Virginia towing fees set to rise, but localities will have the final say

By: Nathaniel Cline - February 10, 2025 11:39 am

Virginia drivers could soon see higher towing fees under legislation that’s advancing toward the governor’s desk, but the decision to raise rates will remain in the hands of local governments.

Senate Bill 1332, introduced by Sen. Dave Marsden, D-Fairfax, cleared the House floor Thursday, bringing it one step closer to final approval. The bill proposes increasing the maximum initial towing and hookup fee for passenger vehicles from $150 to $210 — a rate that a recent state study deemed “reasonable.”

At the same time, the bill ensures that localities retain the authority to regulate towing rates and fees, a point Marsden emphasized during a recent Senate Commerce and Labor Committee hearing. ... “This legislation preserves all consumer protections and all local regulatory authority,” Marsden said.

The proposal originally sought to shift oversight of trespass towing fees from local governments to the State Corporation Commission (SCC), but lawmakers opted to keep rate-setting power at the local level.

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