# The Removal, Storage and Disposal of Motor Vehicles Timeframes (Amendment) Regulations 2026 S.I. 2026/704 · made 29 June 2026 These Regulations amend regulations 4 and 7 of the Police (Retention and Disposal of Motor Vehicles) Regulations 2002, regulations 4 and 7 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (Retention and Disposal of Seized Motor Vehicles) Regulations 2005 and regulations 4 and 6 of the Police (Retention and Disposal of Vehicles) Regulations 1995. Made under: Police Reform Act 2002 (Section 60, Section 105, Contents); Road Traffic Act 1988 (Section 165B, Contents, Section 195); Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 (Section 67, Contents) PDFs: Printed copy https://openlegislation.uk/removal-storage-and-disposal-of-motor-vehicles-timeframes-amendment-regulations-2026/pdf/uksi_20260704_en.pdf; UK Explanatory Memorandum https://openlegislation.uk/removal-storage-and-disposal-of-motor-vehicles-timeframes-amendment-regulations-2026/pdf/uksiem_20260704_en_001.pdf ## Introductory text POLICE ROAD TRAFFIC Made 29th June 2026 Laid before Parliament 1st July 2026 Coming into force 22nd July 2026 The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 60 and 105 (4) of the Police Reform Act 2002, section 165B of the Road Traffic Act 1988, sections 67 (3) and 67 (5) of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. In accordance with section 195 (2) of the Road Traffic Act 1988, before making these Regulations the Secretary of State has consulted with such representative organisations as she thinks fit. ## Part 1: General ## 1 Citation, commencement and extent (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Removal, Storage and Disposal of Motor Vehicles Timeframes (Amendment) Regulations 2026. (2) These Regulations come into force on 22nd July 2026, but do not apply to vehicles seized or removed before that date. (3) Parts 1 and 3 of these Regulations extends to England and Wales and Scotland. (4) Parts 2 and 4 of these Regulations extends to England and Wales only. ## Part 2: Amendment of the Police (Retention and Disposal of Motor Vehicles) Regulations 2002 ## 2 Amendment of the Police (Retention and Disposal of Motor Vehicles) Regulations 2002 The Police (Retention and Disposal of Motor Vehicles) Regulations 2002 are amended in accordance with this Part. ## 3 Amendment of regulation 2 In regulation 2, omit the definition of “working days”. ## 4 Amendment of regulation 4 In regulation 4, in paragraph (3) (c), for “7 working days” substitute “7 days”. ## 5 Amendment of regulation 7 In regulation 7— (a) in paragraph (2) (a), for “14 days” substitute “7 days”; (b) in paragraph (2) (c), for “7 working days” substitute “7 days”. ## Part 3: Amendment of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (Retention and Disposal of Seized Motor Vehicles) Regulations 2005 ## 6 Amendment of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (Retention and Disposal of Seized Motor Vehicles) Regulations 2005 The Road Traffic Act 1988 (Retention and Disposal of Seized Motor Vehicles) Regulations 2005 are amended in accordance with this Part. ## 7 Amendment of regulation 2 In regulation 2, omit the definition of “working days”. ## 8 Amendment of regulation 4 In regulation 4, in paragraph (4)(c) for “7 working days” substitute “7 days”. ## 9 Amendment of regulation 7 In regulation 7— (a) in paragraph (2) (a), for “14 days” substitute “7 days”; (b) in paragraph (2) (c), for “7 working days” substitute “7 days”. ## Part 4: Amendment of the Police (Retention and Disposal of Vehicles) Regulations 1995 ## 10 Amendment of the Police (Retention and Disposal of Vehicles) Regulations 1995 The Police (Retention and Disposal of Vehicles) Regulations 1995 are amended in accordance with this Part. ## 11 Amendment of regulation 4 In regulation 4, in paragraph (3)(c), for “21 days” substitute “7 days”. ## 12 Amendment of regulation 6 In regulation 6, in paragraph (5)(a), for “3 months” substitute “7 days”. ## Signature Sarah Jones Minister of State Home Office 29th June 2026 ## Explanatory note (This note is not part of the Regulations) These Regulations amend regulations 4 and 7 of the Police (Retention and Disposal of Motor Vehicles) Regulations 2002, regulations 4 and 7 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (Retention and Disposal of Seized Motor Vehicles) Regulations 2005 and regulations 4 and 6 of the Police (Retention and Disposal of Vehicles) Regulations 1995. These Regulations shorten the time frames to enable the disposing of vehicles at the end of 7 days from seizure and/or when a notice to collect is given. Where regulations previously gave 7 working days, they now give 7 days. Where the timeframes were previously 14 days, 21 days and 3 months, each is now compressed to 7 days. These Regulations also remove the definition of “working days” from the Police (Retention and Disposal of Motor Vehicles) Regulations 2002 and the Road Traffic Act 1988 (Retention and Disposal of Seized Motor Vehicles) Regulations 2005. A full impact assessment has not been prepared because the effect on costs for business, the voluntary sector and the public sector is not expected to exceed the relevant threshold. An economic note detailing the effect this instrument will have on the costs of business and the public sector is published alongside this instrument on www.legislation.gov.uk and hard copies are available from the Home Office, 2 Marsham Street, SW1P 4DF. --- Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/704 (the official version) Page: https://openlegislation.uk/removal-storage-and-disposal-of-motor-vehicles-timeframes-amendment-regulations-2026 Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.