Tackling unlicensed and abandoned vehicles

There are an estimated one and a half million unlicensed vehicles in use or abandoned in the UK. Frequently these vehicles have been involved in criminal activity and in many cases, they are uninsured and unsafe for use on the road.

Abandoned vehicles as such, are the policy responsibility of the Department of Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (Defra), and the operational responsibility of local authorities. The Department for Transport is also responding to the problem and has introduced significant changes to the system of licensing vehicles to help police and local authorities cut down the number of abandoned vehicles in their areas, many of which are also unlicensed.

Changes to vehicle registration - "Continuous registration"

From January 1 2004, it will be the responsibility of a vehicle's registered keeper to ensure that their vehicle is licensed (taxed) at all times unless or until the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) receives confirmation of the vehicle being sold, exported, stolen or scrapped, or a valid Statutory Off-Road Notification (SORN) has been declared. Any vehicle keeper who fails to relicense their vehicle upon the expiry of their current tax disc will be liable to an automatic standard penalty fine.

The change means it will no longer be necessary for an unlicensed vehicle to be seen and reported by police or traffic wardens patrolling the area for action to be taken. Central records held by the DVLA will identify an unlicensed vehicle and may apply the fine instantly. Should the vehicle remain unlicensed, then the DVLA may prosecute and a court may find the keeper of the unlicensed vehicle guilty of a criminal offence with heavy penalties

Tightening up the registration and licensing system.

Since February 2003 vehicle owners have only been able to obtain a new license if they present a valid registration document (V5) or reminder notice issued by the DVLA (V11) upon application. This change has been introduced to certify that every vehicle has a traceable owner and help identify motorists who are failing to insure or tax their vehicles.

To further support this overhaul of the registration system, the DVLA are undertaking a major project to improve the accuracy of the national vehicle register. During 2004, the DVLA will begin issuing new vehicle logbooks to all vehicle owners across the UK. In most cases the new documentation will follow standard DVLA relicensing reminders or be issued upon the change of address or sale of the vehicle. It is expected that in just over a year, all vehicles, of all ages, will have received their new logbook.

Dealing with abandoned cars

Not only will the new requirement for continuous registration prevent vehicles from 'falling out' of the registration system. It will also make it much harder for people to avoid responsibility for disposing of their vehicles and therefore reduce the numbers of abandoned cars.

In 2000, during the first survey of its kind, it was revealed that there were 238,000 abandoned vehicles reported in the UK. Responsibility for the removal and disposal of these vehicles lies with the local authority and so the problem has become a considerable burden on the council taxpayer who bears the cost of recovery if the registered owner can not be traced. The DVLA now offers local authorities electronic linkage to the vehicle register to help them identify the current keepers of vehicles. Aside from their removal costs, the inconvenience of abandoned cars also extends into the time of local police and fire services who must respond when vehicles are parked dangerously or, as happens frequently, set alight.

Reporting Abandoned Vehicles

If you wish to report a vehicle that you think has been abandoned, you should initially make contact with the local council covering the area where the vehicle is. Many local authorities now have web sites that contain advice to residents about what to do in the event that a vehicle is abandoned locally.

Alternatively, a Frequently Asked Questions page, including advice on how to identify if a vehicle is abandoned and how to report an abandoned vehicle, is available on the Defra web site, who are responsible for policy in this area:

For related documents, pages and internet links, see the column on the right.