Tucson, AZ Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)

Tucson Code § 7-519 requires anyone towing a vehicle from private property, including private parking areas, to have permission from the vehicle owner or written permission from the property owner. The property owner must either sign each towing order at the time of the tow or enter a written contract naming both parties, listing a 24/7 phone number, and running no longer than one year; the contract cannot be transferred between property owners or between towing carriers. A person towing a vehicle cannot also act as the property owner's representative, and must show the current contract to a law enforcement officer within one day of a request.

Before hooking up a vehicle, § 7-520 requires date- and time-stamped photos or video of the violation, the four corners of the vehicle, the sign required by § 7-517, and the license plate or VIN. Under § 7-521, a carrier towing without the vehicle owner's permission must notify the Tucson Police Department within one hour, giving the owner's name and address if known, the VIN, the impound lot address, and the carrier's 24-hour contact number. Section 7-522 bars staging: a carrier may tow only directly from the parked location to its own storage property.

-noon Saturday). Section 7-526 requires a free release with no payment demanded if the vehicle owner returns before the vehicle is fully secured, moved from the parking spot, and on a public street. Carriers must accept cash, credit, and debit cards under § 7-524(f) and cannot demand exact change.