Report an abandoned vehicle

Contact us to report an abandoned vehicle

Things to consider before reporting

  • we can only remove vehicles when we consider them to have been abandoned by their owner
  • we will not investigate a vehicle that has either a valid MOT or is road-taxed, including statutory off road notice (SORN)
  • we do not investigate anonymous complaints; please provide your contact details on our online form
  • vehicles that are poorly parked or causing an obstruction should be reported to the police
  • if the vehicle is on private land, we have no obligation to remove it and can refuse depending on circumstances and location
  • we must receive written permission and proof of ownership from the landowner before we investigate a vehicle on private land
  • if the land or car park is owned by a Housing Association, please report it to them first

Untaxed vehicles

We have no power to act on untaxed or SORN vehicles parked on the highway, so please do not report these issues to use. We can only investigate these if the vehicle has significant damage, flat tyres, smashed windows or is burnt out. Untaxed and SORN vehicles should be reported directly to the DVLA.

You can report an untaxed vehicle to the DVLA.

What is an abandoned vehicle?

It is not just a vehicle that:

  • is untaxed
  • has no MOT
  • is poorly parked
  • is not owned by a resident of that road
  • is awaiting recovery having broken down

There is no legal definition of an abandoned vehicle, but it will usually:

  • be untaxed or SORN and have significant damage, flat tyres, smashed windows or be burnt out
  • be unmoved for 21 days or more
  • not have an owner living nearby

We also consider the following:

  • age and appearance
  • overall condition, such as whether it has flat tyres, significant damage, smashed windows, contains waste, has mould inside or is burnt out
  • presence of a number plate
  • roadworthiness
  • security
  • how close it is to the registered address of the owner or last registered keeper

How to report an abandoned vehicle

Once you have read the information above, if you think the vehicle has been abandoned, please report it to us.

Before you begin you will need to know:

  • vehicle registration
  • vehicle make and model
  • vehicle colour
  • if there's vehicle damage
  • location of vehicle
  • length of time at the current location

Report an abandoned vehicle

What happens when a vehicle is reported as abandoned?

After 21 days of the initial report, we will:

  • confirm if the vehicle is still in place and check the current tax and MOT status
  • investigate the vehicle
  • if it is believed to be abandoned, we will try to trace the owner, which may include placing a note on the windscreen asking them to contact us

After our investigations, if we consider the vehicle has been abandoned, we will:

  • request details of the last registered keeper from DVLA
  • serve a legal notice on any owner or registered keeper we can find and usually put a seven-day notice on the vehicle windscreen; we may give less notice if the vehicle is damaged and unroadworthy

If the vehicle is still there once the notice period has ended, we will remove it unless:

  • the vehicle owner has claimed it
  • any landowner has objected

Once removed, the vehicle is the responsibility of Norfolk County Council for disposal. We will invoice the registered keeper of the vehicle for:

  • cost of collection
  • storage while we work out who owns the vehicle
  • final disposal

Related documents

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