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Terrebonne Parish, LA Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing section
§ 18-267(a)-(d)
Tow charge cap
$55 maximum
Storage rate
$1 per day
Liability insurance
$100,000/$300,000/$25,000 minimum coverage
Permit fee
$25 annually

Summary

Terrebonne Parish caps tow charges at $55 and storage at $1 per day for vehicles it impounds, and requires anyone operating an auto wrecker in the city to hold a $25 annual permit backed by at least $100,000 in liability insurance.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Terrebonne Parish. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

(a)The towing charges of vehicles that have been seized and removed under this division shall not exceed fifty-five dollars ($55.00).(b)The storage charge of vehicles that have been seized and removed under this division shall be one dollar ($1.00) per day after the day the vehicle was first seized and removed to a place of storage as approved by the parish government.(c)Each owner operating an auto wrecker in the city, upon making application for a permit to operate such service, shall furnish a certificate of insurance evidencing public liability coverage in an amount of not less than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00) personal injury coverage for one (1) person, three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000.00) personal injury coverage for one (1) accident or incident and twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) property damage. The policy may provide for a two hundred fifty dollar ($250.00) deductible per claim on property damage only.(d)There shall be an annual fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00), payable at the office of the parish council clerk upon application for a permit to operate an auto wrecker in the city.

Full Breakdown

Terrebonne Parish Code § 18-267 regulates both what the parish can charge to tow and store an impounded vehicle and what it takes to legally run a wrecker service. 00)," and subsection (b) caps the daily storage charge at one dollar per day starting the day after the vehicle is first taken to an approved storage location. Subsection (c) turns to the wrecker operators themselves: before the parish will issue a permit to operate an auto wrecker in the city, the owner must furnish a certificate of insurance showing public liability coverage of at least $100,000 per person, $300,000 per accident, and $25,000 in property damage coverage, with the policy allowed to carry a deductible of up to $250 per property-damage claim.

Subsection (d) then sets the cost of the permit itself: an annual fee of $25, paid at the office of the parish council clerk. These provisions sit in Chapter 18's impounding-vehicles division alongside § 18-266, which authorizes police to seize and tow any vehicle parked in violation of the Code, and § 18-268, which requires the chief of police to notify a vehicle's owner before the parish will release it, with redemption conditioned on paying any fine plus the accumulated towing and storage fees.

Violations & Fines

The code doesn't spell out a separate criminal penalty for operating an auto wrecker without the required permit or insurance; noncompliance is addressed through the permit process itself, which the parish council clerk's office administers, and through the general misdemeanor penalty in Terrebonne Parish Code § 1-6 for operating in violation of this Code, up to a $500 fine or 30 days in jail, or both.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much can a wrecker charge to tow my impounded car in Terrebonne Parish?
Under Terrebonne Parish Code § 18-267(a), the towing charge for a vehicle seized and removed by the parish "shall not exceed fifty-five dollars ($55.00)," regardless of the distance towed, and the storage charge is separately capped at $1 per day under subsection (b).
What insurance does an auto wrecker company need?
Section 18-267(c) requires a certificate of insurance with public liability coverage of at least $100,000 per person, $300,000 per accident, and $25,000 in property damage before the parish will issue a permit to operate an auto wrecker in the city, with up to a $250 deductible allowed.
How much does a wrecker permit cost each year?
Terrebonne Parish Code § 18-267(d) sets the annual permit fee at $25, payable at the office of the parish council clerk when applying to operate an auto wrecker, on top of the insurance requirements in subsection (c).

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Terrebonne Parish

All Terrebonne Parish rules

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