Parking Rules

If you fear your car might have been towed, contact:
Northwest Recovery
4000 Industrial Avenue
Rolling Meadows, Illinois 60008
Phone: (847) 255- 7360
http://www.northwestrecovery.com/

 

Runaway Bay Residents and their authorized guests have rights too:

The Illinois Commercial Relocation of Trespassing Vehicles Law gives the Illinois Commerce Commission the authority to regulate companies that tow vehicles unauthorized to be on private property in Cook, Will, Kane, DuPage and Winnebago Counties.

 

NOTE: This law does not affect the towing of vehicles parked on public streets, the activities of towing companies who tow damaged or disabled vehicles, companies engaged in the repossession of motor vehicles, or vehicles that are towed at the direction of the police.

The Laws and Rules that govern relocation towing are: 625 Illinois Combined Statutes 5/18A and 92 Illinois Administrative Code: Part 1710.

 

UNDER THESE LAWS
It is illegal for any towing company to tow vehicles from private property if the owner or person entitled to possession of the vehicle is at the scene before the trespassing vehicle is towed off the private property and offers to remove it voluntarily. However, the owner must remove it immediately.

 

No charges for storage maybe made if the vehicle is claimed, proper identification is provided and payment is made within 24 hours of the tow. After that 24 hour period, a charge will be imposed. However, there can be no charges assessed for the days the towing company is closed to the public.

 

Towing companies must accept cash, traveler's checks, money orders, cashier's or certified checks, and commonly accepted credit cards in payment for their charges. No additional fee may be charged for the use of a credit card.

 

Towing companies can and should require proper identification before releasing a vehicle to its owner. Such identification may consist of a valid driver's license and the ignition key of the vehicle. You may also be asked to provide additional evidence such as your Certificate of Title, motor vehicle registration, rental contracts, bill of sale or certificate of insurance.

 

If your car is towed, the towing company is required to furnish you with a completed copy of the Relocation Towing Invoice as a receipt for payment. This form contains all pertinent data concerning the tow, rates, and instructions for filing a complaint with the Illinois Commerce Commission.

 

Relocation towing companies are prohibited from towing any vehicle further than ten air miles in an incorporated area and 15 air miles in unincorporated areas, from the site where the vehicle was illegally parked.

 

WARNING SIGNS
Towing companies must post signs on the private property before they may legally remove vehicles. The signs must contain the:
• warning that unauthorized vehicles will be towed
• Relocator's name, address and telephone number
• location to where the relocated vehicle will be towed
• towing fees (the fee charged cannot exceed the posted fee) (As of March 2010 the recovery fee for a normal passenger car is $170)
• hours of operation (if not open 24 hours a day)
The signs must be at least 24 inches in height and 36 inches wide.

 

COMPLAINTS
Relocation towing companies are required to furnish customers with a complaint form upon request. Complaint forms should be mailed to the:
Illinois Commerce Commission
9511 W. Harrison Street
Des Plaines, Illinois 60016
Consumer complaint forms also can be found on the back of the Relocation Towing Invoice Receipt.

 

TOWER'S RESPONSIBILITY
By law relocation towing companies are required to:
• notify local law enforcement within one hour after making a tow.
• have personal injury and property damage insurance coverage.

 

For further information contact the
Illinois Commerce Commission
Police Department at
847-294-4326
www.icc.illinois.gov

 

Relocation towing companies, tow truck operators, and dispatchers are licensed by the Illinois Commerce Commission for two year periods. Information concerning criminal records and driving records are carefully checked before licenses are issued or renewed.