Towing rules in Illinois
What the state says about towing, with the page each rule comes from. It's a summary of the published rules, not legal advice, and your city or county can have rules of its own.
Updated October 6, 2026
Tow company licensing
The Illinois Commerce Commission licenses companies that tow trespassing vehicles from private property in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Will and Winnebago counties. It also registers companies that tow damaged or disabled vehicles in those counties.1-4 Check a tow company's license on the state's license lookup.
Limits on police and private-property tow fees
Ask for the full price before your car is hooked up, and ask for an itemized receipt.
Storage fees
Ask the tow yard for its daily storage fee and the hours you can collect your car.
Towed from a private lot
If your car was towed from a private lot, ask the property owner or manager which company towed it.
Where to complain
Complaints about a relocation tow in the covered counties go to the Illinois Commerce Commission. Outside those counties, they go to local authorities.1
Get quotes from tow companies in your county
One request instead of calling tow companies one at a time. It's free, and you don't have to hire anyone. Your request may go to contractors nearby.
Sources
Tow companies in Illinois
Illinois has 1,188 tow companies listed, and 968 of them hold an active USDOT registration. Browse them by county and call one directly, or schedule a tow and we'll pass it to tow companies near you.
Cite this page
“Towing rules in Illinois.” FindTowingTruck.com, updated October 6, 2026. https://findtowingtruck.com/il/rules/