Rogue towing in Chicago is improving, but threat still remains, OIG report says

Chicago's rogue towing problem is getting better, but the threat to motorists remains, according to the newest report from the Office of the Inspector General.

Rogue towing is a practice in which unlicensed tow trucks will go to scene of crashes and accidents, exploit the confusion and chaos at the scene to haul away vehicles, and then hold them hostage, charging the owners exorbitant fees to get them back.

Chicago first enacted new laws and enforcement mechanisms in 2021 to address the problems, and then updated those laws in 2025. The report from the IG's office found the new licensing, investigations and enforcement actions taken by the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protections (BACP), aided by the Chicago Police Department and the Illinois Commerce Commission, appear to have reduced the frequency of rogue towing.

Under the new regulations and laws, there are now licensing requirements for tow operators, and the companies are required to post the licensing emblem on their tow trucks to be immediately identifiable. That licensing is done by BACP, which also investigates rogue towing complaints, including issuing Administrative Notice of Violation (ANOV), which is usually resolved through paying fines or fees or cease and desist or closure orders, to rogue towing businesses.

The licensing regulations have also made it harder for rogue towers to simply change their business name and continue operating, the report notes.

Likewide, the OIG's report notes CPD's vice section now responds to rogue towing complaints made directly at police district stations. When Vice reported they had not received any complaints between mid-2025 and March 2026, they pivoted their efforts to investigating lots where stowed vehicles were stored. CPD reported to the OIG that these investigations had uncovered lots where many cars had been towed but may not have been licensed to operate as a tow lot, and that some cars there had been stolen.

Additionally, CPD's patrol officers were empowered by the new laws to impound rogue tow trucks at accident scenes, though with the other tasks at hand when responding to a crash – like ensuring safety, getting medical attention to those who need it and clearing the roadway – make that kind of enforcement more difficult, the report acknowledges.

Finally, the report outlines how CPD, BACP and ICC are now working together to address rogue towing complaints through a combined task force.

The report found al three agencies note complaints about rogue towing have dropped since 2021, but believes the "landscape of rogue towing is evolving." It cites city staff theorizing that rogue tow operators may have moved out of the city to operate in the surrounding suburbs, where the same laws and regulations are not in effect.

"Though the City's efforts appear to be reducing the frequency of rogue towing; the problem is still real, said Inspector General David Glockner in a statement. "By describing how rogue towing operators behave, what licensed towing looks like, and where Chicagoans can report concerns, this report offers information that can help protect the public."

A law to expand rogue towing regulation and enforcement across the state of Illinois was sent to Gov. JB Pritzker's desk for his signature at the end of July. 

Pritzker initially signed a bill in 2025 that closed the loophole that let illegal tow operators re-register under a new business name. The second law expands the authority of the Illinois Secretary of State's Office to suspend or revoke certificates and special registration plates issued to tow truck and wrecker operators who obtain their registrations fraudulently, use tow truck license plates illegally, or otherwise violate vehicle registration laws. 

You can read the full Inspector General's report below.