Yakima, WA Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)
Key Facts
- Surety bond
- $5,000, filed with the city clerk
- Appointing authority
- Yakima chief of police
- Records retention
- Minimum 3 years per vehicle
- Fraud penalty
- 2x towing/storage fees plus costs, fees
- Insurance
- City must be listed as additional insured
Summary
Tow companies that want Yakima's police-directed impound business must first be appointed as an agent of the police chief under YMC § 9.47.020: an application, ongoing compliance reports, and a $5,000 surety bond filed with the city clerk to protect owners from a negligent or dishonest operator.
Tow Truck Operator as Agent of Police Chief. The chief of police may appoint any tow truck operator engaged in removing and storing unauthorized vehicles and operation of an impoundment facility for such vehicles as agent of the chief of police for the purpose of impounding, holding and storing and disposing of unauthorized vehicles. Each such appointment shall be contingent upon the submission of an application to the chief of police and the making of subsequent reports in such form and frequency as may be required by rule and regulation adopted by the chief of police, and upon the posting with the city clerk a surety bond in the amount of five thousand dollars, subject to approval as to form by the city attorney, to insure compliance with the provisions and requirements of this chapter and conditioned to compensate the owner of any vehicle which may be unlawfully sold as the result of any negligence or misconduct of the tow truck operator. Any such appointment may immediately be cancelled by the chief of police upon the determination that the appointed tow truck operator is not complying with all laws, rules and regulations relative to the handling and disposition of vehicles.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4980636; v1 updated 2026-08-03; through 08-03-2026).
Full Breakdown
020 controls who tows for the City of Yakima. 030(3)(b) insurance. Subsection C requires a per-vehicle transaction file covering the signed impound authorization, the 24-hour written notice to law enforcement, owner notification, the abandoned-vehicle report, the notice of custody and sale (owners get 15 days to redeem before auction), the published auction notice, the affidavit of sale, the two highest bid offers, the redemption-hearing notice, and an itemized invoice, all kept for a minimum of three years.
Violations & Fines
An operator who tows for the city without the chief's appointment, the $5,000 bond, or without maintaining the required transaction file loses eligibility for municipal referrals and risks immediate cancellation of any existing appointment under § 9.47.020(A). Owners defrauded by an operator, including through a bounced-check redemption, can recover twice the towing and storage fees plus costs and attorney's fees under YMC § 9.47.040(H)(4), which cites RCW 46.55.120(1)(e).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every Yakima tow company need city approval?
What does the $5,000 bond protect?
How long must a tow operator keep vehicle records in Yakima?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yakima
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