general business license that may be required under Chapter 5.04 PMC. The bond or other security satisfactory to the city manager shall be in the amount of $10,000, which shall be conditioned upon the performance by any licensee of the terms of the license and to the rules and regulations promulgated by the city manager, and further conditioned to hold the city harmless from any act or omission of said licensee while engaged as a towing operator as defined in this chapter.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4985225; v6 updated 2026-07-21; through 07-21-2026).
Full Breakdown
PMC § 5.80.010 defines the "contractor" as the operator holding the city's towing and storage contract, which may cover more than one firm operating as a joint venture. Beyond the license itself, the chapter governs when a vehicle may be impounded: nuisance-parked, stolen, held for police evidence, or wrecked and unattended vehicles all qualify under § 5.80.030. An officer impounding an unattended vehicle for a traffic violation must first attach a violation ticket, and any vehicle held for investigative purposes gets an impounding ticket signed by the contractor as witness (§ 5.80.040).
Disabled vehicles blocking a street, bridge or tunnel can be removed by public or private equipment and held until towing charges are paid (§ 5.80.050), and vehicles with unsafe equipment defects can be impounded until repaired, with the owner bearing the cost (§ 5.80.060). The contractor must notify legal and registered owners of an impoundment as required by RCW 46.52.111 (§ 5.80.080). To redeem a vehicle, the owner must pay accrued towing and storage charges, prove ownership, and sign a receipt; if the chief of police has ordered the vehicle held for police custody, written permission from the chief is required and a claimant may be made to post a surety bond (§ 5.80.090).
The police department and contractor must each keep impound records, and the contractor files a monthly report with the city clerk by the fifth of each month (§ 5.80.110). Abandoned vehicles and hulks are disposed of under RCW 46.52.111 and .112 (§ 5.80.120). The city awards the towing and storage contract jointly through its police, public works and fire departments, subject to council and city manager approval (§ 5.80.130).
Violations & Fines
The city may terminate a contractor's towing and storage contract for a material breach of its terms (PMC § 5.80.130(2)). The contractor's $10,000 performance bond is conditioned on faithfully performing all contract duties and indemnifying vehicle owners for loss of or damage to their towed property (PMC § 5.80.140). Impounding a vehicle under this chapter does not bar separate criminal prosecution of the vehicle's owner or operator for the violation that led to the tow (PMC § 5.80.150).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Puyallup towing license cost?
Can I get my car back the same day it's towed in Puyallup?
Is the city liable if a towing contractor damages my car?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Puyallup
Compare Puyallup to another location·View the Washington business licensing & operations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Towing Companies in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle towing companies.