Hooning

Hooning includes any of the following:

• participating in unauthorised street races and speed trials
• burnouts
• damaging the surface of a road or public place.

If you are seen by a member of the public or caught by police hooning, police can:

• immediately impound or immobilise your vehicle for 48 hours and give you a traffic infringement notice
• act on a written complaint from a member of the public and impound a vehicle for 48 hours and issue a traffic infringement notice.

You will:

• have to cover all costs associated with the removal, transport and storage of your impounded or immobilised vehicle
• not be allowed to cancel or transfer your vehicle registration while your vehicle is impounded.

Hooning: first offence

For a first hooning offence your vehicle will be impounded for 48 hours and kept at a place specified by police.

It may be immobilised through the use of wheel clamps and/or other devices.

You can't remove anything fitted to the vehicle while it is impounded and must not interfere, remove or tamper with any device used to immobilise it.

You will also be fined $220 and receive three demerit points. 

Hooning: second offence

If you are caught hooning again within a two-year period the court can impound your car for a further period of between three to six months. Additional fines and periods of imprisonment will also apply depending on the offence.

It is an offence to sell, strip or otherwise dispose of a vehicle before an impound or forfeiture order is made by a court.

Hooning: third offence

For a third hooning offence the court can forfeit and dispose of your vehicle. Additional fines or periods of imprisonment will also apply depending on the offence. 

Driver not the owner of the vehicle

Police have the authority to reverse a decision to impound a vehicle only if they are satisfied that at the time of the offence the vehicle was one of the following:

• a rental vehicle
• stolen
• used without the authority of its owner.

Anyone whose vehicle has been impounded and believes there is an error should contact NT Police.

Vehicle sold under a current impound or forfeiture order

It is unlikely a person will be sold a vehicle subject to a current impound or forfeiture order.

If the situation does occur you will be unable to transfer the vehicle into your name. Contact NT Police for further information.