Skip to code content (skip section selection)
Compare to:
New York City Overview
The New York City Charter
The New York City Administrative Code
NEW YORK CITY ADMINISTRATIVE CODE
Title 1: General Provisions
Title 2: City of New York
Title 3: Elected officials
Title 4: Property of the City
Title 5: Budget; Capital Projects
Title 6: Contracts, Purchases and Franchises
Title 7: Legal Affairs
Title 8: Civil Rights
Title 9: Criminal Justice
Title 10: Public Safety
Title 11: Taxation and Finance
Title 12: Personnel and Labor
Title 13: Retirement and Pensions
Title 14: Police
Title 15: Fire Prevention and Control
Title 16: Sanitation
Title 16-A: [Commercial Waste Removal]
Title 16-B: Commercial Waste Zones
Title 17: Health
Title 18: Parks
Title 19: Transportation
Title 20: Consumer and Worker Protection
Chapter 1: License Enforcement
Chapter 2: Licenses
Subchapter 1: Tobacco Retail Dealers
Subchapter 2: [Repealed]
Subchapter 3: Amusement Devices, Arcades and Operators [Renumbered]
Subchapter 4: Billiard and Pocket Billiard Tables and Billiard and Pocket Billiard Rooms [Repealed]
Subchapter 5: [Repealed]
Subchapter 6: Sidewalk Cafes [Repealed]
Subchapter 7: Sidewalk Stands
Subchapter 8: Sightseeing Guides
Subchapter 9: Pedicabs
Subchapter 10: [Repealed]
Subchapter 11: Dealers in Second-Hand Articles
Subchapter 12: Pawnbrokers
Subchapter 13: Auctioneers
Subchapter 14: Industrial Laundries and Industrial Laundry Delivery
Subchapter 14.1: Laundries [Repealed]
Subchapter 15: Locksmiths
Subchapter 16: Sales [Repealed]
Subchapter 17: Garages and Parking Lots
Subchapter 18: [Repealed]
Subchapter 19: Bingo Licensing Law
Subchapter 20: Public Dance Halls, Cabarets and Catering Establishments [Repealed]
Subchapter 21: Sight-Seeing Buses, Horse-Drawn Cabs and Drivers
Subchapter 22: Home Improvement Business
Subchapter 23: Process Servers
Subchapter 24: Electronic or Home Appliance Service Dealers
Subchapter 25: Products for the Disabled; Sale, Rental, Repair and Servicing
Subchapter 26: Games of Chance
Subchapter 27: General Vendors
Subchapter 28: Storage Warehouses
Subchapter 29: Electronics Stores
Subchapter 30: Debt Collection Agencies
Subchapter 31: Towing Vehicles
§ 20-495 Definitions.
§ 20-496 License required.
§ 20-497 Application; fingerprinting; fee; term.
§ 20-498 Issuance of license.
§ 20-499 Bond.
§ 20-500 Insurance.
§ 20-501 Inspection of tow trucks.
§ 20-502 Premises.
§ 20-503 Issuance of license plate.
§ 20-504 Renewal, suspension and revocation of licenses.
§ 20-504.1 Mandatory suspension or revocation of license.
§ 20-505 Tow truck operator's license suspension or revocation; special circumstances.
§ 20-506 License revocation.
§ 20-507 Posting of information.
§ 20-508 Storage facilities.
§ 20-509 Rates.
§ 20-509.1 Rates for arterial tow permittees.
§ 20-510 Authorization to tow vehicles.
§ 20-511 Removal of vehicles obstructing traffic.
§ 20-512 Obligation to perform service.
§ 20-513 Specific request for services. [Repealed]
§ 20-514 Repairs.
§ 20-515 Prohibited acts.
§ 20-516 Records.
§ 20-517 Transferability.
§ 20-518 Removal of vehicles involved in an accident.
§ 20-518.1 Special accident response districts. [Expired]
§ 20-519 Removal of stolen, abandoned and evidence vehicles, vehicles blocking a private driveway and vehicles with certain alarm devices.
§ 20-520 Removal of disabled vehicles on highways.
§ 20-520.1 Acceptance of major credit cards as prerequisite to participation in city towing programs; violations.
§ 20-521 Interagency advisory council. [Repealed]
§ 20-522 Penalties.
§ 20-522.1 Violations for operating without a license; seizure; forfeiture.
§ 20-523 Enforcement.
§ 20-524 Applicability of subchapter.
§ 20-525 Regulations.
§ 20-526 Tow advisory board. [Repealed]
§ 20-527 Credit cards to be accepted in payment.
§ 20-528 Police precinct notification.
§ 20-529 Reporting on industry compliance.
Subchapter 32: Booting of Motor Vehicles
Subchapter 33: Car Washes
Subchapter 34: Ticket Sellers
Subchapter 35: Electronic Cigarette Retail Dealers
Subchapter 36: Third-Party Food Delivery Services
Subchapter 37: Construction Labor Providers
Subchapter 38: Hotels
Chapter 3: Weights and Measures
Chapter 4: Regulation of Commodities and Services
Chapter 5: Unfair Trade Practices
Chapter 6: No-Fault Insurance Medical Clinics
Chapter 7: Energy
Chapter 8: Earned Safe and Sick Time Act.
Chapter 9: Mass Transit Benefits
Chapter 10: Freelance Workers
Chapter 11: Information on Student Loan Forgiveness Programs
Chapter 12: Fair Work Practices
Chapter 13: Pay Deductions for Contributions to Not-for-Profit Organizations
Chapter 14: Savings Access New York - Board and Program for Private Sector Employee Retirement Savings
Chapter 15: Third-Party Service Workers
Title 20-A: [Shipboard Gambling]
Title 21: Social Services
Title 21-A: Education
Title 22: Economic Affairs
Title 23: Communications
Title 24: Environmental Protection and Utilities
Title 25: Land Use
Title 26: Housing and Buildings
Title 27: Construction and Maintenance
Title 28: New York City Construction Codes
Title 29: New York City Fire Code
Title 30: Emergency Management
Title 31: Department of Veterans' Services
Title 32: Labor and Employment
Title 33: Investigations
Title 34: Racial Equity
Appendix A: Unconsolidated Local Laws
The Rules of the City of New York
THE RULES OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Title 1: Department of Buildings
Title 2: Board of Standards and Appeals
Title 3: Fire Department
Title 6: Department of Consumer and Worker Protection
Title 9: Procurement Policy Board Rules
Title 12: Franchise and Concession Review Committee
Title 15: Department of Environmental Protection
Title 16: Department of Sanitation
Title 17: Business Integrity Commission
Title 19: Department of Finance
Title 20: Tax Appeals Tribunal
Title 21: Tax Commission
Title 22: Banking Commission
Title 24: Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Title 25: Department of Mental Health and Retardation [Repealed]
Title 28: Housing Preservation and Development
Title 29: Loft Board
Title 30: Rent Guidelines Board
Title 31: Mayor's Office of Homelessness and Single Room Occupancy
Title 34: Department of Transportation
Title 35: Taxi and Limousine Commission
Title 38: Police Department
Title 38-A: Civilian Complaint Review Board
Title 39: Department of Correction
Title 40: Board of Correction
Title 41: Department of Juvenile Justice
Title 42: Department of Probation
Title 43: Mayor
Title 44: Comptroller
Title 45: Borough Presidents
Title 46: Law Department
Title 47: Commission on Human Rights
Title 48: Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH)
Title 49: Department of Records and Information Services
Title 50: Community Assistance Unit
Title 51: City Clerk
Title 52: Campaign Finance Board*
Title 53: Conflicts of Interest Board
Title 55: Department of Citywide Administrative Services
Title 56: Department of Parks and Recreation
Title 57: Art Commission
Title 58: Department of Cultural Affairs
Title 60: Civil Service Commission
Title 61: Office of Collective Bargaining
Title 62: City Planning
Title 63: Landmarks Preservation Commission
Title 66: Department of Small Business Services
Title 67: Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications
Title 68: Human Resources Administration
Title 69: Department of Aging
Title 70: In Rem Foreclosure Release Board
Title 71: Voter Assistance Commission
Title 72: Office of Emergency Management
Title 73: Civic Engagement Commission
Title 74: Community Hiring
Loading...
§ 20-506 License revocation.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any person who holds a license issued pursuant to this subchapter which has been revoked by the commissioner pursuant to this subchapter shall not be permitted to apply for any new license under this subchapter for a period of three years from the date of such revocation. No license to engage in towing shall be issued pursuant to this subchapter to a corporation, partnership, or other association if an officer, principal, director, or stockholder owning more than ten percent of the outstanding stock of the corporation of the applicant is or has been an officer, principal, director, or stockholder owning more than ten percent of the outstanding stock of the corporation of a licensee that has had a license revoked pursuant to this subchapter and such revocation is in effect at the time of the license application.
Editor's note: For related unconsolidated provisions, see Appendix A at L.L. 1987/028.
§ 20-507 Posting of information.
   a.   Every person holding a license to engage in towing shall post, in a conspicuous fashion at the area of the licensee's place of business where a vehicle may be claimed, a sign which clearly and legibly states the licensee's name, address and business telephone number, the license number assigned to such business, the rates permitted to be charged for towing and storage under section 20-509 of this subchapter and the department's telephone complaint number.
   b.   The following information shall be clearly and legibly displayed and affixed in the manner provided by rule on each side of every tow truck used under a license to engage in towing: the licensee's name, the address under which the tow truck is licensed with the department, and the business telephone number; such rates permitted to be charged for towing and for storage under section 20-509 of this subchapter as are specified in rules of the commissioner; and the department's telephone complaint number. The letters and numerals of such display shall not be less than one and one-half inches in height, with a width of at least one-quarter of an inch, and shall be colored in a contrasting color which is prominent against the background color and is conspicuously visible when such vehicle is in motion.
Editor's note: For related unconsolidated provisions, see Appendix A at L.L. 1987/028 and L.L. 1993/112.
§ 20-508 Storage facilities.
Every licensee which stores vehicles shall do so only on premises which meet such specifications as the commissioner shall establish by regulation for safeguarding property.
Editor's note: For related unconsolidated provisions, see Appendix A at L.L. 1987/028.
§ 20-509 Rates.
   a.   Except as otherwise provided, charges for the towing of vehicles shall not exceed one hundred dollars; provided, however, that where a motor vehicle has been booted by a person licensed pursuant to subchapter 32 of this chapter in a private lot as defined in paragraph 3 of subdivision b of section 20-531 of such subchapter and such vehicle is subsequently towed, no additional charge may be imposed for the towing of such vehicle.
   b.   Except as otherwise provided, charges for storage of vehicles shall not exceed twenty-five dollars for each twenty-four hours or fraction thereof for the first three days of storage and twenty-seven dollars for the fourth day of storage and each day thereafter.
   c.   The commissioner may, by rule, authorize such additional charges for services necessary to prepare a vehicle for towing, including but not limited to charges for additional labor necessary for positioning a vehicle for towing, which in the judgment of the commissioner shall be fair and reasonable.
   d.   (1)   No tow truck operator shall require the payment of any fee or charge for towing and storage of a vehicle, or any fee or charge directly or indirectly related to towing and storage of a vehicle, that is not specifically authorized by law or rule.
      (2)   No charge for the towing and storage of vehicles may be imposed by any person who does not have a license to engage in towing as required by this subchapter at the time that the towing and storage services are performed.
(Am. L.L. 2020/080, 8/28/2020, eff. 8/28/2020)
Editor's note: For related unconsolidated provisions, see Appendix A at L.L. 1987/028, L.L. 1993/112, L.L. 1995/024 and L.L. 2020/080.
§ 20-509.1 Rates for arterial tow permittees.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this subchapter, charges for the towing of disabled passenger vehicles from an arterial roadway by an arterial tow permittee authorized by the commissioner of transportation or the police commissioner shall be one hundred twenty-five dollars for the first ten miles or fraction thereof and four dollars for each additional mile or fraction thereof.
§ 20-510 Authorization to tow vehicles.
No tow truck operator shall tow any vehicle for which towing is necessary because of a vehicular accident without an authorization signed by the person in charge of the vehicle or a police officer which authorizes the towing of such vehicle and, where applicable, authorizes the storage of such vehicle. The authorization shall be on a form prescribed by the commissioner which shall require such information as the commissioner prescribes by rule, including the following information: the licensee's name, address and business telephone number, the license assigned to such business, the department's telephone complaint number, the rates permitted to be charged for towing and storage under section 20-509 of this subchapter, the location from which and the destination to which the vehicle is to be towed, the year, the make, the model and the department of motor vehicles license plate number of the vehicle to be towed, the name of the person in charge of the vehicle, the time of the request for service and any other information to be prescribed by rule of the commissioner. The form must also contain the following language: "This is an authorization for towing and, where requested, for storage and not an authorization to repair. You have the right to have your vehicle repaired at the facility of this towing company or any other establishment of your choice." Every authorization form shall be executed and copies thereof shall be furnished to such parties and in such manner as the commissioner may provide by rule.
Editor's note: For related unconsolidated provisions, see Appendix A at L.L. 1987/028 and L.L. 1993/112.
§ 20-511 Removal of vehicles obstructing traffic.
When a vehicle is situated so as to constitute an obstruction to traffic, and such vehicle is unattended or the person in charge of such vehicle has not arranged for its removal, a police officer or a person designated by the commissioner of transportation may direct its removal by a person licensed to engage in towing, and such licensee shall remove such vehicle to a storage facility which meets the specifications established by the commissioner by regulation pursuant to section 20-508 of this subchapter. Such licensee shall be entitled to charge the person in charge of the vehicle for towing and storage, and where applicable, for the rendering of services to prepare the vehicle for towing at the rates set forth or authorized by section 20-509 of this subchapter.
Editor's note: For related unconsolidated provisions, see Appendix A at L.L. 1987/028.
Loading...