Your car could be impounded for several reasons, including:
Theft and recovery is a common reason for police to impound cars. If the police find your car after it's been reported stolen, it's taken to the impound to await collection.
Driving without insurance can result in your car being seized by the police. This is in addition to a fine and points on your licence.
Involvement in a crime means that the car is potential evidence, and so the police are within their rights to seize it.
Illegal parking leaves the car at risk of causing an obstruction, potentially endangering others.
Having no valid car tax could mean that the police or council considers the car to be abandoned. If so, it will be impounded to remove it from the road.
Our impound report for cars provides more information behind the reasons why cars are imported and how you can reclaim your vehicle if it happens to you.
The first thing you'll need is either the seizure notice issued at the roadside or a penalty ticket, if one was given to you.
Valid proof of ownership includes the logbook (V5C) and a new keeper supplement (V5C/2) and a verifiable bill of sale.
It’s the responsibility of the registered keeper to provide the required documents and pay the charges for an impounded car. Only then can the nominated driver collect the vehicle on your behalf.
There are only a handful of circumstances where the registered keeper might be excused from appearing in person. This might be because the registered keeper is:
If the keeper is not in the UK you might need a power of attorney letter to claim the car.
If the keeper is in hospital or prison you might need letters from the institution as proof.
If the keeper can't attend due to age, injury or disability you might need a letter from a health care professional as proof.
In all cases, it's best to check with the police on the details of when and how you can collect your car. If it hasn’t been collected after 14 days it may be disposed of.
Our trusted partner Tempcover is a leading provider of impound insurance. They offer the specific cover you need to release your car from the impound and have been helping customers find short-term insurance since 2006. Their customers rate them as Excellent on Trustpilot.
"Most standard policies won’t cover releasing a vehicle from the impound and the longer your vehicle is there, the more expensive it'll be to release. As well as sorting your insurance, check which documents you need to supply before you visit the impound. You don't want to waste time turning up without the right documents to release your car."
Is a legal requirement if you're driving in the UK. Find out more about choosing the right cover at the right price.
Lets you prove you're a safe driver, and save money on your policy, even if you're inexperienced or seen as high risk.
Offers cover for owners of classic cars. For insurance purposes, a classic car can be any car that’s older than 15 years.
Covers you if you use your car for work, including travelling between offices or across the country.
Yes. You should be able to collect property within the vehicle, without collecting the car itself.
The term ‘property’ doesn't include any item fixed to the vehicle such as alloy wheels or the audio system.
And property is only returned when the vehicle is no longer required for examination – and only to:
Impound insurance tends to be expensive because it's considered to be a higher risk due to it being seized by police.
If your vehicle has been impounded, you should get a notice letter when it’s ready for collection.
The first step is finding out where your car has been taken. If you’re not sure, ring 101 and ask for your local police station to establish where it’s been taken.
Clarify with the police exactly what’s required and what you need to do in order to reclaim your vehicle.
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Page last reviewed: 31 May 2023
Reviewed by: Marc Pell
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