Towing Invoice Template: Hook-Up, Mileage and Storage Fees
Use this towing invoice template to bill hook-up, per-mile, winching and storage fees clearly, with 2026 rate examples, a tow truck receipt sample and tips.
Quick answer: A towing invoice template lists the vehicle (make, model, plate and VIN), pickup and drop-off locations, dispatch time, the hook-up fee, loaded miles and per-mile rate, extras such as winching, dollies or after-hours fees, storage days and daily rate, tax where it applies, the total and payment details. Add motor club or police reference numbers when relevant.
Towing is billed under pressure: a stranded driver, a dark roadside, a motor club dispatcher on the phone. That makes it easy to scribble a number on a ticket and move on. A proper towing invoice template, filled in using a free invoice generator, gives the customer a clear tow truck receipt for their insurer and gives you a record that stands up if the charges are questioned.
This guide covers what to include on a towing invoice, how towing rates and storage fees work in 2026, regulated non-consent tows, motor club billing, a worked example with real arithmetic, and the mistakes that lead to disputes.
What a towing invoice template should include
A towing invoice must identify the vehicle, the route and every charge. Include:
- Company details: name, address, phone, logo, and any state towing licence, USDOT number or city permit that applies.
- Customer details: name, phone and billing address, or the motor club or insurer paying.
- Invoice or tow ticket number: such as TOW-2026-1187. The invoice number generator helps you set a format.
- Date and times: call time, arrival time and drop-off time.
- Vehicle details: year, make, model, colour, plate, state and VIN, plus odometer reading.
- Locations: pickup address or mile marker and drop-off address.
- Charges: hook-up, mileage, winching, dollies, after-hours, waiting time, storage and gate fees.
- References: motor club dispatch number, insurance claim number or police case number.
- Condition notes: pre-existing damage, with photos kept on file.
If the vehicle goes straight to a garage, the shop will issue its own bill. Our auto repair invoice template guide shows how repair shops bill, which helps when you work alongside them.
Towing rates and fees in 2026
There is no national price list for towing. Published 2026 company rate sheets filed with state agencies, along with consumer cost guides, show a wide spread. For light-duty vehicles, hook-up fees run from about $65 to $300, mileage from about $3 to $7 per loaded mile, and many local tows of five to ten miles land around $75 to $125 before extras. Treat these as rough illustrations and set your own rates from local competition, fuel, insurance and equipment costs.
| Charge | What it covers | Typical 2026 range (light duty, varies by area) | Invoice line example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hook-up fee | Dispatch and securing the vehicle | About $65 to $300 | Light-duty hook-up, flatbed |
| Mileage | Per loaded mile from pickup to drop-off | About $3 to $7 per mile | Loaded miles, 18 at $4.50 |
| Storage | Per day in your yard | About $50 to $100 per day outdoors, more indoors | Outdoor storage, 3 days |
| Gate or after-hours release | Opening the yard outside business hours | About $50 to $75 | After-hours gate fee |
| Winching or recovery | Pulling a vehicle from a ditch, mud or embankment | Often billed per hour or per job | Winching, 0.5 hr |
Heavy-duty towing, accident recovery and specialist equipment such as rotators are priced separately and usually much higher. Fleet and commercial clients may negotiate contract rates, which work like the agreed rates on a trucking invoice template.
Consent vs non-consent tows
How a tow starts changes how you can bill it.
Consent tows
The owner, driver, dealer or motor club asks for the tow. You agree a price, or the motor club's agreed rate applies, and you invoice accordingly. Most roadside breakdowns are consent tows.
Non-consent tows
Police-ordered tows, accident scene clearance and private property tows happen without the owner's agreement. Many states and cities regulate these heavily, with maximum fees, storage caps, notification rules and required signage. Texas is a clear example: its rule on private property tow fees caps a light-duty private property tow at $272, a medium-duty tow at $380, and sets a $135 maximum drop charge for a light-duty vehicle that is already hooked up when the owner arrives. You can read the Texas private property tow fee rule as an example of how detailed these caps can be. Cities and counties may set lower limits.
For non-consent tows, your invoice must use only the fee types your regulator allows and must not exceed the caps. This is general information, not legal advice; check your state towing regulator and local ordinances.
Sample towing invoice with real numbers
Here is an illustrative consent tow. A driver's car breaks down at 9:40 pm on a Saturday. The towing company charges a $95 light-duty hook-up, $4.50 per loaded mile for 18 miles, a $50 after-hours fee, and $120 an hour for winching, billed for half an hour, because the car had rolled onto a soft verge. The car stays in the yard for three days at $45 a day before the owner collects it. This example assumes the state does not tax towing; yours may differ.
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light-duty hook-up, flatbed, 24 Oct 2026 | 1 | $95.00 | $95.00 |
| Loaded miles, Route 9 mile marker 14 to yard | 18 | $4.50 | $81.00 |
| After-hours and weekend call-out | 1 | $50.00 | $50.00 |
| Winching from soft verge (hours) | 0.5 | $120.00 | $60.00 |
| Outdoor storage, 24 to 26 Oct (days) | 3 | $45.00 | $135.00 |
| Total due | $421.00 | ||
The arithmetic: $95 + $81 + $50 + $60 = $286 for the tow, plus $135 storage, gives $421. Each line can be checked by the customer or their insurer, which is the whole point of an itemised towing invoice.
How to build it in the generator
- Open the USA invoice generator.
- Add your logo, company name, phone, and towing licence or permit number.
- Enter the customer's name, or the motor club or insurer as the client.
- Add each charge as its own line: hook-up, mileage, extras and storage. Totals calculate automatically.
- Set a tax rate only if towing or storage is taxable in your state. The generator supports one tax rate per invoice.
- In the notes, add vehicle year, make, model, plate, VIN, odometer, pickup and drop-off locations, call times and any reference numbers.
- Enter the amount paid if the customer paid on collection, so the PDF works as a tow truck receipt.
- Download the PDF and send or print it.
A strong, readable layout works well for roadside paperwork. The dark invoice template or the slate invoice template both suit a towing brand.
Storage fees and vehicle release
Storage is where most towing disputes happen, because the charge grows every day and the owner often does not know where their car is. Good practice:
- State your daily storage rate in writing at the time of the tow, and on your yard signage.
- Bill per calendar day or part day, and say which on the invoice.
- Show the start and end date of storage on the invoice line.
- Follow any notification rules for non-consent tows before storage charges build.
- Check local caps on daily storage, impound and release fees.
When the owner collects, issue a final invoice or receipt showing all storage days and a zero balance once paid. A separate payment receipt is useful when the customer pays in cash.
Billing motor clubs, insurers and fleets
Many towing companies earn most of their revenue from third parties rather than drivers. Each payer has its own expectations.
- Motor clubs and roadside assistance: they issue a dispatch or PO number and pay an agreed rate. Put the number on every invoice. Our guide to the PO number on an invoice explains why it matters.
- Insurers: include the claim number and policyholder's name, and attach photos.
- Dealers and repair shops: often pay monthly on account. Send a statement of account listing each tow.
- Fleets: agree contract rates and payment terms, such as net 30, and reference the unit number for each truck or van.
If a motor club covers only part of the tow, such as the first ten miles, invoice the covered portion to the club and the excess miles or storage to the customer. Make that split obvious on both invoices.
Taking payment at the roadside
Drivers rarely carry enough cash for a tow, so card and mobile payments matter. A few practical points:
- Tell the customer the expected price before you hook up, whenever possible.
- Take a card payment at drop-off or release, and record the method on the invoice.
- If you add a card surcharge, check your state's credit card surcharge rules first.
- Compare processing costs; our upcoming guide to Stripe fees breaks down per-transaction pricing.
- For unpaid account customers, follow up quickly. Our article on getting paid faster has practical tactics.
Sales tax on towing and storage varies by state. Check your revenue department, use the sales tax calculator if tax applies, and see our upcoming guide on how to calculate sales tax. If you also haul away scrap vehicles or debris, the junk removal invoice template covers disposal billing.
Tow tickets, photos and record keeping
Good records are your best defence when a tow is questioned weeks later by an owner, insurer or regulator. Build a routine your drivers follow on every call:
- Record the call time, who requested the tow and any dispatch or case number.
- Photograph all four sides of the vehicle, the odometer and any damage before hooking up.
- Note the pickup location precisely, using an address, cross street or mile marker.
- Photograph the vehicle again at drop-off or when it enters the yard.
- Write the tow ticket number on the invoice so the two documents can be matched.
Store photos and tickets with the invoice, by number, so you can find them quickly. Keep them for at least as long as your state's rules and your insurer require; our guide on how long to keep invoices covers general retention. Clean records also make month-end billing to motor clubs and fleets much faster, because every charge already has its evidence attached.
Common towing invoice mistakes
- Missing vehicle details. Without the VIN and plate, insurers may reject the receipt.
- One total with no breakdown. Itemise hook-up, miles, extras and storage.
- Charging above regulated caps. Non-consent tows must follow local fee limits.
- Undocumented damage. Photos and notes protect you from claims.
- Unclear storage dates. Always show when storage started and ended.
- No reference numbers. Motor clubs and insurers often will not pay without them.
Create your towing invoice
A towing invoice template should record the vehicle, the route and every charge in a way a customer, motor club or insurer can check line by line. List the hook-up fee, loaded miles, extras and storage days, stay within any regulated caps, and keep photos on file. Build your next towing invoice in the free invoice generator and hand over a clean PDF tow truck receipt before the customer drives away.
Frequently asked questions
What should a towing invoice include?
Include your company name, licence or permit numbers, the customer's name and phone, an invoice number, date and dispatch time, the vehicle's year, make, model, colour, plate and VIN, pickup and drop-off locations, loaded miles, the hook-up fee, mileage charge, any winching, dollies or after-hours fees, storage days and rate, tax if it applies, the total and payment details. Add a motor club or insurer reference if they are paying.
How much does towing cost in 2026?
Published 2026 rate sheets and cost guides show light-duty hook-up fees from about $65 to $300 and mileage from about $3 to $7 per loaded mile, with many local tows of five to ten miles landing around $75 to $125 before extras. Heavy-duty towing, after-hours calls and recovery work cost more. Rates vary widely by city and by whether the tow is regulated.
What is a hook-up fee?
A hook-up fee, sometimes called a base rate or drop fee, is the flat charge for dispatching the truck and securing the vehicle, regardless of distance. Mileage is then charged per loaded mile, and some companies include the first few miles in the hook-up fee. List the hook-up fee and mileage as separate lines so the customer can see how the total was built.
How are vehicle storage fees calculated?
Storage is usually charged per calendar day or part day the vehicle stays in your yard, with different rates for outdoor, secured or indoor storage. 2026 rate sheets show daily outdoor storage around $50 to $100. Many states and cities cap storage fees for non-consent tows and set rules on when charges can start, so check your local regulations before billing.
Are towing rates regulated?
Consent tows, where the owner or their motor club asks for the tow, are usually priced freely. Non-consent tows, such as police-ordered or private property tows, are often capped by state or local rules. In Texas, for example, the state rule caps a light-duty private property tow at $272 and the drop charge at $135. Check your state and city rules.
How do I bill a motor club or insurance company for a tow?
Follow the payer's process. Motor clubs and roadside assistance providers usually issue a dispatch or purchase order number and pay an agreed rate, often through their own portal. Put that number on every invoice, bill only the covered services to them, and invoice the customer separately for anything outside coverage, such as extra miles or storage after the covered period.
Do I charge sales tax on towing services?
It depends on the state. Some states tax towing or motor vehicle services, while many do not, and parts or materials you sell are often taxable. Storage can be treated differently again. Check your state revenue department's guidance and confirm with a tax adviser. In the UK, VAT only applies once you are VAT-registered. This is general information, not tax advice.
What is a tow truck receipt?
A tow truck receipt confirms that the customer paid for the tow, usually on the spot or when collecting the vehicle from storage. It shows the same details as the invoice with the amount paid, payment method and a zero balance. Customers often need it for insurance claims or reimbursement, so include the vehicle details and the pickup and drop-off locations.
Should I take photos before towing a vehicle?
Yes. Photograph all sides of the vehicle, the odometer and any existing damage before you hook up, and again at drop-off. Note pre-existing damage on the invoice or tow ticket and ask the customer to initial it when possible. This protects you from damage claims and is often expected by motor clubs, insurers and regulators for non-consent tows.
Invoice Creator Editorial Team
Guides on invoicing, cash flow and small-business finance from Invoice Creator, operated by Next Software Development Company. Content is reviewed for accuracy against the fields our own invoice generator produces.
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