HAPPY VALLEY, OR — On July 30, 2025, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office led a coordinated enforcement operation targeting illegal and predatory towing companies operating without required state licensing in Happy Valley.
This joint operation, conducted in partnership with regulatory agencies including the Oregon State Board of Towing and Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicle Services (DMV), aimed to protect consumers from unlicensed towing businesses that often engage in predatory and illegal practices. These unlawful operators not only put the public at risk, but they also undercut licensed towing companies and are frequently associated with other criminal activity.
Oregon law (ORS 822.200) requires tow companies that operate for direct or indirect compensation to be licensed through the Oregon Department of Transportation and the State Board of Towing. Violating this law is a Class A misdemeanor. Companies that tow vehicles they do not own, especially if wrecked, abandoned, or disabled, are subject to this licensing requirement. Those who present themselves as legitimate towing businesses while unlicensed are also in violation…