A tow truck receipt is proof you paid for a tow — the towing company, the vehicle, the locations, and the charges — and it's what you submit to insurance, roadside assistance, or an employer for reimbursement. This guide explains what's on a towing receipt, how to get one from the tow company, and how to use it for an insurance or AAA claim.
Tow Truck Receipt
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What's on a tow truck receipt
A towing receipt should document the service clearly enough for an insurance claim:
Towing company & license/DOT number — the operator's name, contact, and any license or DOT number.
Date, time & vehicle — when the tow happened and the vehicle's make, model, and plate or VIN.
Pickup & drop-off locations — where the vehicle was towed from and to.
Service type & mileage — the reason (breakdown, accident, impound) and towed distance.
Itemized charges — the hook/base fee, per-mile rate, storage, and any extras.
Total & payment method — the amount and how it was paid.
How to get a receipt from the tow company
Always ask for an itemized receipt at the time of the tow, or when you pay to release your vehicle. Legitimate towing companies provide one, and many jurisdictions require it. If the driver didn't give you a receipt, call the company with the date, your vehicle, and the locations, and request an itemized invoice — especially before you file an insurance claim. For an impound, the lot issues a receipt with the release and storage fees. Keep it: without the receipt, reimbursement for a tow is hard to claim.
Using a tow truck receipt for insurance and roadside assistance
Most people need a tow receipt for reimbursement. If your auto insurance includes towing or roadside coverage, or you have AAA or a manufacturer roadside plan, you submit the itemized receipt to be paid back — the insurer needs to see the company, date, vehicle, and charges, not just a card total. After an accident, towing is often part of the claim, so the receipt goes to your adjuster. For a business vehicle, the tow is a deductible expense. In every case, the itemized receipt is the document that gets you reimbursed.
Tow truck receipt templates for operators and records
If you operate a tow truck or towing business, giving customers a clear, itemized receipt is both good practice and often a legal requirement — and a carbon-copy receipt book or template keeps it consistent. Include your company details and license number, the vehicle, the locations, itemized charges, and the total. For drivers who need to reconstruct a record for reimbursement after losing the original, a template captures the same fields while the details are fresh.
Related auto service receipts: see also our collision repair receipt guide and our AutoZone receipt guide.
Create a tow truck receipt
Our tow truck receipt template and generator lays out every field — company and license number, date, vehicle, pickup and drop-off, itemized charges, and total — in a clean printable format for towing operators and for organizing your own reimbursement records.
For legitimate record-keeping only — and this one matters. Submitting a fake or inflated tow receipt to an insurer is insurance fraud, a serious crime. This tool is only for reproducing a real tow you actually paid for, or for operators to issue receipts for genuine service — never for fabricating a claim.
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about the product and billing.
How do I get a receipt from a tow truck company?
Ask for an itemized receipt at the time of the tow or when you pay to release your vehicle. If the driver didn't provide one, call the company with the date, your vehicle, and the locations and request an itemized invoice, especially before filing an insurance claim.
What should a tow truck receipt include?
The towing company's name and license or DOT number, the date and time, the vehicle, the pickup and drop-off locations, the service type and mileage, itemized charges (base fee, per-mile, storage), and the total with payment method.
Do I need a tow receipt for insurance reimbursement?
Yes. Whether you claim through auto insurance, AAA, or a roadside plan, the insurer needs an itemized receipt showing the company, date, vehicle, and charges — not just a card total — to reimburse the tow.
Can I get a tow reimbursed by AAA or my insurance?
If your policy includes towing or roadside coverage, or you have AAA or a manufacturer plan, yes — submit the itemized receipt. After an accident, towing is often part of the insurance claim and goes to your adjuster.
What if the tow company didn't give me a receipt?
Contact them with the date, your vehicle, and the pickup and drop-off locations and request an itemized invoice. Reputable companies will provide one, and many areas legally require it. You'll need it to claim reimbursement.
Is towing a tax-deductible expense?
For a business vehicle, towing costs are generally a deductible expense with an itemized receipt. For personal vehicles, a tow may be reimbursable through insurance or a roadside plan rather than deductible.