Reporting an abandoned vehicle if it is untaxed
If a vehicle is untaxed, it must be
declared as off-road and removed from the public highway. This also includes land open to the public that is intended to be accessed by car, such as a car park. From 1 October 2014, tax discs are no longer issued. You can check the tax status of a vehicle at the
GOV.UK website. You will need the registration number and make of the vehicle.
Check car tax now
If a vehicle is untaxed, you should
contact the DVLA and provide the registration number, make and location of the vehicle.
Vehicles broken down, abandoned or causing an obstruction can also be reported to the police on 101.
Report an abandoned vehicle if it is still taxed
Where an abandoned vehicle is still taxed, or untaxed but cannot be removed by the DVLA for other reasons (for example: in instances where it has been set on fire, vandalised or stripped of parts) the council will work with the police to investigate and get the owner to remove it. If the owner can’t be traced then other arrangements will be made to remove the vehicle.
If the vehicle is on private land there are other criteria that need to be met before the council can remove it, which means the process may take longer or may mean that the vehicle cannot be removed at all.
A vehicle that is in roadworthy condition, has tax and MOT is unlikely to be considered to be abandoned unless it has not been moved for a period of months.
To report an abandoned vehicle which is still within tax please
contact us.
Caravans and trailers
It is an offence to keep a caravan or a trailer on the public highway for longer than 24 hours. You can report issues by
contacting us.
To report an abandoned vehicle which is still taxed, untaxed but cannot be removed by the DVLA for other reasons, a caravan or trailer, email
environmental.action@leeds.gov.uk with any photo evidence and:
