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Trucker Life · Nationwide ·

How Much Does It Cost to Tow a Semi Truck?

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A red heavy wrecker hooks up a white semi tractor on a roadside as a worker in blue coveralls stands by
Illustration for this story. Not a photo of a specific location.

There is no single national price to tow a semi truck. No federal rule sets towing rates, and the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) says towing is billed "according to numerous different methods, which include per-hour, per-mile, and per-pound rates." In ATRI's 2023 study of crash-related tow bills, the median was about $5,000 before taxes, and those are crash figures, not the price of a simple breakdown tow. The total depends on the equipment sent, the labor involved, whether the job is a simple tow or a recovery, and how long the truck sits in storage.

Towing a semi can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to six figures. Here is what drives the bill and how to avoid surprises. This guide is general information, not legal advice.

What the research says about heavy-duty towing bills

In a November 2023 study of 490 crash-related towing invoices from 2021 to 2023, ATRI found that pre-tax totals ranged from $250, for a simple heavy-duty towaway, to $110,000, for a complex hazmat crash. The median bill was $4,993.60 and the mean was $11,681.27, both before taxes. The median is the better guide to a typical bill, because a few very large invoices pull the mean up.

The invoices came from 20 carriers with fleets of 20 to 1,000 trucks, plus members of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, and ATRI also surveyed 350 motor carriers. The numbers cover crash-related tows only and should not be read as the cost of a breakdown tow.

ATRI also reported the median hourly and daily rates on those crash invoices, and the level above which it considered each rate excessive:

Administrative fees appeared on 32% of invoices, with a median of 5.1% of the subtotal. Miscellaneous charges had a median of 12.6% of the pre-tax total. Per-pound billing showed up on only 1.6% of invoices, and one in four crash invoices was not itemized.

ATRI classified 29.8% of the invoices as predatory, and 66% of bills of $30,000 or more. Invoices ATRI classified as predatory averaged $18,154.52.

What goes into a semi towing bill

Common line items include hourly rates for the wrecker or rotator, labor and supervisor time, per-day storage, and administrative or miscellaneous charges, according to ATRI. Some bills charge by the mile instead. ATRI lists these as the most common invoice items:

Some states define their own fees, such as the Massachusetts base charge for State Police tows, which includes some miles and time. Those rules apply only in those states.

Can a regular tow truck tow a semi?

Generally, no. The Towing and Recovery Association of America classes every tractor-trailer as a Class 8 heavy-duty vehicle, 33,001 pounds gross vehicle weight rating and up, and those are dispatched to heavy-duty towing units, not the light-duty trucks used for cars.

According to ATRI, most heavy-duty wreckers are rated 25 to 50 tons. Rotators have a rotating arm, are mostly rated 50 to 75 tons and can have up to five axles. A rotator can do work that might otherwise take several wreckers, which can save time and money. ATRI also notes that used 25-ton wreckers can sell for over $150,000.

Simple tow vs. recovery: why bills differ so much

ATRI's range shows the gap between a simple heavy-duty towaway and a complex hazmat crash. Recovery jobs can involve rotators, extra labor and supervisor time, which ATRI found are billed by the hour, plus storage by the day.

Choice is often limited. ATRI found that carriers could use a towing company of their choice in a median of only 10% of towaway crashes, and 36% of carriers said they never get to choose. ATRI, citing federal labor data, reported that 74% of U.S. counties had three or fewer towing companies in 2022.

Police-ordered and non-consent tows: state rate caps

As of ATRI's 2023 review, and using ATRI's definitions, 12 states regulated maximum rates for police-initiated heavy-duty tows, 12 regulated private-property tows and 14 did one or the other. Big Rig Daily checked three states for this guide, all on Oct 25, 2026.

Texas

Find heavy-duty towing in Texas.

Georgia

Find heavy-duty towing in Georgia.

Massachusetts

Find heavy-duty towing in Massachusetts.

No other state was checked, so these examples should not be read as the rule anywhere else.

Does insurance cover towing?

Whether you are covered depends on your policy. ATRI notes towing can fall under physical damage coverage (towing and recovering the tractor and trailer), cargo coverage, or auto liability (cleanup, including hazmat), and many policies cap towing. ATRI calls these generalizations; each policy's terms govern. Check with your insurer.

ATRI also found that insurers paid 86% of the billed amount on average. They contested 50% of invoices, and 51% of the contested invoices were revised down.

As one insurer's example, Progressive Commercial sells heavy truck roadside assistance as an optional add-on covering up to $5,000 in towing to the nearest qualified repair facility and $500 in labor, with a $250 deductible, for three incidents per insured vehicle in six months. It includes winching within 100 feet of the road. Terms vary by insurer and policy.

For leased owner-operators, the lease decides who pays. Under 49 CFR 376.12, a lease must clearly specify each party's cost responsibilities and every charge-back item. The rule does not name towing, so check your lease. To see what downtime and repair costs do to the numbers, try the owner-operator profit calculator, and see how the two career paths compare in owner-operator vs company driver.

How to avoid surprise towing bills

Ask who called the tow and what rates apply. Get an itemized invoice, since ATRI found one in four crash invoices was not itemized. Photograph the scene and the truck before it is moved, and know the approved vendors and the claims steps for your carrier and insurer. Some states, such as Massachusetts for State Police tows, require towers to post their rates. ATRI recommends that carriers review itemized invoices, document incidents and dispute charges.

How to dispute a bill in the states checked

Predatory towing: what regulators have done

FMCSA held a public meeting on June 21, 2024, on transparency in the towing fees charged to commercial truck operators (Docket FMCSA-2024-0124). The meeting notice says the towing industry's trade association disputes how the problem is characterized. FMCSA has not proposed a rule.

Roadside safety matters for tow crews too. Big Rig Daily recently reported on a tow truck driver hurt on Virginia I-495.

Find heavy-duty towing near you

Big Rig Daily lists heavy-duty towing and mobile truck repair by state. If the truck has just broken down, start with the roadside breakdown checklist for the safety steps, warning triangle placement and who to call. More calculators are on the Trucking Tools page, including the load rate checker.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Towing rules and rates change, and they differ by state and by city. Check the current rules where the tow happened and the terms of your own policy and lease.

FAQ

How much does it cost to tow a semi truck?

There is no single national price. Towing is billed per hour, per mile or per pound, and the total depends on equipment, labor, whether the job is a simple tow or a recovery, and storage. In ATRI's 2023 study of crash-related tow bills, the median was about $5,000 before taxes, a crash figure, not a breakdown tow.

How much does it cost to tow a semi truck per mile?

There is no national standard rate. ATRI found towing bills charged per hour, per mile and per pound. As one state's example, Massachusetts caps heavy-duty tows ordered by its State Police at $132, including 5 miles and 1 hour, plus $6.60 for each extra mile. Other tows and other states differ.

Can a regular tow truck tow a semi?

Generally, no. The Towing and Recovery Association of America classes every tractor-trailer as a Class 8 heavy-duty vehicle, 33,001 pounds and up, and those are dispatched to heavy-duty towing units. The light-duty tow trucks used for cars are not matched to that class of vehicle.

What is a rotator tow truck?

A rotator is a heavy-duty recovery truck with a rotating arm. According to ATRI, rotators are mostly rated 50 to 75 tons and can have up to five axles. A rotator can do work that might otherwise take several wreckers. In ATRI's crash invoice study, the median rotator rate was $1,137 per hour.

Does truck insurance pay for towing?

It depends on your policy. ATRI notes towing can fall under physical damage, cargo or auto liability coverage, and many policies cap towing. Some insurers also sell roadside assistance as an add-on. Owner-operators leased to a carrier should check the lease, which must spell out who pays which costs. Check with your insurer.

Are police-ordered tow fees capped?

In some places. As of ATRI's 2023 review, 12 states regulated maximum rates for police-initiated heavy-duty tows. Of the three states checked here, Massachusetts caps State Police tows, while Texas and Georgia set statewide caps only for private-property tows. Texas cities and counties may set their own police tow fees.

How do I dispute a towing bill?

Start with an itemized invoice and photos. Then contact the state agency that regulates towing where the tow happened. In Texas, that is TDLR, and private-property tows can also go to a justice court hearing. In Georgia, it is the Department of Public Safety, which regulates private-property tows.

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