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Start by confirming where the vehicle is
If the police seized your car while you were travelling, your first step is to confirm which pound is holding it. Officers usually give a seizure notice with the pound’s details. If you did not receive one, you can phone the relevant police force’s non-emergency line to check. Pounds work to strict time limits, so establishing the location quickly helps keep storage fees down.
What you need to collect the vehicle
The release rules do not change because you are on holiday. The pound still needs to confirm identity, ownership and insurance before the car can leave. You will normally be asked for:
- Strong photo ID.
- The V5C registration certificate showing you as the registered keeper. If you are travelling and do not have it with you, the pound may accept alternative documents only if they can verify them.
- Insurance that is valid for impound release. Standard policies and short-term temporary cover do not meet this requirement.
- Evidence of tax and MOT compliance, or arrangements that satisfy local rules if either is an issue.
Pounds verify every part of this before release. If anything is missing or unclear, they usually ask you to return with the correct paperwork.
Insurance requirements for release
To drive the car out of the pound you need a UK-issued impound-release policy with a minimum thirty-day term. Policies lasting between one and twenty-eight days do not cover seized vehicles, so they are not accepted. The certificate must match the vehicle’s registration number and must be active at the exact time you plan to collect it.
If someone else is driving the car out for you, they must have the same type of impound-valid insurance in their own name. A permission letter by itself is not enough for most pounds.
If your documents are at home
Being on holiday often means your V5C, insurance documents or other paperwork are at home. Pounds may allow you to provide certain documents electronically if they can verify them, but this varies between authorities. In some cases a friend or family member may need to access your documents and send copies to you, or courier them to your accommodation. If keepership cannot be confirmed, the pound can delay or refuse release until suitable proof is provided.
Paying release and storage fees
You must settle the statutory removal charge and daily storage fees before the vehicle is released. Storage is charged for each twenty-four-hour period or part of it, so the cost builds up quickly. Most pounds accept card payments. Acting promptly keeps the fee total as low as possible.
If driving away is not practical
If insurance is difficult to arrange while abroad, or the vehicle is not in a fit state to drive, you can arrange collection by a specialist vehicle recovery company. The pound still requires proof of identity, proof of keepership and full payment of fees before release to a transporter. This option avoids the need for an impound-ready driving policy but can be expensive.
What to do if you cannot attend in person
Pounds normally expect the registered keeper to attend personally. However, if you are abroad or travelling elsewhere in the UK, some pounds allow a properly authorised person to collect on your behalf. They will need strong photo ID, a clear letter of authority and insurance suitable for impound release. Even then, the pound may insist on contacting you directly before deciding whether to release the vehicle.
A practical way to move forward
Recovering a car while on holiday follows the same rules as any other impound case: confirm the pound, gather your documents, arrange suitable insurance and act within the pound’s time limits. Once identity, keepership, insurance and fees are all in place, release normally goes ahead without difficulty. The greatest delays come from missing documents, so sorting those first is the quickest route to getting your car back.
Impound processes, time limits and costs vary widely across the UK, and authorities can amend their rules at any time. Information on this site is intended as a general overview and should not be relied on as definitive for any specific impound location.