Spartanburg County, SC Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)
Key Facts
- Pre-hookup release cap
- $75.00 maximum
- Post-hookup release cap
- $100.00 maximum
- Sheriff notification
- Within 1 hour of tow
- Record retention
- 3 years, on file
- Storage fee start
- 12 hours after lot entry
- Penalty class
- Misdemeanor, § 1-6
Summary
In unincorporated Spartanburg County, a tow company may only remove a vehicle from private property without the owner's consent if the lot is posted with clear no-parking signs warning of towing and listing a release phone number. Owners who return before hookup pay a capped fee, not the full towing charge.
(a)It shall be unlawful to remove any motor vehicle from private property without authorization from the owner of the motor vehicle, the county, or authorized law enforcement agencies, except under the following circumstances:(1)The property owner has proprietary ownership and discretion as to who is authorized to be on said property; and(2)If the property owner is a commercial entity or other like entity which has shared parking spaces, the following conditions have been met:a.The property owner, or designated manager, has posted the property with signs clearly stating that parking is prohibited or restricted;b.The posted signs were in place and clearly visible and legible to any driver approaching the property where parking is prohibited or restricted at the time the vehicle was parked; andc.The posted signs contain a clear warning that violators' vehicles will be towed, at the vehicle owner's expense, and contain the telephone number to call to obtain release of the towed vehicle.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 29).
Full Breakdown
County Code § 82-33 makes it unlawful to tow a vehicle from private property without authorization from the vehicle owner, the county, or law enforcement, unless the property owner has posted signs that clearly state parking is prohibited or restricted, are visible and legible to an approaching driver, and warn that violators will be towed at the owner's expense while listing a phone number to get the vehicle back. A wrecker service towing without the vehicle owner's consent must get written authorization from the property owner or manager (or cite a filed standing agreement) recording the vehicle's location, reason for removal, VIN, and plate, keep that record on file for at least three years, and phone the Spartanburg County Sheriff within one hour to report the tow and where the vehicle can be claimed.
C. Code § 14-25-75. 00 to disconnect and release it if it is already hooked up. Under § 82-34(c), storage fees cannot start until 12 hours after the vehicle enters the storage lot, then accrue per day. Every wrecker business must also post release procedures and an on-call number at its storage lot and place of business under § 82-33(g), and keep an attendant reachable after hours under § 82-33(f).
Violations & Fines
Violating any part of this article, including towing without the required posted signs or written authorization, is a misdemeanor under § 82-36, punishable per County Code § 1-6. A property owner who requests a tow without meeting the posting requirements, or whose tow turns out to be of a legally parked car, is personally guilty of a misdemeanor, and a magistrate can order full reimbursement of towing and storage charges under S.C. Code § 14-25-75. Overcharging above the $75 pre-hookup or $100 post-hookup caps, or above the posted fee schedule, is also a violation of the article.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a private lot in unincorporated Spartanburg County have my car towed without asking me?
How much can a tow company charge me if I show up before my car is hooked up?
Does the tow company have to report a nonconsensual tow to anyone?
When do storage fees start piling up after my car is towed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Spartanburg County
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