Jackson County adopts new tow-service licensing rules, sets company and per-vehicle fees
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Summary
The Jackson County Legislature adopted a revised ordinance regulating wreckers and tow services, approving a committee substitute that sets a $500 annual company fee and $100 per vehicle, aligns insurance language to Department of Transportation standards and sets an effective date of Jan. 1, 2026.
The Jackson County Legislature on May 5 adopted a substitute ordinance updating county rules for wreckers and tow services and set the ordinance to take effect Jan. 1, 2026.
The measure, ordinance 5978 as substituted, enacts changes to sections 5,293–5,297 of the Jackson County Code (1984) governing tow businesses. County Counselor Whitney Miller told the legislature the version circulated at the meeting contains a corrected effective date and that the ordinance should be effective on Jan. 1, 2026 rather than immediately.
The substitute sets a $500 annual licensing fee per tow company and a $100 fee per vehicle. Insurance requirements were revised: specific monetary limits were removed and replaced with a requirement that tow businesses meet the minimum insurance standards established by the Department of Transportation, Miller said. The substitute also narrowed the grounds for suspension or revocation; most individual-employee provisions were removed. The ordinance retains a penalty provision that allows suspension of a business operating without a license or with a suspended license for up to two years.
Supporters moved to accept the committee substitute, perfect it and adopt the ordinance on the floor. The clerk recorded unanimous roll-call votes on the substitute, perfection and final adoption: each roll call showed nine votes in favor and the ordinance was adopted.
The measure was introduced by the legislature’s committee and proceeded through the committee and floor-substitute process; the county counselor noted the corrected effective date during floor debate.
The ordinance text as adopted ties regulatory insurance requirements to federal Department of Transportation minimums, lowers some licensing penalties language, and establishes the fee structure described above. The legislature did not expand the record of specific complaints or incidents in public debate at the meeting; the changes were presented as a compromise following public hearing testimony.
The clerk recorded the final roll call as nine yes votes on adoption.
