Tow operators in St. Louis must hold a city license, register each truck and driver with SLMPD, post regulated rates, and follow Missouri towing statutes for non-consensual tows.
Title XI and Title XV regulate wreckers and tow operators. Each company holds a city business license and registers every truck, driver, and storage lot with SLMPD; drivers undergo background checks. Non-consensual (private-property) tows must follow MO §304.155–§304.158: clear posted signs, after-hours release, and capped rates. SLMPD operates a rotational tow list for police-initiated tows, and the License Collector audits storage-lot conditions. Predatory towing complaints go to the License Collector and the Missouri Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division.
Towing without a valid permit, exceeding state rate caps, or refusing after-hours vehicle release can trigger license suspension, refunds, and fines under MO §304.158.
See how St. Louis's towing companies rules stack up against other locations.
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