Sec. 545.306.  REGULATION OF TOWING COMPANIES IN CERTAIN COUNTIES.  (a)  The commissioners court of a county with a population of 3.3 million or more shall by ordinance provide for the licensing of or the granting of a permit to a person to remove or store a vehicle authorized by Section 545.305 to be removed in an unincorporated area of the county.  The ordinance must include rules to ensure the protection of the public and the safe and efficient operation of towing and storage services in the county and may not regulate or restrict the use of lighting equipment more than the extent allowed by state and federal law.  The sheriff shall determine the rules included in the ordinance with the review and consent of the commissioners court.
(b)  The commissioners court shall set the fee for the license or permit in an amount that reasonably offsets the costs of enforcing the ordinance.  The commissioners court shall use each license or permit fee to pay salaries and expenses of the sheriff's office for conducting inspections to determine compliance with the ordinance and laws relating to dealers in scrap metal and salvage.
Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.  Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 669, Sec. 143, eff. Sept. 1, 2001;  Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1034, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.