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Reading, PA Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Tow charge cap
$100 maximum
Drop fee cap
$50, no tow
Storage cap
$10 per day
Signage required
at every lot entrance
Enforced by
Reading Police Department

Summary

Reading caps what a private towing company can charge to remove an unauthorized vehicle from posted private property: $100 to tow, $50 to drop the car without towing, and $10 a day for storage.

The property owner ... shall have the ability to remove or have removed an unattended vehicle by a privately operated towing business if (i) the vehicle in violation of this section is reported to the City of Reading Police Department by the property owner... Any towing company contracted to remove vehicles from private property shall not charge more than $100 for towing, $50 for "dropping" the vehicle on site with no tow and no more than $10 a day for storage, charged to the owner of the vehicle, beginning the day after the vehicle is towed.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-8: Current through August 10, 2026).

Full Breakdown

Under City Code § 576-803, a private property owner may have an unauthorized vehicle towed only after reporting it to the Reading Police Department, having a citation issued, and giving police a signed contract or written authority naming the towing business. The lot must post signage meeting 67 Pa. Code § 212.115 at every entrance. Whatever towing company handles the job cannot charge more than $100 for the tow, $50 for a "drop" with no tow, or $10 per day for storage, running from the day after the tow, per Chapter 212, Tow Service Charges.

Violations & Fines

Violating § 576-803 draws a fine of $100 to $1,000 plus costs, with up to 30 days in jail for nonpayment; each day of violation counts as a separate offense.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a private lot owner in Reading have my car towed without warning?
Only if the lot posts signage meeting state sign standards at every entrance; without that signage, towing or prosecuting under § 576-803 is barred.
How much can a Reading towing company charge to remove my car from private property?
No more than $100 to tow, $50 to drop the vehicle without towing, and $10 a day for storage under § 576-803(D).

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Reading

Tattoo & Body ModificationSome RestrictionsAuto Repair on Residential PropertyHeavy RestrictionsAdult EntertainmentSignificant RestrictionsPawnbrokersSome RestrictionsMassage EstablishmentsSignificant RestrictionsSecondhand DealersSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Towing & Impound RightsSignificant RestrictionsParking Rules: Snow Removal Parking RulesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Curb Color RulesSome RestrictionsFire Regulations: Outdoor BurningSignificant RestrictionsFire Regulations: FireworksHeavy RestrictionsLandscaping Rules: Native PlantsFew Restrictions

All Reading rules

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