Viertel's Automotive Service Inc

Los Angeles-area tow or transport company, in Los Angeles, CA. California has no state license for tow companies; its public registrations are below.

What the official records show

These are records from government sources, with the date each was checked. They are not findings by this site, and a missing record does not mean a company lacks a license or did anything wrong.

Legal name: VIERTELS AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE INC
Doing business as (DBA): VIERTEL'S RAMPART DIVISION
Address (physical (FMCSA)): 1155 W TEMPLE ST, Los Angeles, CA 90012 FMCSA carrier census (checked October 1, 2026)
Address (business location (LA Office of Finance)): 1155 W TEMPLE STREET, Los Angeles, CA 90012 LA Office of Finance business list (checked October 1, 2026)
Phone on file: (213) 250-0143 FMCSA carrier census (checked October 1, 2026)
Police Commission tow permit (LAMC 103.204): Permit found in a Police Commission record (public records request) as of 2009 (Auto Park (P706); status in the record: on record). Current status not confirmed.
California carrier number (CA#): No CA# in the records we have. That doesn't mean the company has none.
Federal carrier registration (USDOT): USDOT 2621998: active (intrastate (non-hazmat)) in the FMCSA census as of October 1, 2026. FMCSA carrier census (checked October 1, 2026)
Insurance on file: No public insurance record in our data.
City of Los Angeles business-tax registration: Listed in the LA Office of Finance active-business list (as of October 1, 2026). LA Office of Finance business list (checked October 1, 2026)

Court and agency records

These are public records about this company that we could verify, with their outcomes. They are not findings by this site, they are not complete, and a company with no records listed is not necessarily different from one with records.

3 public records

Older record (2021) · Federal lawsuit · U.S. District Court, C.D. Cal. · 2:21-cv-06841 · August 25, 2021
Records show a class action challenging the City's policy of impounding vehicles for unpaid parking tickets. Three Official Police Garages were named at various stages; the Third Amended Complaint (Sept. 26, 2022) describes all three as former defendants and states the claims against S & J Wilshire were dismissed. The case against the City ended in a $99,999 Rule 68 judgment for the named plaintiffs.
Claims in a lawsuit are allegations, not findings.
Outcome: Tow companies no longer defendants by Sept. 26, 2022 (S & J Wilshire dismissed; S & J also voluntarily dismissed its cross-claim). Judgment against City of Los Angeles for $99,999 entered Sept. 23, 2024 on accepted Rule 68 offer; appeals (9th Cir. 24-5998 / 24-6698) resolved by memorandum March 18, 2026 (September 23, 2024).
Record names: 'Hanks Wilshire Tow, Inc. dba S & J Wilshire Tow', 'Viertel's Automotive Service, Inc. dba Viertel's - Northeast Division', 'Ross Baker Towing, Inc.'. Matched to this company by case number 2:21-cv-06841.
CourtListener court docket · checked September 29, 2026 · Something wrong? Send a correction: corrections@towedinla.org
Older record (2013) · Lawsuit · Los Angeles County Superior Court (Stanley Mosk) · BC518651 · August 20, 2013
Records show an individual filed a premises-liability suit against the two companies. A notice of settlement of the entire case was filed in March 2015 and the plaintiff requested dismissal.
Claims in a lawsuit are allegations, not findings.
Outcome: Notice of settlement of entire case (Mar. 25, 2015); request for dismissal filed by plaintiff (May 22, 2015); status 'Court-Ordered Dismissal - Other' (May 22, 2015) (May 22, 2015).
Record names: 'Viertel's Rampart Division Inc', 'Absolute Towing Inc'. Matched to this company by case number BC518651.
Los Angeles Superior Court case summary · checked October 1, 2026; Trellis court case page · checked September 29, 2026 · Something wrong? Send a correction: corrections@towedinla.org
Older record (1996) · Lawsuit · U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (appeal from C.D. Cal.) · No. 94-56677 (86 F.3d 1162, unpublished memorandum) · May 31, 1996
Records show a competing tow company sued the City of Los Angeles and the City's Official Police Garage (OPG) companies, claiming the OPG program restrained trade and deprived it of an OPG designation. The district court dismissed all claims and the Ninth Circuit affirmed, a result in favor of the tow companies and the City.
Claims in a lawsuit are allegations, not findings.
Outcome: Dismissal for failure to state a claim affirmed (state-action immunity) (May 31, 1996).
Record names: 'ATS-Northeast Tow', 'Ross Baker', 'Black & White Garage, Inc.', 'Bruffy's, Inc.', 'Hanks's Wilshire Tow Service, Inc.', 'Hollenbeck Automotive, Corp.', 'Hollywood Tow Service, Inc.', 'Kelmark Tow', 'Seventh Street Garage, Inc.', 'Howard Sommers Towing Inc.', 'Swanney & McDonald, Inc.', 'Viertel's Automotive Service, Inc.', 'Continental Trucking/Towing, Inc.', 'Keyser Automotive, Inc.', 'Rheuban Motors, Inc.', 'Archer'a Vineland Service, Inc.'.
CourtListener court docket · checked September 29, 2026 · Something wrong? Send a correction: corrections@towedinla.org

Fee maximums

For police-ordered tows in the City of Los Angeles, Official Police Garages charge the Board of Police Commissioners' rates, in effect since January 1, 2026. Private-property tows follow other rules (see your rights below).

Standard tow, first hour: $220 by credit card, $215 by other means.
Standard vehicle storage: $68 a day by credit card, $66 by other means.

Source: L.A. Bd. of Police Comm'rs, TOPS Manual sec. 100 (eff. Sept. 1, 2026). All rates by year.

Know your rights

If a police officer or other public agency had your car towed and stored, you have a right to a "poststorage hearing". The storage notice must say that you have to ask for it in person, in writing or by phone within 10 days of the date on the notice.
Official text: “shall request the hearing in person, writing, or by telephone within 10 days of the date appearing on the notice”
Source: Veh. Code § 22852(a), (b)(4). Last checked October 5, 2026.
A person who breaks the written-authorization rules for private-property tows is civilly liable to the car's owner for four times the towing and storage charges.
Official text: “civilly liable to the owner of the vehicle or their agent for four times the amount of the towing and storage charges”
Source: Veh. Code § 22658(l)(5). Last checked October 5, 2026.
For a tow from private property based on a sign, the sign must be in plain view at all entrances, at least 17 by 22 inches, with letters at least one inch high. It must say that public parking is not allowed and that cars will be removed at the owner's expense, and list the police phone number and each tow company's name and phone number. (A sign is one of several ways the law allows these tows.)
Official text: “a sign not less than 17 inches by 22 inches in size, with lettering not less than one inch in height”
Source: Veh. Code § 22658(a)(1). Last checked October 5, 2026.

Where to complain

Official government channels. We don't file anything for you and we don't contact the company.

A police-ordered tow in the City of Los Angeles by an Official Police Garage: the Police Commission's (LAPD) complaint form. Our LA tool can fill it in. Open the tool
California Attorney General: complaint against a business
FMCSA National Consumer Complaint Database (carriers with a USDOT number)

Links checked October 6, 2026.

Something wrong? Send a correction: corrections@towedinla.org. This directory is not affiliated with the company or any government agency. General information, not legal advice.