“It’s right to review these fees so they’re fair,” Justice Minister Naomi Long said when launching the consultation last year. With the Statutory Rule now signed on 15 October 2025 and taking effect on Monday 10 November, Northern Ireland will uplift what drivers pay when a vehicle is seized for no insurance.

The change amends Regulation 6 of the 2008 Retention and Disposal of Seized Motor Vehicles Regulations, the bit that sets removal and daily storage charges. It applies to vehicles seized on or after 10 November 2025; earlier seizures stay on the old rates. The instrument is published on legislation.gov.uk.

For most private cars, the headline numbers are easy to grasp. A straightforward on‑road, upright recovery moves from £150 to about £192. If the car isn’t upright or is substantially damaged, the removal charge rises from £250 to roughly £320. Off‑road but upright climbs from £200 to around £256; off‑road and not upright moves from £300 to about £384. These figures track the Department of Justice’s consulted uplift of roughly 28 percent.

Light commercials (3.5–7.5 tonnes) see similar shifts. An on‑road but not‑upright recovery goes from £650 to about £832, while an off‑road and not‑upright job rises from £850 to around £1,088. The precise sums are set out by vehicle weight and condition in the Statutory Rule.

Heavy goods recoveries escalate fastest because charges scale with weight and whether the vehicle is laden. In complex scenarios, fees that were £4,500–£6,000 move to roughly £5,763–£7,684. For mid‑range trucks (7.5–18 tonnes) off‑road but upright, unladen and laden rates settle around £1,281 and £1,921 respectively.

Storage is also changing. Daily charges shift from £10 to £13 for two‑wheeled vehicles, £20 to £26 for cars and small vans, £25 to £32 for 3.5–7.5 tonnes, £30 to £38 for 7.5–18 tonnes and £35 to £45 for vehicles over 18 tonnes.

Owners should expect the usual release conditions to apply: prove valid insurance and a driving licence at the police station named on the seizure notice, and pay removal and storage before the vehicle is released. Vehicles not claimed within the timeframe set out in the notice can be disposed of. These rules are unchanged from the 2008 regulations.

The Department of Justice says the uplift brings Northern Ireland into line with the updated approach already taken in Great Britain. England and Wales raised equivalent statutory fees in April 2023.

A practical note for drivers and small fleets: make sure your policy shows on the Motor Insurance Database. The PSNI and DVA rely on MID checks; updates can take a few days to appear, so if you’ve just switched insurer, confirm your details are on the system and use AskMID to check before you drive.

This Statutory Rule sits alongside a companion regulation made the same week that also uplifts charges when vehicles are seized for careless or inconsiderate driving or illegal off‑road use under separate powers. Both measures aim to keep recovery work viable while reinforcing enforcement against uninsured and nuisance driving.

For cross‑border travellers, enforcement has tightened to the south as well. In 2024 the Gardaí seized 18,676 uninsured vehicles after rolling out a live insurance database, a reminder that insurance status is checked quickly at the roadside on both sides of the border.