How much does it cost in total?
The total is the statutory release fee, plus storage for every day the car is held, plus the insurance you need to release it — and tax if it's untaxed. Here's how the standard government-set charges stack up:
| Charge | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Release fee | £192 | One-off; more for larger, heavier or damaged vehicles |
| Daily storage | £26 / day | From noon the day after seizure, per day or part day |
| Release insurance | Varies | Specialist policy that permits release — separate cost |
| Tax (if untaxed) | Varies | Tax it before release, or pay a refundable surety |
| Disposal fee | £96 | Only if you give the car up instead of reclaiming it |
What is the release fee?
The standard release (recovery) fee for a car or light van is £192. It rose from £150 in April 2023 and is set by government regulations, not by the police or the pound. Larger, heavier or badly damaged vehicles — or ones that were difficult to recover — cost more. It's a one-off charge payable before the car is released. The government consulted during 2025 on raising these statutory charges again — no decision has been announced yet, so the figures could rise. The same fees apply to a light van: if yours is a work van, our van insurance guide explains cover for getting it back on the road.
How much is daily storage?
Storage is £26 per day (or part of a day), and the clock starts at 12 noon on the day after the car was seized. It keeps running until you collect the vehicle or formally give it up. This is the cost that punishes delay: leave the car a week and you've added well over £150 in storage alone, on top of the £192 release fee.
What other costs might you face?
Depending on your situation, expect some of these on top:
- Tax: if the car is untaxed you must tax it before release, or pay a refundable surety (around £160 for a car or light van), reclaimable if you tax it and show proof within the time limit.
- New-keeper paperwork: if the V5C isn't in your name you may need a V62 and a £25 fee.
- Recovery: if the car isn't road-legal you'll need to pay a recovery operator to transport it.
- Release insurance: the specialist policy needed to get the car out, covered in our impounded car insurance guide.
What does it cost if you give up the car?
If the car isn't worth the fees, you can disclaim it — give up ownership. You then avoid the release fee and accrued storage, but you may have to pay a £96 disposal charge for a car or light van (sometimes waived). You'll get nothing for the vehicle even if it has value, and you remain liable for any fines linked to the offence that caused the seizure. For a cheap or damaged car this can be the sensible choice; for a valuable one, paying to release it is usually better.
How do you keep the cost down?
Three things make the biggest difference: act immediately to stop storage charges mounting; sort your release insurance before you travel so you don't waste a day on a refused policy; and tax the car online in advance if it's untaxed, so you avoid the surety deposit. Get all three lined up and you can often collect the car the same day, at the lowest possible cost.