Maryland2026Enacted
HB0030
Changes to Police-Initiated Towing Rules and Rates
Last scannedAug 22, 2026, 4:24 AM
In one sentence
This law adds rules for towing light-duty vehicles, defines weight limits for different types of towing, updates the duties of a committee that recommends prices, and bans per-pound billing.
What it does
- Defines 'light-duty towing' as moving a vehicle with trailers or semitrailers weighing 10,000 pounds or less.
- Requires the Department of State Police to set maximum rates for light-, medium-, and heavy-duty towing by January 1, 2024.
- Limits approved rates for light-duty towing to no more than 80% of the rate for medium-duty towing.
- Updates a committee's duties to include recommending rates for all three weight categories instead of just two.
- Requires tow companies on the official list to stop using 'per pound billing' methods.
Who it affects
- Towing and recovery companies authorized by the Department of State Police
- The Committee on Rate Setting and Complaint Resolution for Police-Initiated Towing and Recovery
- Vehicle owners whose cars are towed or recovered after police contact
Limits and unknowns
- The official text provided ends before listing all specific insurance matters the committee must examine.
- The law does not list exact dollar amounts for towing rates, only how they are calculated or limited relative to each other.
Plain language
Terms to know
- Light-duty towing
- Moving a vehicle, including trailers or semitrailers, that weighs 10,000 pounds or less.
- Police-initiated towing
- Towing or recovery of a motor vehicle requested by the Department of State Police.
- Approved rates
- The maximum prices set by the state that tow companies can charge for police-ordered services.
Official record
Sources
Official summary
Altering provisions related to the rates the Department of State Police sets for towing companies involved in police-initiated towing of motor vehicles to include the towing and recovery of light-duty vehicles; defining "light-duty towing" as towing and recovery of a vehicle including trailers or semitrailers with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less; and altering the duties of the Committee on Rate Setting and Complaint Resolution for Police-Initiated Towing and Recovery.
Official activity
Bill history
- Approved by the Governor - Chapter 527