It is an offence to abandon a vehicle and such vehicles may be removed and disposed of by the local authority.
Abandoned Vehicles
Legal Responsibilities
Abandoning a vehicle in Ireland constitutes an offence under the Waste Management Act 1996 (Section 71).
A vehicle is considered abandoned if it is left in such circumstances or for such period that it is reasonable to assume that the vehicle has been abandoned.
Local authorities are empowered to remove, store and, where necessary, dispose of such vehicles. After a prescribed notice period (generally four to six weeks), ownership may transfer to the local authority if the registered owner does not reclaim the vehicle. During this process, the registered owner (if traceable) is liable for all costs associated with removal, storage and disposal.
In certain circumstances An Garda Síochána may also direct the removal of a vehicle under the Road Traffic (Removal, Storage and Disposal of Vehicles) Regulations.
How to Report an Abandoned Vehicle
Members of the public who encounter a suspected abandoned vehicle should report the matter to our Waste Management Section.
Please provide, where possible, the vehicle’s registration number, make and model, precise location (including Eircode), an estimate of how long it has remained in place, and supporting photographs.
Report an Abandoned VehicleIf you wish to scrap your vehicle, or are not exchanging it as part of a sale/trade-in, you are required by law to deposit your car with a vehicle End-of-Life recycling facility (authorised treatment facility) for recycling. Our End of Life Vehicles page contains the necessary information for this process.
