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History of towing in Chicago
How towing rules in Chicago took shape: ordinances, contracts, court rulings and state laws, in date order. Every entry links to its source.
How to read this timeline. Entries are in date order. Most rest on a court opinion, a law or a government record. Entries marked "Not yet verified" rest on one secondary or self-reported source, and entries marked "From a news report" rest on news coverage. We leave out private people's names and accusations against companies that have no published outcome.
Police pounds and the first private contracts (1967 to 2009)
Major snowstorms that stopped traffic lead the City to ban parking on priority arterial streets from 3 to 7 a.m., December 1 to April 1, a rule still behind many winter tows.
The City signs its first private towing contract, for abandoned cars.
Source: OIG audit, Program History (PDF)
Streets and Sanitation takes over the auto pounds from the Chicago Police Department.
Source: OIG audit, Program History (PDF)
A City Department of Revenue report on the pounds finds damage and theft, weak security, no live inventory, and cars destroyed in error.
Known from the OIG's summary; we have not seen the 1992 report.
Source: OIG audit, Program History (PDF)
The City contracts out management of its larger pounds as well as towing ($24.6 million over three years).
Source: OIG audit, Program History (PDF)
The City adds the impoundment hearing ordinance (Municipal Code sec. 2-14-132) for cars used in listed offenses.
In Towers v. City of Chicago, a federal appeals court upholds the City's $500 impound penalty ordinances.
Boots, impound penalties and court challenges (2010 to 2019)
The City adds booting to its towing and pound contract ($31.5 million over three years).
Source: OIG audit, Program History (PDF)
The ICC raises the maximum private-property relocation charge from $170 to $198.50.
From a news report From a news report; we have not found the ICC order.
Source: CBS Chicago, July 6, 2011
An Illinois appellate court upholds the City's drug-related impound ordinances in Jackson v. City of Chicago.
Source: Jackson v. City of Chicago, 2012 IL App (1st) 111044
The City awards a new five-year towing, booting and pound management contract worth up to $60 million (contract 34921).
The City Council passes the Towing Bill of Rights for private-property relocations: photos, truck video, posted rights and access to belongings.
From a news report Date from a news report; the current text is Municipal Code sec. 9-84-036.
Source: Time Out Chicago, June 22, 2016
In Bell v. City of Chicago, a federal appeals court rejects a Fourth Amendment challenge to the City's impound ordinances.
The ICC votes to revoke the state license of a large North Side relocator after a multi-year investigation; a Cook County judge reverses the order in January 2020, finding the company had not been told it could lose its license.
From a news report From news reports; we have not found the ICC order or the court decision. Any later appeal is not checked.
Source: ABC7 Chicago, September 13, 2018; ABC7 Chicago, January 15, 2020
WBEZ and ProPublica Illinois report that the City sold nearly 50,000 impounded cars over unpaid tickets since 2011.
From a news report
Source: WBEZ, January 7, 2019
A federal class action, Davis v. City of Chicago, challenges the City's impound program.
Source: Docket, Davis v. City of Chicago
Reforms, higher fees and an audit (2020 to 2026)
The City Council reforms the impound program: lower penalties, a $1,000 storage cap, fewer impoundable offenses and an innocent-owner defense.
Source: Vehicle Impoundment Program Reforms (City of Chicago); CBS Chicago, July 22, 2020
The City Council creates City licenses for tow trucks and storage lots that handle crash and breakdown tows, aimed at unlicensed crash-scene towers.
From a news report From a news report; the current rules are in Municipal Code ch. 4-227.
Source: Chicago Sun-Times, May 26, 2021
Tow and storage fees are waived for cars that were stolen when they were impounded.
Source: OIG audit (PDF)
In Lintzeris v. City of Chicago, the Illinois Supreme Court upholds the City's power to charge impound penalties.
The City extends its pound contract by about $37 million, through May 31, 2026.
Source: Contract 34921 (City of Chicago)
The federal district court enters judgment for the City in Davis v. City of Chicago.
Source: Docket, Davis v. City of Chicago
The City Council strengthens its crash and breakdown towing ordinance (ch. 4-227), including a right for owners to sue licensed towers that break it.
Source: CBS Chicago, April 16, 2025; Municipal Code (American Legal Publishing)
The City raises impound fees to $250 for a tow and $50 a day for storage, with a $1,500 storage cap.
Source: Common Towing Questions (City of Chicago); OIG audit (PDF)
Public Act 104-133 takes effect, widening the list of belongings relocators cannot hold for the bill.
The City's Inspector General publishes its audit of the auto pounds.
Source: Audit report (Chicago OIG PDF)
For the rates over the years, see tow and storage rates. Know a record that belongs here? Email corrections@towedhelp.org.
Last checked .