What insurance does a tow truck business need in Virginia?

At minimum, commercial auto liability at Virginia's floor (see the minimums above), plus on-hook where required. If you store vehicles or run police rotation, add garagekeepers. Employees mean workers' comp.

Does Virginia require $50,000 on-hook and $50,000 garagekeepers?

No — those figures come from the former BTRO regulation, which was repealed effective January 1, 2013, and are not current law. Virginia’s current rule sets no on-hook or garagekeepers minimum; it sets tiered liability plus $50,000 cargo.

No. This page is informational only — not legal advice or a quote.

Tow Truck Insurance in Virginia

Q: Is workers' comp required for tow truck companies in Virginia?

Required? Yes Trigger: 3+ employees

Virginia tiers intrastate liability by weight: $750,000 above 10,000 lbs GVWR, $300,000 from 7,500 to 10,000 lbs, plus $50,000 cargo. Tow operators are motor carriers who must certify coverage to DMV before any plate or permit issues.

Virginia state minimums

Verified from state law

Auto liability

Intrastate — GVWR over 10,000 lbs: $750,000

Intrastate — GVWR over 7,500 up to 10,000 lbs: $300,000

Intrastate — passenger cars, motorcycles, autocycles, and vehicles GVWR 7,500 lbs or less, while available to transport: § 46.2-472 financial responsibility ($50,000 per person / $100,000 per accident / $25,000 PD for policies effective on/after 1/1/2025)

Same vehicles, while en route to pickup through delivery: $100,000 per person / $300,000 per incident BI/death + $50,000 PD

Interstate: federal minimums

Household-goods carriers: $750,000

On-hook (in-tow) — No statewide minimum — your city/county or rotation agreement may still set one

Cargo

$50,000 cargo insurance required for intrastate motor carriers

Carriers not engaged in household-goods transportation, and those solely operating passenger cars, motorcycles, autocycles, and vehicles GVWR 7,500 lbs or less, are not required to file cargo insurance proof; DMV requires cargo proof only from property carriers transporting household goods.

Filings

No certificate of fitness, permit, registration card, or license plate issued until the motor carrier certifies coverage to DMV — insurance policy/bond, certificate of insurance in lieu, letter of credit, or lessor statement, in the § 46.2-2143.1 amounts

Owner must declare for-hire operation to DMV before any vehicle is used to transport property for compensation

DMV's Motor Carrier Insurance Filing System accepts Form E (BI/PD), Form H (cargo), Form K (cancellation), Form G, Form J, and binders from insurers

For-hire intrastate (Property) permit applicants must file proof of minimum liability limits at application

Law: Va. Code § 46.2-2143.1(B), § 46.2-2143.1(C); § 46.2-472 · § 46.2-2143.1(D) · Va. Code § 46.2-2143; § 46.2-2121.1; § 46.2-2143.1

Weight / class variation: GVWR bands: 10,000+ lbs vs over 7,500–10,000 lbs vs 7,500 lbs or less (passenger cars, motorcycles, autocycles). The (i)/(ii) available-to-transport vs. en-route-through-delivery split applies to § 46.2-2101(6)-exempt carriers. No intrastate hazmat tier in § 46.2-2143.1; interstate = federal.

How we verified these numbers ▸

Tow operators are 'motor carriers' under § 46.2-2100 (property for compensation); the § 46.2-2101 exemptions do not exempt carriers from § 46.2-2143.1. The former BTRO regulation (24 VAC 27-30) is historical — the Board was abolished and its regulations repealed effective 1/1/2013 (2012 Acts chs. 803/835) — so its $50,000 on-hook / $50,000 garagekeepers figures are NOT current law and are not used. DCJS registers tow truck drivers only. Localities may regulate towing fees (§ 46.2-1233) but have no insurance-setting authority under that section. No intrastate hazmat tier in § 46.2-2143.1; interstate = federal. Verified 2026-10-14: all fields resolved (figure or confirmed absence).

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Workers’ comp in Virginia

Required?

Yes

Trigger

3+ employees

State fund only?

Independent-contractor test: Common-law four-factor control test applied by the Workers' Compensation Commission, overlaid by the statutory employee presumption in Va. Code §§ 58.1-1900–1905 (eff. 1/1/2021).

Not required doesn’t mean not liable: if you don’t carry workers’ comp — even where it isn’t required for you — an injured worker may be able to sue you in court instead of being limited to comp benefits, because the exclusive-remedy shield generally depends on having coverage.

See the full workers’ comp detail for Virginia →

What coverage do you need?

Minimums are the legal floor, not a recommendation — most operators carry more. Your operation (light-duty, heavy-duty, repo, rotation, motor club) decides which coverages fit. Take the coverage quiz →

Police rotation in Virginia

Rotation is a local contract, not state law. Rotation agreements commonly require auto liability around $1,000,000 CSL, on-hook/cargo $50,000–$100,000, garagekeepers $50,000–$500,000, and the agency named as additional insured — check your agency’s agreement for its exact terms. Rotation readiness checklist →

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Nearby states

Maryland · West Virginia · Kentucky · Tennessee · North Carolina

All 50 states →

More tools: state requirements lookup · workers’ comp lookup · coverage quiz · fuel cost calculator · rotation checklist

Sources

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Informational only — not legal advice and not a quote. Requirements change — confirm the exact limits with your state DOT / public utilities commission and your rotation agreement before you buy. Minimums are the legal floor, not a recommendation — most operators carry more.