Yonkers, NY Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)

City Code Chapter 111, Article I regulates every tow truck operating in Yonkers and treats non-consent towing from parking lots as its own permitted activity, separate from the tow truck operator's license itself. Under § 111-21, no one may tow an unauthorized vehicle from a private or public parking lot without an annual $250 towing permit for that specific premises, obtained from the City Clerk; only a City of Yonkers-licensed tower may perform the tow, and one-family and two-family residential properties are exempt. Each posted sign must state that unauthorized cars will be towed at the owner's expense, list the towing fee (capped at $50) and the per-diem storage fee (capped at $15 per 24-hour period), the permit number, and where the car can be reclaimed.

50-per-mile surcharge only when the owner requests a tow outside city limits. Winching, dolly/skate use, lockout service, and window shrink-wrap are all included in the base charge; a separate $100 administrative fee applies only to retrieving owner or lienholder information and mailing certified notices. Section 111-21(H) requires the vehicle owner be notified by certified mail within five days of removal, or no further per-diem storage charges accrue past day five. Licensees must also log every private-lot tow (vehicle description, date, time) and radio it in to Police Department dispatch.

Citywide, the Police Commissioner may not issue more than 190 towing licenses under § 111-9(D); applicants beyond that cap go on a waiting list in application order.