Santa Fe, NM Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- SFCC 1987 § 20-21.4
- Response time
- On scene within 30 minutes
- Availability
- 24 hours a day
- Storage/office location
- Within 10 miles of city limits
- List removal
- 3 missed calls = removed for contract term
- Solicitation at scene
- Prohibited under § 20-21.6
Summary
Wrecker companies must register with the Santa Fe Police Department and join a rotating towing list before responding to police-requested tows. Section 20-21.4 SFCC 1987 requires 24-hour availability, arrival within 30 minutes, and storage within 10 miles of city limits, or the chief of police can suspend or remove the registrant.
I.The wrecker company shall arrive on the scene within thirty (30) minutes of receipt of a request for service from the Santa Fe police department.J.The wrecker company shall tow or carry vehicles, not drive, to storage sites.K.A vehicle shall not be towed outside of Santa Fe county and not more than ten (10) miles of the city of Santa Fe limits, unless requested by the vehicle owner or a Santa Fe police officer...M.The wrecker company shall be available twenty-four (24) hours a day to respond to police requests.N.Three (3) refusals to respond to a police department request to remove a vehicle shall constitute elimination from the towing list for the remainder of the current contract period, at which time application can be made to resume towing services for the city of Santa Fe.
Full Breakdown
The Towing Services Ordinance, Section 20-21 SFCC 1987, governs wrecker companies that respond to vehicle-tow requests made by the Santa Fe Police Department. To join the department's towing list, a company must have its principal place of business and vehicle-storage facility within Santa Fe County and no more than 10 miles of the city limits, own and insure its own tow trucks, carry public liability and garage-keepers liability coverage naming the city as an additional insured, and maintain inspectable towing and storage records. 4, listed wreckers must arrive on scene within 30 minutes of a police request, be available 24 hours a day, tow (not drive) vehicles to storage, and equip every truck with 360-degree flashing blue or amber lights.
5, and three refusals to respond eliminate a company from the list for the rest of the contract period. 6, though private contracting away from a scene is not restricted. 8 for fraud in securing registration, violating any requirement of the section, or unsatisfactory service.
Violations & Fines
A wrecker company that misses the 30-minute response window is passed over in the rotation and not called again until its name comes back up. Three missed responses drop a company from the towing list for the rest of the contract term. The chief of police can also suspend or remove a registrant outright for fraud, for violating any Section 20-21.4 requirement, or for unsatisfactory service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Santa Fe regulate which tow companies police can call?
How fast must a Santa Fe wrecker respond to a police tow request?
Can a tow truck solicit business at an accident scene in Santa Fe?
What happens if a tow company refuses too many police calls?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Fe
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