Report an abandoned vehicle

If you believe a vehicle has been abandoned and it's something we can investigate (see table below), you can report it to us.

Please note, a vehicle must be left in the same place for 6 weeks or more before we will consider further investigation. 

Before you report an abandoned vehicle

There may be legitimate reasons why a car has been left somewhere, for example:

  • The owners are visiting a relative
  • The owners are sick or in hospital
  • The owners are on holiday
  • The vehicle has broken down
  • The owner doesn’t have a need to use the vehicle at present (in these circumstances, so long as the vehicle is taxed, has an MOT and is legally parked, no further action would be taken).

If you suspect the vehicle is stolen or has been set on fire

Burnt out vehicles will normally relate to a crime, whether that’s the theft of the vehicle or criminal damage by burning it. In those cases the police would need to attend the scene to confirm the identity of the vehicle and begin an investigation.

If you know the vehicle has been involved in theft or criminal damage, please contact Greater Manchester Police (external link).

How we decide if a vehicle is abandoned

When you report an abandoned vehicle, we will firstly determine if the vehicle meets the abandoned vehicle criteria in the table below to help us decide if we can investigate. This may involve a site visit by an inspector.

Can we investigate?
What we CAN investigateWhat we CANNOT investigate
It's stationary in the same place for 6 weeks or more It's untaxed - this should be reported to the DVLA (external link)
It has no keeper on the DVLA database AND is untaxed - check if the vehicle is untaxed online (external link) No current MOT - this should be reported to the Greater Manchester Police (external link)
It’s significantly damaged, run down or unroadworthy e.g. flat tyres, missing wheels or broken windows It’s burned out or you suspect or know it's been stolen - this should be reported to the Greater Manchester Police (external link)
A number plate is missing The only issue is inconsiderate or illegal parking - please visit our problem parking pages for further guidance
It has become the target of vandalism or anti-social behaviour  
There is rubbish or waste inside the vehicle.  

How do I report it?

When you report an abandoned vehicle, please try to provide the following details:

  • Registration number of vehicle (if there is a number plate)
  • Make, model and colour of vehicle
  • Precise location of vehicle
  • Approximately how long the vehicle has been there for.

There are 2 ways to report an abandoned vehicle: