Tow truck

A tow truck is a vehicle equipped to move disabled or unwanted vehicles, either by lifting one end (a wheel-lift or hook) or carrying the whole car on a bed. Junk car buyers often include towing in their offer; ask so you know whether it is deducted.

States regulate towing differently. Owner-requested towing is usually lightly regulated, while police and private-property tows often have licensing and fee rules.

Texas requires each tow truck used on public streets to have its own permit from the Department of Licensing and Regulation, in one of three categories: incident management, private property, or consent towing. Any tow from a public roadway is treated as an incident management tow.¹