Motorists stranded after a breakdown or collision on a Tennessee interstate face immediate decisions about which towing company to trust with their vehicle, and a 2024 state law now provides new protections for those encounters. Tennessee Code Annotated Section 55-31-404, effective July 1, 2024, caps nonconsent release fees at $100 and prohibits towing companies from charging gate or access fees during normal business hours on any day when daily storage is also assessed. The legislation followed years of consumer complaints about inconsistent pricing, particularly in Nashville, Memphis, and Knoxville, where nonconsent towing disputes have driven calls to the Tennessee Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division. The state continued this reform trajectory with the MOTION Act of 2025 (HB0972), signed into law on May 15, 2025, which establishes a statewide motor vehicle portal through the Department of Revenue (targeted for October 2026) that will give the public real-time access to information about towed vehicles, including ownership details, towing locations, and retrieval requirements.
Tennessee’s towing industry operates under a layered regulatory framework. The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security oversees the Towing Service Standards Manual, which governs companies on the Tennessee Highway Patrol’s rotating schedule towing list. The manual classifies tow trucks into four categories: Class A for passenger cars, pickups, and small trailers; Class B for medium-size trucks; Class C for heavy-duty rigs capable of handling 80,000-pound tractor-trailer combinations; and Class D, a separate flatbed and rollback category. Wrecker drivers operating on the THP rotation must hold either an “F” endorsement or a commercial driver’s license, pass a criminal background check through the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and maintain current vehicle inspections validated by decals issued through the Department of Safety.
Local jurisdictions add their own requirements. Nashville’s Metropolitan Transportation Licensing Commission issues wrecker service licenses and driver permits, enforces a nonconsent rate schedule that caps standard tows within the I-40/I-24/I-65 loop at $155 for vehicles under 7,000 pounds, and sets a $175 drop fee for Class C emergency wreckers. Knoxville’s Police Department manages its own wrecker rotation with zone-based assignments, requiring certificate holders to maintain 24/7 availability and submit monthly driver reports. Memphis regulates wreckers through its Permits Office, mandating that emergency wrecker services arrive within 30 minutes of dispatch and submit hold-harmless agreements with the city. These municipal frameworks operate alongside statewide rules, creating a patchwork of requirements that differs by county.
Consumer protections extend beyond pricing. Under TCA 55-16-105, vehicle owners retain the right to access personal belongings inside a towed vehicle, including wallets, medications, and identification documents, even before paying the tow or storage bill. Private property towing under TCA 66-19-103 requires posted signage meeting specific size and wording standards at all parking area entrances, and towing companies must notify local law enforcement of nonconsent removals. If a towed vehicle’s owner arrives before the vehicle leaves the parking area, the operator must release it upon payment of the release fee (TCA 55-31-307), and failure to comply constitutes a Class B misdemeanor and a violation of the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act. Verifying that a towing company carries adequate liability insurance and checking for unresolved complaints through the Tennessee Attorney General’s office or the Better Business Bureau can help motorists evaluate service providers before an emergency arises.
Top Towing Service Providers in Tennessee
1. All Out Towing
- Address: 2610 Eugenia Ave, Nashville, TN 37211
- Phone: (615) 506-8181
- Website: https://allouttowing.net
- Rating: 5.0/5 (481 reviews)
- Services: local towing, long-haul towing, flatbed towing, jump starts, lockout assistance, winch outs, junk car removal, abandoned vehicle removal
- Description: Founded in 2015 by owner Nicholas Formosa, All Out Towing operates as a sole proprietorship serving the Nashville metropolitan area. The company’s fleet handles vehicles ranging from motorcycles to semi-trucks, and its service area covers Davidson County and surrounding communities.
2. Davis Service and Towing Center
- Address: 601 N Chilhowee Dr, Knoxville, TN 37924
- Phone: (865) 247-6870
- Website: https://davisstc.com
- Rating: 4.9/5 (848 reviews)
- Services: emergency towing, rollback service, heavy hauling, auto repair, roadside assistance, vehicle recovery
- Description: Davis Service and Towing Center was founded in 2006 and operates as a family-owned company with locations in Knoxville and Clintwood, Virginia. The company hosted the American Towman Spirit Ride in 2018 and received the American Towman Trust Award in 2019, and its operators draw on experience in the auto service industry dating to 1982.
3. Hook Em Up Towing
- Address: 607 Fordomatic Dr, Nashville, TN 37209
- Phone: (615) 756-5330
- Website: https://hookthemuptow.com
- Rating: 4.8/5 (268 reviews)
- Services: light-duty towing, medium-duty towing, flatbed towing, motorcycle towing, long-distance transport, jump starts, lockout assistance, tire changes, fuel delivery, winch outs
- Description: Hook Em Up Towing has operated in Nashville since 2016, providing 24-hour towing and roadside assistance across Davidson, Cheatham, Williamson, Robertson, and Sumner counties. The team includes two ASE-certified drivers, and the fleet encompasses both flatbed and wheel-lift wreckers equipped for vehicles ranging from standard passenger cars to motorcycles and classic automobiles.
Frequently Asked Questions About Towing Services in Tennessee
Q: Does Tennessee cap the fees a towing company can charge?
Tennessee does not impose a single statewide fee cap, but TCA 55-31-404 (effective July 2024) requires that towing and storage fees not exceed the maximum rates approved by the applicable Tennessee Highway Patrol district. The same statute caps nonconsent release fees at $100 and prohibits gate or access fees during normal business hours when daily storage is already being charged. Individual municipalities such as Nashville, Memphis, and Knoxville set their own rate schedules that may impose lower maximums for nonconsent tows.
Q: Can a towing company refuse to let me retrieve personal belongings from my vehicle?
No. Under TCA 55-16-105, vehicle owners have the right to access personal belongings, including wallets, medications, and identification documents, even if they cannot immediately pay the towing or storage bill. Towing companies must provide reasonable access to these items. Permanently affixed vehicle components such as stereo systems or batteries are not included under this provision.
Q: What should I do if my vehicle is towed from a private parking lot in Tennessee?
Contact local law enforcement first, as towing companies are required to report nonconsent removals. Under TCA 66-19-103, private property owners must post signage meeting specific state requirements at parking area entrances before towing is enforced. If proper signage was not displayed, the tow may have been conducted unlawfully. You can file a complaint with the Tennessee Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division if you believe the towing violated state regulations.
Q: What type of driver’s license does a tow truck operator need in Tennessee?
Wrecker drivers in Tennessee must hold either a standard driver’s license with an “F” endorsement or a commercial driver’s license (CDL). The “F” endorsement authorizes the operation of towing equipment. Drivers placed on the Tennessee Highway Patrol’s rotating towing list must also pass a criminal background check conducted through the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and undergo fingerprinting.
Q: How quickly must a towing company respond in Tennessee?
Response time requirements vary by jurisdiction. Memphis requires emergency wrecker services to arrive within 30 minutes of police dispatch. Nashville and Knoxville establish response expectations through their respective wrecker rotation programs, and failure to answer a call on the Tennessee Highway Patrol rotation results in loss of that call assignment. Private (consent) tows arranged directly by the vehicle owner are not subject to mandatory response time regulations.
Q: What is the MOTION Act and how does it affect Tennessee motorists?
The Modernization of Towing, Immobilization, and Oversight Normalization (MOTION) Act of 2025 (Public Chapter 457) is a comprehensive reform law signed on May 15, 2025. It mandates self-releasing immobilization devices (for booting), prohibits referral fees between property owners and towing companies, sets maximum towing and storage fees, and creates licensing requirements for booting operators. The law also directs the Department of Revenue to build a statewide motor vehicle portal by October 2026 that will allow the public to search for information about towed vehicles in real time.