Impounded vehicles
If you’ve received a seizure notice because your vehicle was seized on the belief that it was being driven without a driving licence or valid insurance, go to our seized vehicles page to find the right information.
If your vehicle has been lost or stolen, go to our lost and stolen vehicles page to find the right information.
Here, you'll find information on what to do if your vehicle was impounded by the police because it was:
- involved in accidents and causing an obstruction or hazard
- stolen vehicles
- broken down and causing an obstruction or hazard
- vehicles used anti-socially
- burnt-out vehicles
- suspect vehicles that are 'of interest' to the police
- abandoned vehicles that are causing an obstruction
How to reclaim your vehicle
If your vehicle has been recovered and is being kept at a local garage you'll receive a notice letter if you're registered as the current keeper on the DVLA's records.
This letter will contain detailed instructions on what documents to produce and where your vehicle is being kept.
MOT
If a vehicle is being driven away you'll need to make sure it has a valid MOT (depending on the age of the vehicle) otherwise you'll need to remove the vehicle on a recovery truck.
Insurance Certificate
If you don’t have a valid insurance policy, you can’t drive the vehicle on a road. Your vehicle needs to be insured in its own right and cannot be recovered on a recovery truck.
Vehicle excise duty (tax)
The current registered keeper is responsible for taxing a vehicle. The road tax is not transferred when the vehicle is sold to a new keeper.
If the vehicle's excise duty has expired, the vehicle may be seized again by the DVLA if it's driven or parked on a public road.
Collecting property from a recovered vehicle
If you want to collect property from a recovered vehicle, but not the vehicle itself, we require:
- photographic ID in your name (see above list of what will be accepted)
- V5C in your name or proof of ownership (see above list of what will be accepted)
Someone else can collect property on your behalf if you can't attend yourself, they'll need to bring:
- photographic ID in your name (see above list of what will be accepted)
- V5C in your name or proof of ownership (see above list of what will be accepted)
- A letter of authorisation, dated and signed by you, giving them permission to collect property from the vehicle, it must include the name and full postal address of the person you are authorising to collect the vehicle and the VRM of the vehicle
- A copy of your passport or driving licence so we can verify the letter is signed by you
Please note, if the vehicle is badly damaged it might not be possible to get into it to remove property or if there are no keys with the vehicle.
All property will have been removed from the vehicle if unlocked or the vehicle was recovered with keys and recorded on the Police system and stored in a clear plastic bag in the property store at the recovery operators premises.
When collecting property, if all the correct documents have been authorised you'll be asked to check all property items against a list before leaving the recovery operators premises and you will be asked to sign to confirm receipt of all the property and confirm it is all there.
Disclaiming a vehicle
If you don’t want to reclaim your vehicle you will be required to pay a disposal fee at the recovery operator's depot (unless seized under a S165) as well as the outstanding statutory removal and storage fees accrued to date (unless it is a found stolen motor vehicle). We'll dispose of it after 14 days. If the vehicle is subsequently disposed of by the police, the DVLA will be updated.
If your vehicle has been issued with a PG9 prohibition notice, isn't roadworthy or won’t start
If your vehicle has been issued with a PG9 prohibition notice, isn’t roadworthy or won’t start, you need to arrange for a fully trained, equipped and insured vehicle recovery operator to collect it at your own expense.
We don’t allow vehicles to be repaired by owners or third parties while they’re at the Recovery Operators premises (this includes changing tyres or repairing windscreens).
Things to be aware of
Bring a set of keys, in case there are no keys with the vehicle.
If the vehicle was in a collision and you are not sure if it is roadworthy, consider having it recovered by a professional recovery operator.
We highly recommend taking your vehicle to a garage for a safety check if you are getting it back after it’s been stolen.
The police, including all recovery operator staff, can't advise on whether your vehicle is roadworthy.
If your vehicle doesn’t have correct number plates and you’re planning on driving it, you must bring valid replacement plates when you collect it.
You won't be permitted to enter a storage compound to see your vehicle before collection, this includes third parties such as insurance companies. This is because of health and safety issues and police assets/investigations.
Provisional driving licence holders
If you’re driving under a provisional licence you must bring someone who:
- is over 21
- has held a licence for more than three years
Make sure you have L plates on the vehicle, if not you will need to bring some with you.
Payment of charges
You can find full details about the statutory charges you'll have to pay in The Removal, Storage and Disposal of Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Regulations 2023.
For vehicles impounded before 6 April 2023 you'll have to pay the charges listed in The Removal, Storage and Disposal of Vehicles (Prescribed Sums and Charges) Regulations 2008.
These charges are set by government, not the police, and vary depending on the weight and condition of the vehicle.
Please note, the daily storage charges start from midday the day after the vehicle was seized.