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Jefferson Parish, LA Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing section
Jefferson Parish Code § 36-100.5
Booting license fee
$250 per year
Boot removal fee cap
$70, released within 30 minutes
Licensing agency
Dept. of Code Compliance & Enforcement
Parish-run towing standard
La. R.S. 16:1711 et seq.
Kickback penalty
1-year license revocation, both parties

Summary

Jefferson Parish lets a private property owner tow or boot an unauthorized vehicle at the driver's expense, but only if warning signs are posted first. The parish licenses booting operators directly through Code Compliance and Enforcement; private-property towing itself is not separately licensed.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Jefferson Parish. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

Sec. 36-100.5. Towing or booting by owner. (a)In addition to the removal procedure provided in section 36-100, the owner, lessee or person in control of any private property shall have the right to have any unauthorized vehicle, which is parked or abandoned on private property, booted or towed away at his own expense... (c)For the purpose of this section, when an owner, lessee or person in control of a multiple-family dwelling, commercial establishment or anyone conducting business with the public desires to regulate or restrict parking on his property, notice of such regulations or restrictions shall be made known to the public by signs posted on said property, including a warning that violating vehicles or unauthorized vehicles are subject to being booted or towed away by a private booting or towing service operator pursuant to the provisions of this section.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 20 Update 2).

Full Breakdown

Sec. 5 gives the owner, lessee, or person in control of private property the right to have an unauthorized or abandoned vehicle towed away, or booted by a licensed booting service, at the vehicle owner's expense. Before either remedy applies, the property owner must post signs warning that violators will be towed or booted, and a motorist who is booted can challenge the fee in justice of peace court. Jefferson Parish's own licensing framework in this article, however, is built around booting operators rather than tow truck companies: Sec.

36-104 through 36-108 require a booting service to hold an annual $250 business license, a $25 per-vehicle permit, and a $50 attendant certificate from the department of code compliance and enforcement, plus $250,000/$500,000/$100,000 minimum liability coverage and a $150,000 surety bond. A booting operator must release a vehicle within 30 minutes of a request for a maximum $70 fee (Sec. 7), and may never boot a vehicle in a fire lane, a disabled space, an occupied vehicle, or a government vehicle (Sec. 9). Payment of any kickback between a booting company and the property's own staff voids both parties' licenses for at least a year (Sec.

36-102). Towing off private property is not run through this same license/permit/certificate structure, so a wrecker company hired directly by a property owner operates under the signage and fee-dispute rules of Sec. 5 rather than a parish towing license. S. , referenced in Sec. 36-133(e).

Violations & Fines

A motorist overcharged for boot removal can sue to recover the excess fee plus attorney fees and court costs (Sec. 36-103(a)). Any booting operator taking a kickback from the property's staff, or acting without the required license, permit, or certificate, faces revocation of all licenses and permits held by both parties for at least one year (Sec. 36-102(b)).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a private lot owner in Jefferson Parish tow my car without asking me?
Yes. Sec. 36-100.5(a) lets the owner, lessee, or person in control of private property have an unauthorized vehicle towed or booted at the driver's own expense, as long as warning signs are posted on the property first.
Does Jefferson Parish require towing companies to hold a parish license?
The parish licenses booting service operators directly (Sec. 36-104-108, $250/year plus per-vehicle permits and attendant certificates), but this article does not run private-property towing through the same license structure; towing for the parish itself instead follows the state Louisiana Towing and Storage Act.
What can I do if I think I was overcharged after being booted?
File suit against the booting company; Sec. 36-103(a) entitles you to recover the excess fee plus reasonable attorney fees and all court costs, and Sec. 36-100.8 shifts the burden to the company to prove probable cause for the boot.
Are any vehicles exempt from booting on private property?
Yes. Sec. 36-100.9 bars booting a vehicle in a fire lane, a disability parking space, one that is currently occupied, or one belonging to law enforcement, fire, ambulance, or another government agency.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Jefferson Parish

All Jefferson Parish rules

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