Wheelclamping untaxed vehicles

Every vehicle registered in the United Kingdom (UK) must be taxed if used or kept on a public road. If the 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 wheelclamped or removed.

You could lose your vehicle

The fees to release your vehicle are high. If you don't pay for your vehicle to be de-clamped within 24 hours, the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA) will impound your vehicle and if it's not claimed it could be disposed of after seven days.

Wheelclamping operators

DVA works in partnership with VEAS who operate the wheelclamping scheme and with PSNI.

How it works

Clamping vans patrolling the streets are equipped with automatic number plate reader (ANPR) technology. Roof-mounted cameras read the number plates of vehicles parked at the roadside. The number plates are checked against a list of untaxed vehicles and any identified are confirmed against the DVA vehicle register. The untaxed vehicle is then clamped, and if it remains unclaimed for more than 24 hours will be impounded. In some cases the vehicle is seized immediately.

Who do I contact if my vehicle is clamped

Release within 24 hours

To get your vehicle released you'll need to:

pay a release fee of £100
produce a valid tax disc

If you don’t produce a tax disc you’ll need to pay a surety (deposit) instead. This is £160 for a car or motorcycle and up to £700 for other vehicles. You’ll get the surety back if you tax your vehicle and produce a valid tax disc within 14 days. If you fail to do so the surety payment will be forfeited and prosecution action taken.

Release after 24 hours

To release your vehicle, you’ll need to pay a £200 fee and any storage charges (of £21 per day) as well as producing a valid tax disc or surety payment. Provided you’re registered as the vehicle keeper, DVA will write to inform you that your vehicle has been impounded and will be disposed of unless all fees are paid.

You could also face prosecution with fines up to £1,000 as well as paying any arrears of vehicle tax owed and costs. Unclaimed vehicles are disposed of after seven days. Vehicles of economic value are disposed of after 14 days. Any vehicles of significant value may be resold at auction.

What are my rights of appeal?

An appeals procedure is in place for those who claim to have been wrongly clamped because the vehicle is exempt from duty or the vehicle was properly licensed before clamping.

Appeals can only be considered where the vehicle has been reclaimed and appropriate fees have been paid.