Abandoned vehicles

What is an abandoned vehicle?

Just because a vehicle is displaying an expired tax disc, is poorly parked, or is not believed to belong to a resident in the road, does not mean that is has been abandoned. There is no legal definition of an ‘abandoned vehicle’ but the list below shows some of the criteria our officers consider when assessing a vehicle. A vehicle doesn't need all of these characteristics to be considered abandoned.

• Whether taxed or not
• Doors open/unlocked
• Flat tyres/missing wheels
• Windows open/broken
• Burnt out
• Rusty brake discs
• Containing waste
• Significant damage
• Mould on the inside
• Stationary for a significant time
• Missing one or more plates
• Location of vehicle
• Details of vehicle held by DVLA
• Status of land where vehicle is located

Please note: Our Environmental Enforcement team does not deal with parking issues or vehicles causing an obstruction. Please contact either Hertfordshire County Council or the police respectively.

Report an abandoned vehicle

To report a suspected abandoned vehicle, complete the online form below and give as much detail as possible. We will investigate whether the vehicle has been abandoned and carry out checks to see whether it has been stolen or involved in an accident. If we decide the vehicle has been abandoned on a road we will then remove the vehicle.

Report an abandoned vehicle

How we deal with abandoned vehicles

The responsibility for the removal of abandoned vehicles, whether on private land or the public highway, lies with us. Once it has been reported we can:

• Remove an abandoned vehicle from a road (this includes private roads and estates - if the vehicle is on private land we will serve a 14-day notice of removal on the owner/occupier)
• Remove vehicles in a dangerous condition within 24 hours
• Trace vehicle ownership and impose fines on those abandoning vehicles by working with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)
• Dispose of abandoned vehicles, if at the end of the prescribed notice period the vehicle is unclaimed

Reporting untaxed vehicles

If you’ve seen an untaxed vehicle on a public road, you can report the matter anonymously to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) who will investigate your report.

Please note: as tax discs are no longer needed, the vehicle tax could be up to date even if it does not have a valid tax disc on display.