St. Louis, MO Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)

304.155. Abandoned motor vehicles on public property, removal — hazards on land and water, removal, limited liability, when [...] — 1. Any law enforcement officer within the officer's jurisdiction, or an officer of a government agency where that agency's real property is concerned, may authorize a towing company to remove to a place of safety: (1) Any abandoned property on the right-of-way of: (a) Any interstate highway or freeway in an urbanized area, left unattended for ten hours, or immediately if a law enforcement officer determines that the abandoned property is a serious hazard to other motorists [...]; (b) Any interstate highway or freeway outside of an urbanized area, left unattended for twenty-four hours, or after four hours if a law enforcement officer determines that the abandoned property is a serious hazard to other motorists [...]; (c) Any state highway other than an interstate highway or freeway in an urbanized area, left unattended for more than ten hours; or (d) Any state highway other than an interstate highway or freeway outside of an urbanized area, left unattended for more than twenty-four hours [...] [...] 9. Any person who removes abandoned property at the direction of a law enforcement officer or an officer of a government agency where that agency's real property is concerned as provided in this section shall have a lien for all reasonable charges for the towing and storage of the abandoned property until possession of the abandoned property is voluntarily relinquished to the owner of the abandoned property or to the holder of a valid security interest of record.