S 7717: Sets maximum rates that may be charged for the towing and subsequent storage of passenger and large vehicles outside of New York city.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 7717 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE May 1, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. COONEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Consumer Protection AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to setting maximum rates that may be charged for the towing and subsequent storage of a motor vehicle The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The general business law is amended by adding a new section 2 399-xxx to read as follows: 3 § 399-xxx. Passenger car towing rates. 1. (a) For the purposes of this 4 section, a "passenger car" is a vehicle with a maximum gross vehicle 5 weight under forty-five hundred pounds. 6 (b) Except as provided in subdivision two of this section or any other 7 provision of law, charges for the towing of passenger vehicles shall not 8 exceed one hundred dollars plus all tolls required to be paid while 9 towing the vehicle. If a motor vehicle has been booted by a person duly 10 licensed to do so in a private lot and such vehicle is subsequently 11 towed, no additional charge may be imposed for the towing of such vehi- 12 cle. 13 (c) The rates in this section shall not apply to the towing of motor 14 vehicles pursuant to a contract which was in existence prior to the need 15 for the towing of such vehicles, provided that such motor vehicles are 16 either owned or leased by the person who entered into such contract. 17 (d) The provisions of this section shall not apply to cities having a 18 population of one million or more. 19 2. Charges for the towing of disabled passenger vehicles from an 20 arterial roadway by an arterial tow permittee shall be one hundred twen- 21 ty-five dollars for the first ten miles or fraction thereof, four 22 dollars for each additional mile or fraction thereof, and all tolls 23 required to be paid while towing such vehicle. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD11787-01-5 
 S. 7717 2 1 3. Except as otherwise provided, charges for storage of towed vehicles 2 shall not exceed twenty-five dollars for each twenty-four-hour period or 3 fraction thereof for the first three days of storage and twenty-seven 4 dollars for the fourth day of storage and each day thereafter. 5 4. (a) Where unusual preparation is required before a vehicle can be 6 towed, additional charges may be imposed not to exceed twelve dollars 7 per tow truck for each quarter hour or part thereof, provided, however, 8 that no such charge may be imposed or collected for the towing of a 9 vehicle involved in an accident from the scene of such accident. Unusual 10 preparation includes winching or righting a vehicle or any other prepa- 11 ration necessary to put the vehicle in a position where it can be hooked 12 or raised to the tow truck. 13 (b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this subdivision, a towing compa- 14 ny which has towed a vehicle to its storage facilities may charge an 15 additional amount not to exceed twenty-five dollars for the positioning 16 of such vehicle for removal from such storage facilities by the tow 17 truck of another towing company that is capable of towing three or more 18 vehicles simultaneously. 19 5. (a) A tow truck operator shall not require the payment of any fee 20 or charge for towing and storage of a vehicle, or any fee or charge 21 directly or indirectly related to towing and storage of a vehicle, that 22 is not specifically authorized by law or rule. 23 (b) A charge for the towing and storage of vehicles shall not be 24 imposed by any person who does not have a license to engage in towing, 25 as required by section five hundred one of the vehicle and traffic law, 26 or whose vehicle is not registered as a tow truck, as required by 27 section four hundred one-b of the vehicle and traffic law, at the time 28 that the towing and storage services are performed. 29 § 2. The general business law is amended by adding a new section 399- 30 xxxx to read as follows: 31 § 399-xxxx. Large vehicle towing rates. 1. (a) For the purposes of 32 this section, a "large vehicle" is a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight 33 exceeding forty-five hundred pounds. 34 (b) The rates in this section shall not apply to the towing of motor 35 vehicles pursuant to a contract which was in existence prior to the need 36 for the towing of such vehicles, provided that such motor vehicles are 37 either owned or leased by the person who entered into such contract. 38 (c) The provisions of this section shall not apply to cities having a 39 population of one million or more. 40 2. (a) For a vehicle with a maximum gross vehicle weight exceeding 41 forty-five hundred pounds but not exceeding ten thousand pounds, the 42 rate for the preparation, hoist and tow, including the first mile or 43 fraction thereof, shall not exceed one hundred twenty-five dollars. The 44 rate per each additional mile shall not exceed five dollars. The rate of 45 subsequent storage shall not exceed thirty-five dollars per twenty-four- 46 hour period. 47 (b) For a vehicle with a maximum gross vehicle weight exceeding ten 48 thousand pounds but not exceeding eighteen thousand pounds, the rate for 49 the preparation, hoist and tow, including the first mile or fraction 50 thereof, shall not exceed one hundred seventy-five dollars. The rate per 51 each additional mile shall not exceed ten dollars. The rate for the use 52 of an under-lift shall not exceed fifty dollars. The rate of subsequent 53 storage shall not exceed fifty dollars per twenty-four-hour period. 54 (c) For a vehicle with a maximum gross vehicle weight exceeding eigh- 55 teen thousand pounds but not exceeding twenty-six thousand pounds, the 56 rate for the preparation, hoist and tow, including the first mile or 
 S. 7717 3 1 fraction thereof, shall not exceed two hundred fifty dollars. The rate 2 per each additional mile shall not exceed ten dollars. The rate for the 3 use of an under-lift shall not exceed fifty dollars. The rate of subse- 4 quent storage shall not exceed fifty dollars per twenty-four-hour peri- 5 od. 6 (d) For a vehicle with a maximum gross vehicle weight exceeding twen- 7 ty-six thousand pounds, the rate for the preparation, hoist and tow, 8 including the first mile or fraction thereof, shall not exceed three 9 hundred dollars. The rate per each additional mile shall not exceed ten 10 dollars. The rate for the use of an under-lift shall not exceed one 11 hundred dollars. The rate of subsequent storage shall not exceed seven- 12 ty-five dollars per twenty-four-hour period. 13 3. The cost of labor per quarter hour per truck or per person or oper- 14 ator shall not exceed fifty dollars. 15 4. (a) A tow truck operator shall not require the payment of any fee 16 or charge for towing and storage of a vehicle, or any fee or charge 17 directly or indirectly related to towing and storage of a vehicle, that 18 is not specifically authorized by law or rule. 19 (b) A charge for the towing and storage of vehicles shall not be 20 imposed by any person who does not have a license to engage in towing, 21 as required by section five hundred one of the vehicle and traffic law, 22 or whose vehicle is not registered as a tow truck, as required by 23 section four hundred one-b of the vehicle and traffic law, at the time 24 that the towing and storage services are performed. 25 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.