Abandoned Vehicles

Information explaining Council's role in dealing with abandoned vehicles.

If a vehicle is abandoned, Council is permitted under section 356 of the Local Government Act 1974 to remove it from roads within its District.

Generally, abandoned vehicles are unregistered and/or unwarranted and may have been parked on the side of the road for some time before being reported.

Once a vehicle is judged to have been abandoned, Council officers leave a notice on its windscreen with a date between 5 and 10 working days ahead by which time the vehicle must be removed.

If the vehicle is still there after the notice’s expiry date, Council may tow the vehicle once the Police have been notified.

The abandoned vehicle is removed for storage or to the landfill for disposal depending upon its state of repair. The charge for reclaiming a car from storage varies according to length of time in storage.  There is also a towage and recovery cost. 

If you think a parked or abandoned car is posing a traffic hazard, call your local police station immediately so they can have the vehicle removed. Abandoned vehicles creating traffic hazards may be removed immediately and without notice.