Welcome to the nineteenth issue of Crash Towing Industry News.
Our regular newsletters will provide important updates about the crash towing industry reforms including legislative changes that may affect how you operate.
The Towing Services Regulations 2025 (the Regs) were implemented on 10 January 2025. These regulations include the requirement that:
- Charges for towing and storage of crashed heavy vehicles statewide be reasonable.
- Charges for heavy vehicle recovery statewide be reasonable.
Reasonable Charges – Towing and storage of crashed heavy vehicles statewide
The Regs state that charges for the towing of a heavy vehicle and the daily storage fees for a heavy vehicle must be reasonable across Western Australia.
Charging more than what is reasonable for the towing or storage of a crashed heavy vehicle is an offence, with penalties of up to $12,000 for individuals and $60,000 for bodies corporate.
Price regulation – Reasonable charges
Regulations require towing workers and towing service providers to apply reasonable charges for towing crashed heavy vehicles anywhere in Western Australia.
The following elements can be considered when determining whether a towing charge is reasonable:
- Day of the week: Extra charges may apply on public holidays and weekends.
- Time of day: Extra charges may apply after hours.
- Time taken to provide the service.
- Distance travelled: This is particularly relevant in regional and remote areas.
- Any administration costs to provide the service.
- The amount charged by other providers in the same geographic region in respect of comparable services.
Reasonable charges also apply to the storage of crashed heavy vehicles across WA.
The following elements can be considered when determining whether a storage charge is reasonable:
- The costs of operating the storage yard (including the cost of land, security measures and how vehicles are stored).
- Any administration costs to provide the service.
- The amount charged by other providers in the same geographic region to operate a storage yard.
Reasonable charges also apply to the recovery of crashed heavy vehicles anywhere in Western Australia. A recovery is required when a vehicle is difficult to access such as, if it has crashed in a river, culvert or wedged inside a building.
The following elements can be considered when determining whether a recovery charge is reasonable:
- The specialist equipment required to recover the vehicle;
- The specialist personnel required; and
- Time taken to recover the vehicle.
Join us at an industry information session
As we develop the regulations, DoT will hold a series of industry information sessions and consultation forums. To express your interest in attending one of these sessions please complete this form below.
Contact us
If you are unable to locate the information you require on our website, please submit your enquiry below or contact us on (08) 9320 4111 between 8 am to 4.30 pm weekdays.
