Tow companies operating in Riverside need a city business tax certificate plus California Public Utilities Commission and CHP authority, with strict rules on nonconsensual tows and storage fees.
Riverside permits tow operators through Police Department contracts for the official rotation list and requires every truck to display the operator name and CHP carrier identification. Drivers must hold a California tow truck driver certificate. State law caps nonconsensual tow rates and requires posted signage for private-property impounds. Vehicle owners can retrieve property between certain hours without paying release fees during regular business operations under Civil Code 3068.1.
Unauthorized tows, inflated storage fees, refusing personal property retrieval, or operating without CHP and city credentials can result in citations and removal from the police rotation list.
See how Riverside's towing companies rules stack up against other locations.
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