Rancho Cordova, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)

Section 4.10.005 makes it unlawful to conduct any of the listed special-license enterprises, including subsection (I) "auto towing," without a valid, unexpired, unrevoked special business license. Applications are filed with the finance director and referred to the chief of police for investigation under §§ 4.10.025 and 4.10.035, which authorizes a background check, fingerprinting, and photographing of owners and managers, and evaluation of whether the operation poses an unreasonable risk to public health, safety, or welfare. The chief of police must issue the license within 90 days unless the application is incomplete or contains false statements, a listed owner or officer has a disqualifying criminal conviction under § 4.10.040(C), or the applicant fails to meet requirements elsewhere in Chapters 4.14 through 4.50 (§ 4.10.040).

The police department may attach conditions on the manner of operation to protect the public or reduce crime, effective 15 days after written notice unless timely appealed (§ 4.10.045). The license must be posted in public view at each towing business location (§ 4.10.050), and personnel performing licensed duties may separately need an employee permit under §§ 4.10.065 through 4.10.095, which also requires fingerprinting and background review. A towing company operating this business under Chapter 4.06 must additionally hold that general business license; the special license does not substitute for it (§ 4.10.020).