Yes, police routinely check the Motor Insurance Database (MID) before authorising the release of an impounded car. The MID is the national record of all active motor insurance policies in the UK, and it’s the main source used to confirm whether a vehicle is insured. However, not every policy appears on the database immediately, and that delay can sometimes cause problems for drivers trying to collect their vehicles quickly.

Why the MID check matters

The police are legally required to ensure that any vehicle leaving an impound is insured. When you present your insurance certificate, staff will check the details and usually verify them against the MID. This helps prevent forged or invalid certificates from being used. If the policy isn’t visible on the database, they may contact the insurer directly for confirmation before releasing the car.

It’s not enough to simply show proof of purchase or an application number — the policy must be active and verifiable. If the MID check fails and no confirmation can be obtained, the car will not be released.

How long updates can take

Insurers are required to update the MID within a few days of issuing a policy, but some upload instantly while others take up to 72 hours. That delay means a newly purchased policy might not yet appear when police check the database. For that reason, it’s best to buy an impound-specific policy that uploads quickly and provides immediate digital documentation. These are designed for same-day release and are usually recognised by the police systems.

When manual confirmation is used

If your policy doesn’t appear on the MID yet, the pound may call the insurer to verify it manually. The insurer must confirm that the policy is active, covers the specific vehicle, and includes impounded-car release if required by that force’s policy. Once verified, the police can approve the release even if the MID record is still pending.

However, this step can only happen during office hours when the insurer’s verification team is available. If you attend the pound in the evening or at a weekend, and the insurer can’t be reached, release may have to wait until the next working day.

How to avoid delays

To ensure smooth release, check the following before visiting the pound:

• Confirm that your new insurance policy has been uploaded to the MID, or that the insurer provides same-day updates.
• Bring the full insurance certificate showing your name, vehicle registration, and policy start time.
• Print or save a PDF copy in case there’s a network issue at the pound.
• Attend during working hours if possible, when verification calls can be made.

Even with a valid certificate, staff must see either the record on the database or written confirmation from the insurer before release is authorised.

Final note

Police do check the Motor Insurance Database before releasing any impounded car. If the policy hasn’t appeared yet, release may be delayed until the insurer confirms it directly. Using a specialist impound insurance provider that updates the MID immediately can save time and help avoid extra storage costs while waiting for verification.

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.