Rockford, IL Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)
Key Facts
- Licensing authority
- Finance director; one-year license
- Insurance minimum
- $100,000 garagekeepers + $1M liability
- Non-consent tow cap, light duty
- $216 maximum
- Storage cap after 24 hrs
- $40–$140 per day
- Penalty
- Up to $500 fine per day
Summary
Rockford requires every towing service owner to hold a city license before towing any vehicle in the city, and non-consent tows off private property are capped at fixed rates with mandatory posted signage.
No towing service owner shall provide towing services or permit a tow truck to be used for the purpose of towing in the city unless a valid towing service owner's license, obtained pursuant to this chapter, has been issued and is in force.(b)This section does not apply when the property being towed is owned by the person doing the towing and is being transported for recreation, sport or show, or when the property being towed has been picked up outside the city and is either in the process of being delivered to a location in the city, or is being towed through the city to be delivered elsewhere, or vehicles being transported from auto repair shops or storage areas at the direction of the vehicle owner or the owner's insurance company, or to repossession tows pursuant to a contract between the towing service and a lending or financial institution. (Ord. No. 2022-154-O, 8-1-2022)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 18).
Full Breakdown
Under Sec. 29-191, no towing service owner may tow or let a tow truck operate in the city without a license issued by the finance director (Sec. 29-193), which runs one year from January 31 and requires garagekeepers' liability insurance of at least $100,000 and general liability of at least $1,000,000 (Sec. 29-198). For non-consent tows from private property, Sec. 29-202 caps towing charges at $216 (light duty), $520 (medium duty) and $700 (heavy duty), bars storage fees for vehicles held under 24 hours during daytime hours, caps after-hours release fees, requires the towed vehicle be stored within city limits, and requires the towing service to notify police within 30 minutes.
Violations & Fines
Towing without a city license, exceeding the towing or storage rate caps, or removing a vehicle without the required posted signage violates Article V; Sec. 29-204 sets a fine of up to $500 per day, with each day a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Rockford require towing companies to be licensed?
How much can a tow company charge to remove a car from private property in Rockford?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rockford
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