York County, VA Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)

Article V of chapter 15 governs non-consent, police-requested towing. Section 15-74 requires the sheriff's office or responding law enforcement to honor a vehicle owner's request for a specific towing company unless it is too far away or unavailable in a timely manner, otherwise pulling from the Police Towing List. Section 15-75 sets admission standards: compliance with safety and equipment standards, adherence to the county's adopted fee schedule, availability to patrons from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. weekdays, a secured storage facility, accurate transaction records, and compliance with state insurance, registration and licensing law including Virginia Code § 46.2-116.

The list is capped at 10 companies each for Upper and Lower York County, and light-duty companies must respond within 30 minutes while heavy-duty companies get an hour; a company that misses its window drops to the bottom of the rotation. Section 15-76 requires tow trucks to display the company name and phone number on both sides, carry current inspection stickers, adequate liability and cargo insurance, a street broom and shovel, and a communication device, with annual sheriff's office inspections. Section 15-77 requires a secured storage facility, enclosed by at least six feet of fencing with a lockable gate, that releases vehicles and personal property to owners between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. daily, with 30 days' advance written notice to the sheriff before relocating.