Topeka, KS Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)
Key Facts
- Max tow (≤12,000 lbs)
- $100 plus $3/mile
- Max storage fee
- $30 per calendar day
- Report tow location
- Within 2 hours to police
- Personal property access
- Guaranteed for 48 hours
Summary
Topeka caps what private wreckers can charge to tow a vehicle from private property, $100 plus $3 per mile for vehicles under 12,000 lbs, and requires reporting the tow to police within two hours.
(a) The maximum rate for towing, storage and other fees for any vehicle towed from private property shall not exceed the following rates: (1) For towing, including the use of wheel lifts, rollback and flatbed, a maximum charge of: (i) One hundred dollars for a vehicle having a licensed gross weight of 12,000 pounds or less, plus $3.00 per mile... (c) A tow operator shall report the location of the vehicle to local law enforcement within two hours of the tow.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 20671, passed July 14, 2026).
Full Breakdown
TMC 10.25.080 sets maximum rates a private wrecker or tow service can charge when towing an abandoned vehicle from private property in Topeka: $100 plus $3.00 per mile for vehicles 12,000 lbs or under (rising to $250 plus $4.00 per mile for larger trucks), $30 per day for storage, $50 for dolly use, and $150 per hour for winching. Vehicle owners must have access to personal property inside the towed vehicle for 48 hours, and the tow operator must report the vehicle's location to local law enforcement within two hours of the tow. The section implements K.S.A. 8-1103.
Violations & Fines
Charging above the capped rates or failing to report a tow location within two hours violates TMC 10.25.080, enforceable as a City ordinance violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a cap on what a Topeka tow company can charge?
Does a tow company have to tell police where my car went?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Topeka
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