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Your car has been taken away by the police. What do you do now?
You are probably upset and angry but the important thing is to get it back before you lose it completely. In the following pages you should find everything you need to know to retrieve your car as quickly and cheaply as possible.
What has happened to my car?
If the police suspected that the driver of your car was not insured it will have been taken by truck, or towed away, to a police pound, which is usually located near to a police station.
How do I get my car released from the pound?
You must reclaim your car - even if you can't retrieve it yet. In other words give notice that you are the owner and intend to get it out of the pound. If you don't do this within seven days of it being seized you will probably lose it.
You should have received a form number 3708, either from the officer who confiscated the car, or by post, and this would tell you where you need to go to claim it. This may be a police station or the compound that it is stored in. There is a lot more information on our page about how to get your car back.
How do I insure a confiscated car?
There are several ways you can get insurance that the police will accept, including short term cover, and which one is the cheapest will depend on your own circumstances. These are listed on our seized car insurance page.
What will it cost me to get it released?
The current standard fees are £192 (yes prices were increased on 6th April 2023!) for collecting the car plus £26 per day storage but this can vary. Read more on our impound charges page.
Can someone else get the car back for me?
This is possible but you need to know exactly how to go about it. There are more details on our 'who else can collect my car' page.
If I cannot afford to get my car back, can I sell it?
Usually you can, but the sale must be genuine and the pound staff will need proof of this. See more details on our 'how to sell a seized car' page.
What if the car isn't taxed?
You will probably have to pay a deposit to cover at least six month's tax. You will get this back when you've paid for it.
What if it has no MOT?
You will need to arrange an appointment at a testing centre then take the car straight there.
The car is on hire purchase. Will I have to tell the finance company?
They possibly know already. Read our page about confiscated cars and HP companies.
What if I don't want the car back?
Let the police know and they will dispose of it. You won't have to pay collection or storage charges but in theory you could have to pay a disposal charge. In practice this is usually waived since the police authority will sell your car, and they in fact make a huge profit every year from this.