Abandoned, Untaxed and Unwanted Vehicles

During the working week, we aim to follow up each report within 24 hours with an inspection by our Removals Officer.

The inspection will be supported by DVLA database checks. During the inspection, the officer will take photographs of the vehicle for evidence to either prove or disprove that the vehicle is abandoned.

Once we are satisfied that a vehicle is abandoned the legislation allows us to act as follows, depending on where the vehicle has been left, its physical condition and circumstances.

Vehicles abandoned on a road may be removed without any notice. This includes a road any part of a public highway, including verges, and any private or service road to which the public have access.

• Vehicles considered to be fit only for destruction may be destroyed immediately without notice
• Vehicles without both current tax and registration plates may also be destroyed immediately without notice
• Vehicles not fit for destruction and with either registration plates or current tax disc displayed will be held in storage while a 7 day notice is issued to the vehicles last registered keeper
• Vehicles left in the Council's custody after the expiry of a 7 day notice may be destroyed immediately without further notice

Vehicles abandoned on private land(e.g. private car parks and forecourts etc) require a 15 day notice to be placed on the land concerned. Once removed no further notice need to be issued before disposal.

• Any vehicle specified by the landowner(s) may be removed as soon as the occupier gives their permission and on expiry of the notice. The council cannot remove a vehicle where the occupier objects to its removal
• The council is not required to remove a vehicle where the cost of doing so to the nearest carriageway location would be unreasonably high. In such cases, the council may request that the occupier contribute towards the cost of removal

In all cases, if our officer after the inspection does not deem the vehicle to be abandoned then no further action will be taken.

Every vehicle registered in the United Kingdom must be taxed if it's used or kept on a public road. If a vehicle is kept off-road it must either be taxed or have a SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification) in force. If not it could be removed without notice by either Nottingham City Council or the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).

Nottingham City Council can only remove an untaxed vehicle provided that the tax is 2 months and 1 day expired.

We will also remove a vehicle on the public highway where a SORN is in place.

We can also remove untaxed vehicles on any land where the public has access, for example:

• Car parks or parking areas including stores, supermarkets, works, and council. Permission to store the vehicle there is irrelevant
• Pub car parks (treated the same as a business car park) the keeper of the vehicle is a resident at the pub is irrelevant
• Private or unadopted roads
• Housing association or trust land or road provided it does not belong to a dwelling
• Waste ground, parks, common ground and open spaces

Nottingham City Council cannot enforce untaxed vehicles on any land that is associated with a dwelling or land belonging to business premises of a motor trader or vehicle tester.

If you suspect a vehicle to be untaxed please contact the vehicle pound on 0115 876 1861. 

You can check a vehicle's tax status by visiting https://www.gov.uk/check-vehicle-tax.

Report an untaxed vehicle