San Angelo, TX Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)

10, Vehicles for Hire, governs wrecker companies under Sec. 057. Sec. 054 forbids driving a wrecker to or near an accident scene unless called there by the city police department or public safety communications department, with an exception only when needed to render first aid or prevent death or bodily injury. Sec. 055 separately bans soliciting the towing business in any manner, directly or indirectly, on city streets, whether the solicitation is for towing, removing, repairing, wrecking, storing, trading or purchasing the vehicle; the ordinance builds in a presumption that a wrecker or its operator present at a wreck scene within one hour of the collision is prima facie evidence of illegal solicitation.

Sec. 056 lays out the actual dispatch procedure: the investigating officer must ask the vehicle owner or operator to name their preferred wrecker company, verbally or in writing; officers are barred from recommending any specific company, though they may ask about a window sticker showing a stated preference; and if the owner cannot or will not choose, the officer notifies public safety communications, which contacts the wrecker service under the city's rotation contract authorized by Sec. 057. Whoever removes a wrecked vehicle must also clear resulting debris and broken glass unless a law enforcement or environmental official directs otherwise.

Sec. 053 additionally bars following an ambulance, police car or other emergency vehicle responding with lights or siren to an accident report, a rule enforced against wreckers chasing calls as much as curious drivers.