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Here, you can find out how to reclaim a vehicle that has been seized under Section 165A of the Road Traffic Act 1988. This means an officer had reasonable grounds to believe that the driver was uninsured or was not driving in accordance with their driving licence.
If your vehicle has been seized for this reason the driver should have received a seizure notice.
If your vehicle has been impounded for another reason, go to our impounded vehicles page.
You'll find the details of how to reclaim your vehicle on the seizure notice. You have seven working days to go to one of the police stations specified on the seizure notice to reclaim your vehicle or it may be sold or scrapped.
Pounds are open Monday to Friday between 9am and 4pm.
To prove your identity you need valid photo ID, such as:
We won't accept a student or employer’s ID.
If your seized vehicle is an e-scooter or unregistered off road bike then you will not be able to reclaim this vehicle back. Find out more advice on using e-scooters.
Legislation for vehicles seized under S165 RTRA, including e-scooters and unregistered off road bikes requires the owner to produce a valid driving licence, valid insurance to drive on public highways and valid ownership in order to release a seized vehicle from the Police Compound.
There is no insurance company that allows for e-scooters or off road bikes to be ridden on public highway and therefore there is no way that these vehicles can be released, as the relevant documents cannot be produced to satisfy the vehicle release process.
Your driving licence must be either:
You'll need to produce a valid certificate of motor insurance that permits the release of a vehicle impounded by a government authority before your vehicle will be released (impound insurance), even if you don’t intend to drive it on a public road.
We’ll accept:
Please make sure you've declared all the relevant facts to your insurer, including:
If you took out the policy after the vehicle was seized you must also declare relevant pending convictions, including those which may be pending in respect of the incident for which the vehicle is currently impounded.
You must also tell the insurer that the vehicle has been seized and is in a police pound.
It's a serious criminal offence to fail to declare the correct material facts or to give false information when getting insurance. This can render your insurance invalid and Staffordshire Police will report all suspected fraud to the relevant company.
We may share information with your insurer or the Motor Insurers' Bureau if we suspect an offence.
Short-term insurance or temporary cover (for a period of up to 30 days) may not be valid to reclaim a seized vehicle. Please check the wording on the certificate or cover note. If in doubt, contact your insurer before you come to the pound.
If we're not satisfied that your insurance is valid for the release of an impounded vehicle, we may ask you to provide written confirmation from your insurer.
A motor trader can't release a seized vehicle on your behalf.
Trade or business insurance policies can be produced as long as the policy:
You should produce a valid full vehicle registration document (V5C) in your name together with proof of address. (You may be required to provide further evidence of purchase or ownership.)
If you have a V5C/2 new keeper supplement, you'll need to apply for a V5C before you can collect your vehicle. Find out how here.
If a vehicle ‘in trade’ has been driven on the road without a valid trade licence displayed it must be registered to the owner immediately. The staff at the police station can send the relevant documents to DVLA on your behalf.
If your vehicle is over three years old and doesn't have a current MOT test pass certificate, you must:
As the registered keeper/owner you are legally responsible for the vehicle. You should attend the police station in person to prove ownership, unless:
If after coming to the police station to establish your ownership, you nominate someone to collect the vehicle on your behalf, they must present the documents listed above, plus:
If the vehicle is being driven, they must also have a valid driving licence and a valid certificate of insurance that allows them to reclaim a seized vehicle and drive it from the pound.
The nominated driver should normally be named as an additional driver on the registered keeper's own policy. Contact your insurer before coming to the pound if you're in doubt.
You can find full details about the statutory charges in the Road Traffic Act (Retention and disposal of seized vehicles) Regulations 2005 – amended 2008.
These charges are set by government, not the police, and vary depending on the weight and condition of the vehicle.
In most cases where the vehicle is not badly damaged or off the road, the charges will be:
Please note, the daily storage charges start from midday on the next working day after the vehicle was seized.
We'll only give property from the vehicle to the owner or registered keeper of the vehicle, or to the driver at the time of seizure.
We require proof of ID in all cases.
If the registered keeper or owner is collecting property, we'll require proof of ownership or a V5C. The driver’s details can normally be confirmed from the seizure notice.
If the registered keeper or owner can't come to the pound in person to collect the property, we'll require a letter of authority and proof of signature (see above).
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.
If you're a recovery operator collecting a vehicle from the pound you must:
Bring a set of keys, in case the driver didn't leave the keys in the vehicle.
If the vehicle was in a collision and you’re not sure it’s 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’re getting it back after it’s been stolen.
The police, including all pound 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 attach valid replacement plates when you collect it.
If you’re driving under a provisional licence you must bring someone who:
Make sure you have L plates on the vehicle.
The pound staff will also send the registered keeper a notice letter with the details of what's happened to their vehicle.
You can either email the Vehicle Recovery Team or call us on 01785 235134.