Welcome to issue 17 of Crash Towing Industry News.

New requirements for crash towing came into effect on 10 January 2025 and our regular newsletters provide important updates about the crash towing industry reforms including legislative changes that may affect how you operate. 

This edition seeks to assist industry in understanding recovery towing.

What is a vehicle recovery?

A vehicle recovery, if required, occurs before a vehicle is loaded onto a tow truck. 

Regulation 46: recovery, in relation to a vehicle to be towed, means the retrieval of the vehicle for the purpose of loading it onto a tow truck in circumstances in which it is reasonably necessary to use specialist equipment or specialist personnel.

Example: A vehicle crashes into a backyard pool and requires a crane (specialist equipment) and the crane operator (specialist personnel) to be recovered from the pool before it can be towed. The crane is needed to pull the vehicle out of the pool, to a location where it may be loaded onto a tow truck.
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Demonstrating that a vehicle needed recovery

Recoveries must be described on the authority to tow form. 

To charge for a vehicle recovery, towing workers will need to photograph the vehicle prior to recovery to demonstrate why a recovery was required. 

If there are no photographs taken, then recovery charges cannot be applied.​​

Demonstrating whether a recovery charge is reasonable

In some cases, vehicles crash in places that are difficult to access, like rivers, culverts or wedged inside buildings. In these instances, it is recognised that specialist equipment or specialist personnel may be required to retrieve a vehicle before it may be towed. The cost of a recovery will vary based on particular circumstances and charges must be reasonable. 

The following elements can be considered when determining whether a recovery charge is reasonable:

• Specialist equipment required to recover the vehicle; 
• Specialist personnel;
• The time taken to recover the vehicle. 

After recovery, the maximum towing charges apply in Perth and Peel and reasonable towing charges outside of Perth and Peel. ​​

Join us at an industry information session

DoT has conducted several information sessions to support the commencement of the Towing Services Act 2024, its supporting regulations, and associated activities.

Future information sessions will be based on industry demand. To express your interest in attending a future session in Perth, Peel, regional areas or online, please register your interest by completing the 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.