Springfield, IL Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)

06(a) lets a private property owner or lessor, or an authorized agent, or the Springfield Police Department on public property, have an abandoned or unauthorized vehicle towed without liability, but only if the towing service follows a detailed list of conditions. The towing service must store vehicles at its place of business, keep that site open during business hours, and provide after-hours phone access with an employee able to complete redemption paperwork within two hours of a request. Every tow must be reported to the Springfield Police Department within 30 minutes of completion, including the vehicle's make, model, color and license plate, and the name of the officer who took the report.

If the owner arrives before the vehicle is actually towed, it must be released for no more than half the posted towing rate. Rebates from the towing company to the property owner for the referral are prohibited. Before towing (with narrow exceptions for single-family residential property or vehicles individually warned), the property owner must post signage at every driveway or curb cut within five feet of the right-of-way, or at least one sign per 100 feet of frontage if there is no curb, using letters at least two inches tall in light-reflective, contrasting lettering, naming the towing company and its phone number, mounted at least four feet above ground and maintained continuously for at least 24 hours before any tow.

06(a)(7). Vehicles must be released within 30 minutes of a redemption request during business hours, or within two hours after hours, payment is accepted by major credit card as well as cash, and towing companies must carry insurance covering fire, theft, and other loss risks on stored vehicles.