Oklahoma Administrative Code
Title 595 - Department of Public Safety
Chapter 25 - Wreckers and Towing Services
Subchapter 3 - Wrecker License
Section 595:25-3-1 - General requirements

Universal Citation: OK Admin Code 595:25-3-1

Current through Vol. 41, No. 13, March 15, 2024

The following are the requirements for obtaining an original or renewal of a wrecker license:

(1) License required. No operator as defined by law, regardless of storage location, shall operate a wrecker vehicle upon any public street, road, or highway of this state for the offering to tow vehicles or the actual towing of vehicles without first obtaining from the Department a license as provided in this Chapter. Any wrecker vehicle being operated on any public street, road, highway, or turnpike in violation of Oklahoma law, or these rules may be removed from service by Oklahoma law enforcement officers.

(2) Display and use. An operator's wrecker service license shall be personal to the holder thereof and a wrecker vehicle license shall be unique to the vehicle. Each license shall be issued only to a person, a corporation, or some definite legal entity. The licenses are non-transferable and any change in ownership, whether of a wrecker service or wrecker vehicle, shall cancel the applicable license. The wrecker service license shall be conspicuously displayed at the primary place of business. The license shall be valid only at the place of business as shown on the license. Additional or satellite places of business shall not be permitted or approved on the same license but shall require a separate application and license.

(3) Issuance. No license for operation of a wrecker or towing service shall be issued until:

(A) The wrecker operator has a minimum of one towing/wrecker vehicle,

(B) Certificates of insurance as prescribed by the Department are on file with the Department,

(C) Each wrecker vehicle has been inspected by an officer of the Department to verify that equipment requirements of this Chapter have been met, and

(D) Each wrecker operator and driver of a wrecker/towing vehicle has successfully completed a minimum of 16 hours of Department approved course of training or have a minimum of 2 years of experience on the following:
(i) Traffic incident management

(ii) Wrecker vehicle recovery controls

(iii) Connecting or loading vehicle onto wrecker

(iv) Tie down and secure vehicle to wrecker

(v) Wrecker operation safety

(vi) Annually complete 4 hours of continuing education approved by the department

(4) Carry license. A copy of the wrecker vehicle license issued by the Department shall be carried at all times in the wrecker vehicle for which the license was issued.

(5) Disposition of wrecker vehicles. Any operator that removes its last remaining wrecker vehicle from operation will have thirty (30) days to have another wrecker vehicle inspected, approved, and licensed or the wrecker license issued to that operator will be cancelled.

(6) Additional wreckers. Any wrecker operator that adds a wrecker vehicle shall:

(A) Register the wrecker vehicle with the Oklahoma Tax Commission, in the name of the operator or the name of the wrecker service, and properly display a current license plate. A leased wrecker vehicle shall show the owner information and the name of the lessee on the vehicle registration.

(B) Notify the Department of the make, model, GVW and serial number of the vehicle.

(C) Send notification to the Department from the insurance carrier of the wrecker operator that the vehicle has been added to present insurance coverage.

(D) Have the vehicle inspected and approved by an employee of the Department.

(E) A wrecker license plate, or a proportional license plate, must be purchased and affixed to the wrecker vehicle after the vehicle has been inspected and approved and before the vehicle can be used by the operator to tow vehicles.

(7) License number and business name.

(A) The DPS number issued to the operator by the Department for the operation of a wrecker or towing service, along with the name of the wrecker service, shall be clearly visible at all times and shall be conspicuously displayed and vertically centered on each side of every tow vehicle used by the operator in the wrecker or towing service. All wrecker services will display AA or G designation at the end of the DPS number. Example: DPS 12345W AA or DPS 12345WG.

(B) On wrecker vehicles in use the DPS number and business name shall be at least three inches (3") in height. The font shall not be a font which is highly decorative or difficult to read. The lettering shall be in a color that will contrast with the color of the tow vehicle in order to be readily noticed and legible.

(C) The signage required by this paragraph shall be permanent in nature and shall not contain any misleading or false information. The wrecker vehicle shall not have more than one wrecker service name on the vehicle.

(D) Magnetic signs are not approved; provided, if requested of and approved by the Commissioner's designee, a magnetic sign may be used for a period of thirty (30) days in an emergency situation.

(8) Service of notice. Any notice required by law or by the rules of the Department served upon any holder of a wrecker or towing license shall be served personally or mailed to the last known address of such a person as reflected by the records on file with the Department. It is the duty of every holder of a certificate or license to notify the Department of Public Safety, Wrecker Services Division, in writing as to any change in the address of such person or of the place of business.

(9) License prohibited.

(A) No person under eighteen (18) years of age shall be licensed or employed as a wrecker operator.

(B) No person shall be licensed as a wrecker/towing service operator or employee who has been convicted of:
(i) a felony offense constituting a violent crime as defined in 57 O.S.§ 571, larceny, or theft. Felony convictions expunged through deferred sentencing will not be considered as convictions; or

(ii) any provision of Title 21 O.S. § 1029 while providing wrecker services; or

(C) No person shall be licensed as a wrecker/towing service or be employed by a wrecker/towing service until completion of the sentence for the conviction, including probation or supervised release.

(D) Any person who is required to register as a sex offender, as required by 57 O.S. § 582, shall be prohibited from owning or working for a wrecker service for the period of time the person is or is required to be registered.

(E) Nothing in this section prohibits the Commissioner of Public Safety or his or her designee from approving, denying, suspending, cancelling, or not renewing a wrecker license if it is determined to be in the best interest of public safety.

(10) One Class AA license per place of business. Wrecker operators shall be issued no more than one Class AA wrecker license for any one place of business.

(11) One Class AA wrecker service on Oklahoma Highway Patrol 's rotation log in same rotation area. An operator shall be permitted to rotate no more than one Class AA wrecker service in the same Highway Patrol rotation area on the Highway Patrol 's rotation log. For purposes of this paragraph, "Class A wrecker service" shall include those services with a Class AA-TL wrecker vehicle.

(12) Business telephone number. Each wrecker service shall have a telephone number published that is accessible to the public twenty-four hours a day. The operator shall provide in writing to the Department notice of any permanent business telephone number change prior to the new telephone number being placed in service.

(13) Business sign. Each AA Wrecker Service and each G Wrecker Service with storage shall have a business sign at the business location. The sign shall be at least 2 feet by 4 feet with letters at least 3 inches in height with contrasting background and shall display, at a minimum, the name of the wrecker service as shown on the license and a telephone number accessible to the public twenty-four (24) hours a day.

(14) Wrecker drivers. Wrecker services shall notify the Wrecker Services Division within ten (10) days of hiring or termination of employment of any wrecker driver.

Amended at 13 Ok Reg 2821, eff 6-28-96; Amended at 19 Ok Reg 2711, eff 7-15-02; Amended at 21 Ok Reg 3011, eff 7-25-04; Amended at 22 Ok Reg 2700, eff 7-25-05; Amended at 24 Ok Reg 2694, eff 10-31-06 through 7-14-07 (emergency)1; Amended at 24 Ok Reg 2777, eff 8-15-07; Amended at 25 Ok Reg 2801, eff 9-12-08

1This emergency action expired before being superseded by a permanent action. Upon expiration of an emergency amendatory action, the last effective permanent text is reinstated. Therefore, on 7-15-07 (after the 7-14-07 expiration of the emergency action), the text of 595:25-3-1 reverted back to the permanent text that became effective 7-25-05, as was last published in the 2006 Edition of the OAC, and remained as such until amended again by permanent action on 8-15-07.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Oklahoma may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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