San Rafael, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Before towing from public or private property (§ 10.84.010)
- Issuing authority
- Chief of police (§ 10.84.030)
- Permit term
- One year, renewable (§ 10.84.060)
- Application decision deadline
- 10 days (§ 10.84.080)
- Appeal deadline
- 10 days of denial notice (§ 10.84.090)
- Exempt
- Government agencies and emergency roadside calls (§ 10.84.110)
Summary
Any company towing vehicles from public or private property in San Rafael, including reserved customer parking lots, needs a tow car operator's permit from the police chief before it can operate. The chief investigates the applicant's moral character and business practices, permits run one year, and a denial can be appealed to the city council.
No person, firm, partnership, or corporation shall engage in the business of towing motor vehicles from public and private property and/or specially reserved private customer parking areas serving business, commercial, professional and industrial establishments within the city requiring the use of public streets to complete the towing services without first having obtained a permit therefor. ... All licenses issued under this chapter shall be for a term of one year, renewable on written notice to the chief of police and accompanied by the payment of the annual business license fee as set by the business license ordinance. Such renewal, however, shall be subject to the recommendation of the chief of police. ... Any person whose application is disapproved by the chief of police shall have the right to appeal from such disapproval to the city council. Such appeal shall be taken by filing with the city council a notice of such appeal no later than ten days after the mailing of the notice of disapproval by the chief of police.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 37).
Full Breakdown
010 makes it unlawful for any person, firm, partnership or corporation to engage in the business of towing motor vehicles from public and private property, or from specially reserved private customer parking areas serving business, commercial, professional and industrial establishments, without first obtaining a permit, whenever the tow requires use of the public streets to complete the job. 020). 030). 050). 070). 120).
Violations & Fines
The chief of police must act on a permit application within ten days and, if disapproving it, must notify the applicant by mail within five days stating the reasons (§ 10.84.080). A rejected applicant can appeal to the city council within ten days of that mailed notice, and the council must hear the appeal within fifteen days and may overrule or affirm the chief's decision (§ 10.84.090). After a permit issues, the city council may revoke it if facts showing bad moral character of the permittee or its officers or employees come to light, but only after a hearing at which the permittee gets an opportunity to be heard (§ 10.84.100).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a tow company need a special permit to tow cars in San Rafael?
How does San Rafael decide whether to grant a tow permit?
What if San Rafael denies my tow permit application?
Is an emergency roadside tow exempt from San Rafael's towing permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Rafael
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