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Local tow companies ask Destin to raise private‑property tow fees; council will place item on next agenda
Summary
Tow operators told the council that costs for fuel, tow trucks and insurance surged since 2022 and asked Destin to lift the base non‑commercial tow fee from $175 toward a proposed $230; council instructed staff to add the item to the next meeting agenda for a full comparison of regional rates.
A group of Destin tow operators asked the City Council Tuesday to raise the city’s non‑commercial (private property) tow rates, citing steep increases in fuel, tow‑truck prices and insurance premiums since the last rate change in 2022.
Stan Nikolov, representing Destin Tow Brothers, told the council that the base tow rate for Destin is currently $175 and that tow operators propose $230 to better reflect the cost of doing business in Destin. He said a new class A Freightliner that cost about $99,000 in 2022 is now roughly $144,000 from the same dealer, and that annual insurance quotes for his company rose from about $66,000 to $98,000 year‑over‑year. Other local operators who spoke at the podium echoed those concerns and said they respond to sheriff requests and emergency calls at all hours.
Council members asked staff to place a detailed tow‑rate comparison on the next meeting agenda so council can compare Destin's requested rates with neighboring municipalities and county levels and to show the total cost to a resident for an entire tow event (including administrative and storage fees). Councilman Bagby asked staff to include several nearby cities in the comparison and to return a full breakdown of total costs.
No ordinance or rate change was adopted at Tuesday’s meeting; the council voted 5–0 to add the towing‑rate proposal as an agenda item for the next council meeting so members can consider specific fee increases and administrative impacts.
