West New York, NJ Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)

Chapter 377, Towing (Ord. No. 42/96, adopted 10-2-1996), lets the Board of Commissioners of the Town of West New York run a rotation list of official towers for towing, wrecker and storage service without public bid, citing N.J.S.A. 40:48-2.49 and 40A:11-5(u) in its preamble. The Director of Public Safety appoints the towers (§ 377-2), and each operator pays $7,000 for a three-year period to be listed on the rotation (§ 377-4 A(4)). Under § 377-4 H the Town can limit the list to three towers. Applicants face a background check; a criminal conviction or driver's license suspension within the past year disqualifies the applicant or its personnel.

Section 377-6 sets minimums: two regular tow vehicles, two flatbeds and one heavy-duty tow vehicle; 24-hour two-way communications; an amber beacon visible from 360 degrees and 500 feet in daylight; and at least four available personnel. The storage area must hold a minimum of 50 passenger vehicles and one tractor and trailer, include an indoor secured area for five police hold vehicles, have a fence at least six feet high, be lit from dusk to dawn, stay open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and charge no release fee after hours or on weekends. Section 377-9 requires automobile liability of not less than $1,000,000 combined single limits and garage keepers liability of not less than $200,000 per location.

Under § 377-7 B the Town calls towers in monthly rotation, and the next tower is called if none is available or the response time will exceed 20 minutes. The § 377-10 maximums: $125 for vehicles five tons and under, $250 per hour with a two-hour minimum over five tons, a $75 crash or window wrap, winching at $75 per hour for light and $150 per hour for heavy tow vehicles, and storage at $35 per twenty-four-hour period with no charge for the first 12 hours. Subsection D bars additional charges such as flatbedding, waiting time, cleanup cost and additional labor when only basic towing is provided. A tower doing private property or other nonconsensual towing must keep its records for three years for the Division of Consumer Affairs.