Recovery of stolen vehicles by the police can see different constabularies adopting different processes.
Note: often there is an initial recovery fee to be paid before collecting a vehicle from the police ‘pound’ and that storage charges may occur on a daily basis once the vehicle is ‘released’, i.e. available for collection.
Check with your insurer whether they will address the collection.
Kent Police Information
The following information is available (as at 10/2026) here.
Impounded vehicles
If you’ve received a seizure notice because your vehicle was seized on the belief that it was being driven without a driving licence or valid insurance, go to our seized vehicles page to find the right information.
Here, you’ll find information on what to do if your vehicle was impounded by the police because it was:
- stolen, and found by us
- involved in a collision
- being driven while untaxed
- involved in a crime
- driven in an anti-social manner
- causing an obstruction or danger
- abandoned after an incident involving the police
How to reclaim your vehicle
If your vehicle has been recovered and is being kept at one of our recovery operator pounds you’ll receive a notice letter when it’s ready for collection if you’re registered as the current keeper on the DVLA’s records.
This letter will contain detailed instructions on what documents to produce and where your vehicle is being kept.
Things to be aware of
Bring a set of keys, in case the driver didn’t leave the keys in the vehicle.
If the vehicle was in a collision and you’re not sure it’s roadworthy, consider having it recovered by a professional recovery operator.
We highly recommend taking your vehicle to a garage for a safety check if you’re getting it back after it’s been stolen.
The police, including all pound staff, can’t advise on whether your vehicle is roadworthy.
If your vehicle doesn’t have correct number plates and you’re planning on driving it, you must bring valid replacement plates when you collect it.
Provisional driving licence holders
If you’re driving under a provisional licence you must bring someone who:
- is over 21 and
- has held a licence for more than three years
Make sure you have L plates on the vehicle.
Payment of charges
Statutory charges apply to most vehicles removed to a pound, depending upon the reason for removal.
You can find full details about the statutory charges you’ll have to pay in The Removal, Storage and Disposal of Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Regulations 2023.
For vehicles impounded before 6 April 2023 you’ll have to pay the charges listed in The Removal, Storage and Disposal of Vehicles (Prescribed Sums and Charges) Regulations 2008.
These charges are set by government, not the police, and vary depending on the weight and condition of the vehicle.
Please note, the daily storage charges start from midday the day after the vehicle was seized/recovered, unless it’s been retained by police. Once the vehicle’s been released from police retention, storage charges will start from midday the day after the release date.
If you don’t want to reclaim your vehicle
If you don’t want to reclaim your vehicle, this is called ‘disclaiming’, you need to go to the pound with proof of identity and proof of ownership.
You’ll have to pay the disposal charge (where applicable), but you won’t be asked to pay for the outstanding removal and storage charges.