Walton County, FL Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)

Article III of Chapter 20 regulates nonconsensual towing, defined in Sec. 20-60 to include both rotation towing (dispatched through the WCSO or DeFuniak Springs Police Department call list) and trespass towing of vehicles improperly parked on private or county property. Sec. 20-62(a) authorizes the board to set maximum towing and administrative-fee rates by resolution under authority of F.S. § 166.043(1)(b) and (c), and towing establishments cannot refuse payment by cash, credit card, or check.

Sec. 20-64 lists twelve prohibited practices. Towing establishments cannot charge more than the board-set maximum rate, cannot charge a release fee above the normal towing/storage fee when a vehicle is released during 'normal business hours' (defined as 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.), cannot 'drag' a vehicle by hooking a wrecker to it before placing dollies or straps, cannot charge a weather-wrap fee unless something more than a tarpaulin was used, and cannot tow a vehicle to a storage location outside Walton County. Establishments must also display a WCSO informational sticker on both sides of the wrecker, keep two years of service records available for inspection, and reimburse owners for any overcharge.

Sec. 20-66 sets enforcement: WCSO and Code Compliance (CCPES) investigate and cite violations, and each violation is a civil infraction punishable by a fine of up to $500.00, with each day of a continuing violation a separate offense. A cited towing establishment can pay the fine plus administrative costs to the clerk of court within 30 days, or waive it and request a hearing before the Code Compliance Special Magistrate; a company found to have overcharged must also reimburse the vehicle owner for the improper charges.