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Tow Truck Company License Application Checklist

Who Must Have a Tow Truck Company License?

You must have a Tow Truck Company license if your business moves or removes disabled, illegally parked, or abandoned motor vehicles or vehicles involved in accidents by another motor vehicle for direct or indirect compensation.

This description is only a general explanation of who must have a Tow Truck Company license.

Quick List of Requirements to Apply for a Tow Truck Company License

See Requirements section for detailed descriptions. Make sure you provide all requirements; otherwise, your application is incomplete. DCWP can only consider complete applications for license issuance.

  • Basic License Application
  • Business Certificate
  • Sales Tax Identification Number OR Application Confirmation Number
  • Roster of Vehicles
  • New York State Commercial Truck Registrations
  • Department of Buildings Document
  • One Current Color Passport-size Photograph of License Applicant
  • Business Information
  • Repair Shop Registration (if applicable)
  • Proof of Workers’ Compensation Insurance
    (OR CE-200: Certificate of Attestation of Exemption if not required to maintain this coverage)
  • Personal and Property Liability Insurance for Tow Trucks
  • DCWP Trust Fund Enrollment or Copy of Surety Bond (or Third Party Bond), properly signed
  • Proof of Right to Use Premises
  • Roster of Tow Truck Drivers
  • Tow Truck Company Electronic Recordkeeping Compliance Affirmation
  • Fingerprints and Processing Fee
  • Inspection of Your Premises and Trucks and $50 Inspection Fee per Truck
  • Repair Shop Registration (if applicable)
  • Granting Authority to Act Affirmation (if applicable)
  • License Fee

Submitting your application does not mean your license is automatically approved.

Additional City or State Permits/Licenses/Clearances You May Need

You must have a Tow Truck Driver license if you are an individual who operates a vehicle that moves or removes disabled, illegally parked, or abandoned motor vehicles or vehicles involved in accidents by another motor vehicle for direct or indirect compensation in the City of New York.

To apply, you must be at least 18 years old.

This description is only a general explanation of which individuals need to have a Tow Truck Driver license.

You must have a Secondhand Dealer General license if you or your business buy or sell used goods, other than automobiles, in New York City. For example, you need a Secondhand Dealer General license if you use secondhand auto parts to repair vehicles.

This is not meant to be a complete list. See Additional Resources section.

Important Message about Business Certificate

You must have the applicable Business Certificate based on your business’s legal structure.

Sole proprietors operating under a name other than your own must have a Business/Assumed Name Certificate.

Partnerships must have a Partnership Certificate and, if applicable, an Assumed Name Certificate for your business.

Corporations, Limited Partnerships, Limited Liability Companies, or Limited Liability Partnerships must register and remain active with the New York State Division of Corporations. You can check your status at dos.ny.gov/corps.

Requirements

DCWP will deny your application if you do not submit these required documents and information:

  • Basic License Application.
    Online submission: After reviewing the requirements, please click the Apply Online link at the bottom of the page to submit your application.
    In-person submission: Download the Basic License Application.
  • Business Certificate (see description above).
  • Sales Tax Identification Number OR Application Confirmation Number.
    To apply for a Certificate of Authority in order to collect sales tax, visit businessexpress.ny.gov.
  • New York State Commercial Truck Registrations.
    Submit a copy of the current New York State Commercial Truck Registration for each vehicle listed on the Roster of Vehicles. The address on your registrations must match the address provided on your license application.
  • Department of Buildings Document.
    You must submit a copy of the Certificate of Occupancy, Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (expiring no less than 30 days from date of application submission), OR Letter of No Objection from the Department of Buildings (DOB) confirming that your premises is suitable to operate your business.

    If you submit a Certificate of Occupancy or Temporary Certificate of Occupancy, it must show approval of the premises for “M1,” “M2,” “M3,” and/or “C8” Zoning and “Use Group 16” with a designation of “Auto Wrecking,” “Storage Garage,” “Dead Vehicle Storage,” “Vehicle Laundry/Car Wash,” “Vehicle Service,” or “Vehicle Repair.”
  • One Current Color Passport-size Photograph of License Applicant.
    Each individual named on the license application must submit one current color passport-size photograph of themselves.

    In person: DCWP will photograph license applicants at no cost in the DCWP Licensing Center or Small Business Support Center. Applicants can also submit a current color passport-size photograph.

    Online: License applicants can upload an image file of digital passport photo quality. A digital camera with a resolution of 1 mega-pixel is adequate.
  • Business Information (download form).
    Applicants for a Tow Truck Company license must indicate which credit cards the business will accept and confirm whether or not the business will repair vehicles.
  • Proof of Workers’ Compensation Insurance.
    Provide a copy of ONE of the following documents as proof of workers’ compensation insurance:
    • C-105.2: Certificate of Workers’ Compensation Insurance OR
    • U-26.3: State Insurance Fund Certificate of Workers’ Compensation Insurance OR
    • Equivalent or successor form used by the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board

    If you are not required by law to maintain workers’ compensation insurance, you must submit form CE-200: Certificate of Attestation of Exemption. For more information, visit New York State Workers’ Compensation Board at www.wcb.ny.gov. Please note: ACORD forms are NOT acceptable proof of New York State workers' compensation coverage.
  • Personal and Property Liability Insurance for Tow Trucks.
    The law requires DCWP-licensed tow truck companies to maintain the following minimum amount of liability coverage for all tow trucks:
    • $200,000 for injury or death per person
    • $500,000 for injury or death per accident
    • $50,000 for property damage per accident
    • $25,000 for damage to a vehicle in the care, custody, and control of the tow company

    Alternatively, DCWP will accept $1,000,000 in combined single limit coverage AND $25,000 “on hook” coverage.

    You must submit ONE of the following as proof of insurance:
    • A certificate of liability insurance issued by the insurance company within the last 30 days.
    • A policy declarations page issued by the insurance company within the last 60 days.
    • A certificate of liability insurance issued by the broker within the last 30 days AND a notarized Certification by Insurance Broker or Agent (download Certification).

    Note: You must notify DCWP within 10 days if your insurance policy is cancelled, expired, or was terminated for any reason. Notification must be in writing and submitted in person OR by mail to:

    Attn: Licensing Center
    NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP)
    42 Broadway
    New York, NY 10004
  • DCWP Trust Fund Enrollment OR Copy of Surety Bond (or Third Party Bond), properly signed.
    • If you want to enroll your business in the Trust Fund, complete the Trust Fund Enrollment Form (download Form). The fee for joining the Trust Fund is $200.

    • If you do not enroll your business in the Trust Fund, you must submit a copy of a $5,000 Surety Bond (or Third Party Bond), properly signed. The copy of the bond must name the City of New York as the Certificate Holder. Your corporate name, Doing-Business-As (DBA) name (if any), and premises address must be exactly the same on all documents. The bond must not expire before the end of the licensing period.

      Download a list of bonding companies.
  • Proof of Right to Use Premises
    Submit ONE of the following documents as proof of right to use premises for your business:
    • A copy of your deed or bill of sale OR
    • A copy of your current lease
      (If you submit a sublease, you must also submit the original lease.)
  • Fingerprints and Processing Fee.
    All sole proprietors, general partners, corporate officers, principals, directors, members, and all shareholders owning more than 10% of company stock must schedule an appointment with IdentoGO to be fingerprinted:
    • Visit uenroll.identogo.com
    • Enter:
      • Service Code. Enter 1585N7
      • Agency ID. Enter numbers only from Application Number. Application Number is on your receipt or confirmation letter when you apply online. Example: For Application Number 1234567-2023-AHIC, enter only 12345672023 as Agency ID.
    • Follow the instructions and pay the required fee(s).
     
    IMPORTANT: Anyone required to be fingerprinted should schedule an appointment as soon as possible to complete this requirement.
  • Inspection of Your Premises and Trucks and $50 Inspection Fee per Truck
    DCWP will contact you to schedule an appointment to inspect your business premises and tow trucks. Note:
    • DCWP must inspect your business premises and tow trucks before your business can operate.
    • Prior to your inspection, be sure to review Inspection Checklist: Tow Truck
  • Repair Shop Registration.
    If you indicated on the Business Information form that your business will repair vehicles, submit a copy of your business’ current Repair Shop Registration from the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles.
  • Granting Authority to Act Affirmation (download Affirmation).
    Required if someone other than the license applicant will prepare and submit this application.

    Note: The applicant must sign the license application and all related forms.
  • License Fee.
    License Period: 2 years. Expiration Date: April 30, Even Years.
    License Fee: $600 for 2 years (includes 1 truck). Inspection Fee: $50 per truck

If You File Your Application Between These Dates: Option 1 Option 2
From May 1 in an even year to October 31 in an even year Pay $600 + $50 per truck for a license expiring April 30 of the next even year. (Valid for at most 24 months.) N/A
From November 1 in an even year to April 30 in an odd year Pay $450 + $50 per truck for a license expiring April 30 of the following year. (Valid for at most 18 months.) N/A
From May 1 in an odd year to October 31 in an odd year Pay $300 + $50 per truck for a license expiring April 30 of the soonest even year. (Valid for at most 12 months.) N/A
From November 1 in an odd year to April 30 in an even year Pay $150 + $50 per truck for a license expiring April 30 of the soonest even year. (Valid for at most 6 months.) Pay $750 + $50 per truck for a license expiring April 30 of the next even year. (Valid for at most 30 months.)

Pay by:
  • Check or money order payable to DCWP . (In person)

  • Credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover Card only). You will be charged a nonrefundable Convenience Fee. (In person or online)

Application Filing Process

File Online

  1. Review requirements and gather all materials.
  2. Click the Apply Online button below to login or create an account to start your online license application.

Apply Online Button

Important: If you need to file another license application, return to the Apply for a DCWP License page to read requirements and proceed to the next online application.

OR

File In Person
Schedule an appointment to file in person at the DCWP Licensing Center or NYC Small Business Support Center

DCWP LICENSING CENTER
42 Broadway, Lobby
New York, NY 10004
By Appointment Only Hours:
Monday-Thursday: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Last appointment: 3:30 p.m.

NYC SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT CENTER
90-27 Sutphin Blvd, 4th Floor
Jamaica, NY 11435
By Appointment Only Hours:
Monday-Thursday: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Last appointment: 3:30 p.m.

By Email: LicensingAppointments@dcwp.nyc.gov
By Phone*: Call (212) 436-0441. (Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.)

*This number is to schedule an appointment for in-person service only. For general questions, email onlineappsdocs@dcwp.nyc.gov.

Free Interpretation Services are available on-site. To request a disability-related accommodation, visit our Accommodations page.

Additional Resources for Tow Truck Companies

  • For resources to help your business open, operate, and grow, visit nyc.gov/business.
  • After holding a Tow Truck Company license for more than one year, you may apply for acceptance in the Directed Accident Towing Program (DARP) and Rotation Tow Program (ROTOW). For more information, please email onlineappsdocs@dcwp.nyc.gov.

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