Spokane Valley, WA Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)
Key Facts
- Registration required
- For all police-initiated impounds
- Unregistered towing penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine, 90 days jail
- Minimum liability insurance
- $1,000,000 per vehicle
- Street soliciting
- Banned without being called, § 9.10.120
- Appeal window
- 21 days to superior court
Summary
Spokane Valley requires every tow operator performing police-initiated impounds to hold a current City registration, and separately bans tow trucks from cruising public streets to solicit accident or breakdown business uninvited. Operating without registration is a misdemeanor carrying up to a $1,000 fine and 90 days in jail under SVMC § 9.10.030; unsolicited street soliciting violates § 9.10.120.
It is a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000 and/or imprisonment for not more than 90 days, for any person, corporation, partnership, joint venture or other business entity to perform police-initiated impounds within the corporate limits of the City without having a valid and current tow operator registration with the City. Such a registration shall not be transferable. Upon a sale or transfer of the towing business, a new registration with authorization must be obtained as provided in this chapter. ... It is unlawful for any person to drive or operate a tow truck on any public street or way open to the public for the purpose of soliciting business, without having been called to the location of an accident, disabled vehicle, or impound by the owner or operator of the vehicle, his authorized agent or the police.
Full Breakdown
10 SVMC governs towing within Spokane Valley. 030 makes it a misdemeanor, fine up to $1,000, imprisonment up to 90 days, or both, for any person or business to perform a police-initiated impound without a valid, nontransferable City tow operator registration; a business sale or transfer requires a new registration. 050. 070(F). 120 bars 'cruising' for business: it is unlawful to drive a tow truck on a public street to solicit towing work without having been called to an accident, disabled vehicle, or impound by the vehicle's owner, an authorized agent, or the police, a rule aimed squarely at unwanted, non-consensual tows. 150(B).
Violations & Fines
Towing without a current City registration is a misdemeanor under § 9.10.030: up to a $1,000 fine, up to 90 days in jail, or both. Soliciting tow business on public streets without being called violates § 9.10.120. Other chapter violations are Class 1 civil infractions under § 9.10.150(A) and can trigger registration suspension or revocation under § 9.10.060.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a tow company cruise Spokane Valley streets looking for wrecks to tow?
What insurance must a Spokane Valley tow operator carry?
What happens if a tow business operates without registering with the City?
Can a revoked tow operator appeal?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Spokane Valley
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