Section 16-499. DEFINITIONS

 

499.1When used in this chapter, the following terms and phrases shall have the meanings ascribed:

 

Authorized Government Official - A District government official authorized by law, regulation or Mayor’s order to conduct inspections and/or enforcement actions consistent with this chapter.

 

Basic Business License - the single document designed for public display issued by the business license center that certifies District agency license approval and incorporates the endorsements for individual licenses included in the Basic Business License system.

 

Basic Business License Endorsement for a Towing Business - the individual license endorsement required for the conducting of a towing business in the District of Columbia.

 

Basic Business License Endorsement for a Towing Service Storage Lot - the individual license endorsement required for the maintenance of a towing service storage lot in the District of Columbia.

 

Crane service - a form of towing service which involves moving vehicles by the use of a wheel-lift device, such as a lift, crane, hoist, winch, cradle, jack, automobile ambulance, tow dolly, or any other similar device.

 

Director - the Director of the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) of the District of Columbia, or his/her designated agent.

 

Extraordinary Circumstances - conditions or events that are beyond what is usual, regular, or customary and which require special towing functions or services to commence or complete a tow.

 

Flat-bed service - a form of towing service which involves moving vehicles by loading them onto a flat-bed or roll-back platform instead of using a crane or winch to tow a vehicle.

 

Normal Business Hours - the hours of 8:00 a.m. through 6:00 p.m.

 

Owner - the person or entity to whom a vehicle is registered, or to whom it is leased, if the terms of the lease require the lessee to maintain and repair the vehicle. The holder of a contract with a vehicle rental agency shall not be considered the owner of that vehicle.

 

Police officer - a sworn or reserve officer of the Metropolitan Police Department or any other law enforcement agency with authority to make arrests within, and enforce the laws of, the District of Columbia.

 

Private tow - the towing of a vehicle at the request of the owner or the authorized agent of the owner.

 

Public tow - the towing of a vehicle, other than a vehicle owned or controlled by a government entity, at the direction or arrangement of a government entity or, without the consent of the owner or operator of the vehicle, including relocations, repossessions, and tows from private real property.

 

Relocation - the public tow of a vehicle because it is illegally parked, or for some exigent circumstance that necessitates its removal to a nearby location, but not to a towing service storage lot.

 

Towing business - any person or entity that provides, or offers to provide, towing services.

 

Towing control number - a unique number issued by the Department of Public Works to identify and track a vehicle towed in the District of Columbia.

 

Towing service - any service that involves towing or otherwise moving motor vehicles by means of a tow truck.

 

Towing service storage lot - a property used to deposit and store vehicles that have been towed.

 

Tow truck - a motor vehicle equipped to provide either crane or flat-bed towing service.

 

source

Final Rulemaking published at 52 DCR 522 (January 21, 2005).