Legal Update - 22 July 2026
Vehicles being used in an anti-social, illegal or dangerous manner, for unlawful trespass or, where driven by an uninsured/unlicensed driver may be seized by police. The disposal of vehicles seized under such circumstances is governed by the following regulations:
- The Police (Retention and Disposal of Vehicles) Regulations 1995
- The Police (Retention and Disposal of Motor Vehicles) Regulations 2002
- The Road Traffic Act 1988 (Retention and Disposal of Seized Motor Vehicles) Regulations 2005
Prior to 22 July 2026, forces had to wait between 14 days and 3 months (dependent on the legislation above) before they were disposed of. The Removal, Storage and Disposal of Motor Vehicles Timeframes (Amendment) Regulations 2026, in force from 22 July 2026 makes amendments to the legislation above meaning that under the relevant legislative scheme, vehicles can be disposed of either seven calendar days after the police seizure, the issuing of a seizure notice or, after an individual notified the force they intend to collect but the vehicle was not subsequently collected.
The purpose of reducing the time frames is not only for consistency but also, to reduce the time vehicles spend in compounds, intending to break patterns of re-offending.
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