Yes, driving without insurance is one of the more serious motoring offences in the UK and it carries penalty points, a fine, and possible seizure of the vehicle. If your car has been impounded because you were driving uninsured, the offence is treated under Section 143 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. The standard penalty includes six penalty points on your driving record and a fixed fine — though the exact outcome depends on the circumstances and whether the case goes to court.

What the penalties usually are

Police can issue a fixed penalty notice for driving without insurance. This normally means:

• 6 penalty points on your licence, and
• a £300 fine payable within the stated period.

In some cases — for instance, if you’re already on points or if there are aggravating factors — you may be summoned to court instead of receiving a fixed penalty. The court can impose an unlimited fine and may also disqualify you from driving, depending on your record and the seriousness of the offence.

When the car is impounded

Police have the power to seize and impound a vehicle immediately if it appears uninsured on the Motor Insurance Database (MID) or if you can’t produce proof of valid cover at the roadside. The vehicle will be taken to a secure pound and held until you produce the required documents and pay the release and storage fees. These fees are separate from any fine or penalty points.

The impoundment itself doesn’t add extra points to your licence — the offence of driving uninsured is what triggers them. The seizure is simply the enforcement measure used at the scene.

If the case was a genuine mistake

Sometimes, a car is impounded because of an administrative issue rather than deliberate uninsured driving — for example, if a new policy hadn’t yet appeared on the MID or if incorrect registration details were entered. In those cases, you can present written proof from your insurer showing valid cover was in place at the time. If confirmed, the offence may be withdrawn, though you’ll still need to pay the release and storage fees before collecting your vehicle.

If you’ve already received a fixed penalty notice but can prove the car was insured, contact the issuing police force’s central ticket office with evidence. If a court summons has been issued, provide the same proof to the magistrates’ court handling your case.

When penalty points can lead to disqualification

Receiving six points for driving without insurance can push many drivers over the disqualification threshold. New drivers — those who passed their test within the last two years — face automatic revocation of their licence if they reach six points. For experienced drivers, twelve or more points within a three-year period may trigger a ban under the totting-up system.

Each offence remains on your driving record for four years from the date of conviction. Insurers can see that record when you apply for future cover, and premiums usually rise sharply for several years afterwards.

How to avoid further penalties

To release your impounded car, you’ll need to arrange an insurance policy that explicitly allows for impound release. Standard policies are rarely accepted unless they include specific wording confirming this. Once you’ve recovered your car, switch to a standard annual policy and check that your details appear on the MID within a few days.

Final note

Driving without insurance almost always results in penalty points and a fine, even if the vehicle has since been released. The seizure is just the beginning of the process. Proving valid cover at the time can prevent points, but if no insurance was in place, the endorsement will remain on your record for years. Always check your vehicle’s status on the AskMID database before driving — it’s the simplest way to avoid another impound or another six points on your licence.

Check here for more useful information about impounded cars!

Please note: impound rules, collection windows and fee structures are set locally and can change at any time. Details on this site offer a broad outline only and are not guaranteed to match the requirements of any individual pound or authority.