Toms River, NJ Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)
Key Facts
- Max licenses issued
- 5 towing operators
- License term
- 3 years, July 1–June 30
- Response without request/dispatch
- Prohibited (§ 468-9K)
- Required arrival time
- Within 15 minutes
- Auto-suspension trigger
- 3 violations, 3 incidents
Summary
Toms River Township caps non-consent tow licenses at five and routes all police-called tows through a CAD-monitored rotation; operators may only respond to a crash scene if the vehicle's driver or owner calls them directly or the Police Department dispatches them through the official rotation channel.
No towing operator, licensed under this chapter or otherwise, shall respond to the scene of an accident except upon the request of the driver or owner of the vehicles involved or except upon notification by the channel of communication established by the Police Department to notify licensed towing operators of the necessity of their presence. The officer investigating accidents which require towing service shall get authorization, in writing, on forms provided by the Police Department, from the driver or owner of cars when an unlicensed towing service is to be engaged.
L. Refusal to tow at the scene of the towing and the type of car refused shall be reported, by the police officer assigned to the incident, to his superior. The report of refusal shall be furnished to the Chief of Police and the Township Clerk as soon as practicable.
M. Towing operators shall arrive at the scene to which dispatched within a reasonable time after being dispatched. Under normal circumstances, such reasonable time limit is defined as within 15 minutes.
N. When any unusual situation occurs which may be dangerous to the safety of the public, such as dangerous cargo, solvents, fluids, natural gas, etc., the most qualified towing operator will be selected by the Toms River Township Police Department.
O. Where no designation has been made, licensed towing operators are authorized to remove the vehicle to the towing operator's place of business.
P.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4954830; v33 updated 2026-04-22; through 04-22-2026).
Full Breakdown
Under Chapter 468, no towing operator may work accident or non-consent tows in the Township without a Police Department license (max five issued, three-year terms). Calls are assigned through a per-incident rotation tracked on the Police Department's CAD system. § 468-9K bars any tower, licensed or not, from responding to a crash scene unless requested by the driver/owner or dispatched through the police communication channel; dispatched towers must arrive within 15 minutes under normal conditions, and an officer must get written owner authorization before an unlicensed tower is used.
Violations & Fines
Police may issue a municipal court summons for any chapter violation. Three separate violations from three separate incidents trigger automatic license suspension by the Chief of Police; repeated or egregious violations can lead to Township Council revocation of the license.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
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