Only 15 states require towing companies to provide an itemized invoice

In 35 states, a tow company can hand you a single lump-sum bill — say $847 — with no breakdown of tow fee, mileage, storage days, administrative charges, or after-hours surcharges, making it impossible to identify or dispute overcharges. Without itemization, consumers cannot compare the bill against any local rate caps that might exist, and small claims courts have no line items to evaluate. This persists because the towing industry lobbies against transparency mandates at the state level, municipalities delegate enforcement to understaffed consumer protection offices, and the power asymmetry — they have your car — means most people pay whatever is demanded rather than litigate.