Oregon Code § 822.200·Enacted ·Last updated March 01, 2026
Statute Text
Operating illegal towing business; exceptions; penalties.
(1) A person commits the offense
of operating an illegal towing business if the person does not hold a
certificate issued under ORS 822.205 and the person does any of the following:
(a) Engages in
the towing or recovering of vehicles by any means for any direct or indirect
compensation when the vehicle being towed or recovered is owned by a person
other than the person performing the towing or recovery activity.
(b) Engages in
towing or recovering by any means, as part of any business operation of the
person, vehicles that are wrecked, damaged, disabled or abandoned or
replacement vehicles.
(c) Purports in
any way to be engaged in the business of performing activities described in
this subsection.
(2) This section
does not apply to any of the following:
(a) Persons
operating under and within the scope of a vehicle transporter certificate
issued under ORS 822.310.
(b) A person who
provides assistance to another motorist, whether or not compensation is
received, if the assistance is not provided as part of the business operation
of the person providing the assistance.
(c) A person
engaging in any activity relating to a vehicle in which that person holds a
security interest.
(d) An employee
of a person issued a towing business certificate under ORS 822.205 while that
employee is performing official duties as an employee.
(e) A person who
holds a valid dismantler certificate under ORS 822.110 who tows a vehicle
described under ORS 819.280.
(3) The offense
described in this section, operating an illegal towing business, is a Class A
misdemeanor. [1983 c.338 §811; 1985 c.16 §410; 2005 c.738 §§6,6a]