Sanford, FL Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)

Sanford does not license towing companies through a general business tax process alone; non-consent towing is governed by the police department's wrecker qualifications and allocation system in Chapter 58, Article IV, adopted by Ordinance No. 3226 in 1994. Sec. 58-112 delegates to the city manager the authority to contract with wrecker operators under a rotation system defined by F.S. § 323.002(1)(c) and F.S. ch. 323. Sec. 58-113 requires an operator's place of business to be located in the city, display an identifying sign with letters at least four inches high, maintain office space staffed from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Monday through Friday, keep a 24-hour phone line, and maintain at least one tow truck and qualified driver. Sec. 58-115 sets equipment specifications by class, from Class A trucks rated for vehicles of 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight or less up to Class C trucks for vehicles over 20,000 pounds, and requires annual police inspection before a truck can join the rotation. Sec. 58-116 sets minimum insurance: workers' compensation as required by statute, garage liability of at least $300,000.00 combined single limit, garagekeeper's legal liability of at least $50,000.00 per loss, and combined bodily injury and property damage coverage scaled to the wrecker's weight class, from $50,000.00 to $300,000.00 per occurrence.

Sec. 58-120 then fixes maximum towing and storage rates: a base rate of $85.00 for Class A, $95.00 for Class B and $165.00 for Class C, plus mileage and hourly charges beyond the base. Sec. 58-117 allows the police chief to warn, suspend for 30 days, or permanently remove an operator from the rotation list for violations such as unauthorized solicitation or overcharging.