Dangerous, abandoned or un-taxed vehicles

If you suspect a vehicle, caravan or trailer is:

report it to us online

Please have the following information about the vehicle:

You can check if a vehicle is taxed and a valid MOT using the DVLA Vehicle Enquiry Service [external link].

The enforcement team have the powers to seize untaxed vehicles on public roads.

Any vehicles without an MOT on a public road must be reported to the police.

My car has an enforcement sticker or has been removed

We may place a notice requiring the registered keeper remove the vehicle immediately.

We may seize and remove the vehicle immediately ourselves

We may give a notice period, which could be 24 hours or 7 days, for the keeper to remove the vehicle.

If we have given notice that we will remove a vehicle we will notify the registered keeper should we then seize and remove the vehicle.

We notify the police for their records.

Will will post notifications to areas outside of Darlington.

If the keeper’s address is within the borough we will hand deliver it.

If we have not authorised the vehicle to be destroyed, we may allow you to get the vehicle back.

You will need to pay the charges and provide evidence that you own the vehicle.

We work with the police to check if abandoned vehicles are stolen.

If you vehicle is stolen notify the police and your insurance company.

If notified, your insurer will normally reimburse any removal charges.

If a vehicle is left on private land like:

we will work with the land owner or landlord to remove the vehicle.

The landlord would then request in writing that we enter the land to place an appropriate removal notice on the vehicle.

If we fail to gain such cooperation from the landlord we may issue a 15 days removal notice in any case then remove the vehicle.

If vehicles are being driven off-road please inform the police on 101.

If a vehicle being repaired by the roadside is causing an obstruction you can report it.

We can remove vehicles offered for sale or used as advertising that are parked in a public place.

We will ticket the vehicle and give the keeper the opportunity to remove it.

It is an offence to have 2 or more vehicles parked within 500 meters of each other on a road where they are advertised for sale.

We check this through patrols but you can also report it to the civic enforcement team.

We can issue a Fixed Penalty Notice for vehicles repaired or for sale on the roadside.

You will need to give a witness statement that contains enough evidence to:

The person will not be informed who has made the complaint and your details will remain confidential.

We need information such as: