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New Zealand law explained for everyone

Land Transport Act 1998

Motor vehicle registration and licensing - Change of registered person on sale or other disposition

251: Storage of impounded motor vehicles

You could also call this:

“Rules for storing cars taken away by the police”

When a police officer takes away a car under section 249, they decide where to store it. You, as the car owner, have to pay for towing and storing the car. The local council or the place storing the car can ask you to pay these costs.

The rules about paying for towing and storage don’t stop the tow truck company, storage place, or local council from using other rights they might have about your car or against you as the owner.

No one is allowed to take the car out of storage unless the law says they can.

To make sure all of this works properly, the Police Commissioner, someone the Commissioner chooses, or the local council can make agreements with tow truck companies and places that store cars.

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This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM3705383.

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Part 17 Motor vehicle registration and licensing
Change of registered person on sale or other disposition

251Storage of impounded motor vehicles

  1. A motor vehicle seized and impounded under section 249 must be stored as and where the enforcement officer directs.

  2. The owner of the impounded motor vehicle is liable for the fees and charges incurred for towage and storage.

  3. The local authority or storage provider, as the case may be, is entitled to recover the due fees and charges from the owner of the motor vehicle.

  4. Subsections (2) and (3) do not limit or affect any rights that may be exercised by the vehicle recovery service operator, the storage provider, or the local authority against the owner of the motor vehicle, or in respect of the motor vehicle.

  5. No person may remove or release an impounded motor vehicle from storage, unless that is permitted under this Act.

  6. For the purpose of this section, the Commissioner, a person authorised for the purpose by the Commissioner, or a local authority may, as that person thinks necessary, enter into appropriate arrangements with vehicle recovery service operators and storage providers.

Notes
  • Section 251: inserted, on , by section 32(7) of the Land Transport Amendment Act 2009 (2009 No 17).