Abandoned and stolen vehicles
If you want to report or move an abandoned or stolen vehicle, you must follow the steps below.
Report a stolen vehicle
To report a stolen vehicle, call the police on 131 444. If a crime is happening now, you should call 000.
You can get the contact information for individual police stations on the NT Police website.
Report or move an abandoned vehicle
The process for reporting or removing a vehicle depends on where it is located.
If found in a public place, you must contact the relevant competent authority.
Competent authority
A competent authority is a person or organisation that is legally authorised to remove a vehicle.
For example, if a vehicle has been abandoned on:
- council property - you must contact your local council
- Aboriginal land - you must contact the land council in that area.
The Motor Vehicle Registry (MVR) is not responsible for removing abandoned vehicles and can't give legal advice.
What you need to do
To find out what you need to do, answer the questions below.
e.g. council property or Aboriginal land
Towed and impounded vehicles
In the Northern Territory (NT), a vehicle can be removed if it’s found abandoned on a road or road reserve.
This can be done by a police officer or competent authority under the Traffic Regulations 1999.
A competent authority is a person or organisation that is authorised to remove a vehicle under the Traffic Act 1987.
If you notice an abandoned vehicle, you can report it.
Find your vehicle
If your vehicle is not where you left it, it might have been towed.
The authority responsible for towing it depends on where the vehicle was left.
Government roads
Find a list of advertised vehicles below that:
- have been removed from road reserves managed by the NT Government
- haven’t been traced back to the owner.
Each vehicle has an advertisement period of 14 days.
You must contact your local Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics (DIPL) office within this period, if you:
- are the owner
- have any information about a vehicle's owner.
After the advertisement period, the vehicle will be disposed of.
Advertised vehicles
Check the list below.
Region | Make or model | Registration no. | VIN no. | Removed date | Remove date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Darwin | Boat and trailer missing 1 wheel | - | - | 29/01/2024 | 16/02/2024 |
DARWIN | Diahatsu Terios | WA 1DUU840 | - | 6/09/2023 | 26/09/2023 |
Darwin | Ford Falcon Sedan | - | - | 1/09/2023 | 2/11/2023 |
Darwin | Ford Mondeo | NT CC74VU | WF0XXGBBECK181131 | 19/12/2023 | 19/01/2024 |
Darwin | Ford falcon Station Wagon | QLD 831 GA2 | 6FPAAAJGWA5R72667 | 6/12/2023 | 23/12/2023 |
Darwin | Great wall | WA 1HLJ881 | - | 27/03/2024 | 17/04/2024 |
DARWIN | Holden ASTRA | NT CF 13 EM | WOLOTGF48Y5307835 | 20/07/2023 | 11/08/2023 |
Darwin | Holden Astra | - | - | 6/09/2023 | 26/09/2023 |
Darwin | Holden Barina Hatch | - | W0L0SBF08Y4282849 | 9/01/2024 | 8/02/2024 |
Darwin | Holden Capyiva | - | KL3DA26U9FB054638 | 4/07/2023 | 22/07/2023 |
Tennant Creek | Holden Commodore | NA | 6G1ZK52825L326221 | 7/02/2024 | 1/03/2024 |
Darwin | Holden Commodore | NT CF05CU | 6G1EK54788L100809 | 9/11/2023 | 29/11/2029 |
Darwin | Holden Commodore | NT CE 72 GJ | 6G1Z184B051444540 | 18/10/2023 | 2/11/2023 |
Darwin | Holden Cruze | NT CA52 VL | 6G1PE5EXBL56208 | 28/02/2024 | 15/03/2024 |
Darwin | Holden commodore | NT CD50RX | 6D8VTL69HYL512291 | 9/02/2024 | 1/03/2024 |
Darwin | Honda Jazz | NT CC 07 VQ | JHMGD19305S272023 | 3/08/2023 | 1/09/2023 |
Darwin | Hyundai getz | - | - | 10/10/2023 | 2/11/2023 |
Darwin | Hyundai getz | NT CB 30 EG | KMHBT51AR5U317863 | 14/03/2024 | 29/03/2024 |
Darwin | Jeep Cherikee | NT CE 51 IX | 1J8GM58K92W306225 | 1/06/2023 | 20/08/2023 |
Darwin | Kia Sportage | NT CA 94 EY | KNAPB811MD7434858 | 25/03/2024 | 12/04/2024 |
Darwin | Landrover Discovery | NT CC 309 GO | SALLJGMF7MA086870 | 1/09/2023 | 2/11/2023 |
Darwin | Mazda | - | - | 18/03/2024 | 2/04/2024 |
Darwin | Mazda 121 | NT CD 41MM | JM0DW105100116014 | 22/06/2023 | 22/07/2023 |
Darwin | Mazda 3 | NT CF 00 EF | JM0BK10F100126567 | 12/07/2023 | 1/09/2023 |
Darwin | Mazda 3 | NT 967 081 | JM0GG100104664 | 25/07/2024 | 12/04/2024 |
Darwin | Mazda 3 | QLD 083 DR8 | - | 25/10/2023 | 13/11/2023 |
Darwin | Mazda 3 | NT CF 28 MK | JM0BK10200329791 | 25/03/2024 | 12/04/2024 |
Darwin | Mazda 3 | - | - | 18/03/2024 | 2/04/2024 |
DARWIN | Mazda 6 | WA HOQ883 | WOLOTGF48Y5307835 | 12/07/2023 | 11/08/2023 |
Darwin | Mazda hatch | NT CB 44 FE | JM0GH1051001033600 | 15/09/2023 | 2/11/2023 |
Darwin | Mitsubishi Challenger | NT CE20JS | JMFORK6302J001100 | 18/12/2023 | 18/01/2024 |
Darwin | Mitsubishi Lancer | QLD 342ZQB | JMFSNC2AWU000764 | 9/01/2024 | 25/02/2024 |
Tennant Creek | Mitsubishi Magna Sedan | NT CC44QF | 6MDB4S417T023963 | 7/02/2024 | 1/03/2024 |
Darwin | Nissan | - | - | 13/10/2023 | 23/12/2023 |
Darwin | Nissan ??? | QLD 332CJ9 | - | 14/11/2023 | 29/11/2023 |
Tennant Creek | Nissan Pathfinder | NSW YDT83D | 5N1DR2MM1HC673482 | 9/02/2024 | 1/03/2024 |
Darwin | Nissan Pulsar | NT CE 60 JY | JN1CBAN16A059286 | 24/08/2023 | 2/11/2023 |
Darwin | Nissan Pulsar | NT 519-648 | JN1BCAN15A0507335 | 1/09/2023 | 26/09/2023 |
Darwin | Nissan Pulsar | NT CE 60 NJ | JN1CBAN16A0509286 | 24/08/2023 | 16/09/2023 |
Darwin | Range Roaver | VIC 1XC6XF | - | 14/11/2023 | 29/11/2023 |
Darwin | Rangerover Discovery | NT CC 90 GO | SALLJGF7MA086870 | 1/09/2023 | 26/09/2023 |
Darwin | Subaru Forester | NT CE 81 KR | JF2SG9KKG067215 | 22/08/2023 | 16/09/2023 |
Darwin | Subaru Forrester | NT CE 81 KR | JF2SQ9KK46G067215 | 21/08/2023 | 2/11/2023 |
Darwin | Subaru Outback | NT 753-550 | JF2BP9KLA6G040019 | 7/07/2023 | 24/07/2023 |
Darwin | Suzuki | NT CB09PF | JSAFJB43V00575263 | 20/06/2023 | 1/07/2023 |
Darwin | Suzuki Carry | NT CF 36 KL | 6ZZM00DA16T603931 | 12/10/2023 | 2/11/2023 |
Darwin | Toyota Camry | NT CD94FE | 6T153BK360X077364 | 5/07/2023 | 22/07/2023 |
Darwin | Toyota Camry | NT CA56VF | 6T172K1009322251 | 6/12/2023 | 23/12/2023 |
Darwin | Toyota Camry | NSW NIK44A | - | 9/03/2024 | 27/03/2024 |
Darwin | Toyota Camry | NT CE 72 MV | 6T153BK360X026826 | 9/10/2023 | 2/11/2023 |
Darwin | Toyota Camry station Wagon | NT CF56VF | 6T172K1009322251 | 6/12/2023 | 3/01/2023 |
Darwin | Toyota Hilux | NT 61 PR | MR0FZ22G801204174 | 10/11/2023 | 29/11/2023 |
Darwin | Toyota Landcruiser | NT CE70ZG | JT711PJ8008014442 | 7/07/2023 | 24/07/2023 |
Darwin | Toyota prado | VIC TEP 174 | JTEBY99J900166837 | 26/05/2023 | 27/07/2023 |
Darwin | Toyoya LandCrusier | NT CE 30VZA | JT31PJ7508544826 | 9/06/2023 | 17/07/2023 |
Darwin | VW Eos | WD 1DYY116 | - | 23/08/2023 | 16/09/2023 |
Darwin | VW passat | QLD 387MSY | WWVWZZZ3CZAE077604 | 24/08/2023 | 16/09/2023 |
Darwin | toyota Rav 4 | NT CA 54 IL | JTEHH20V200219296 | 20/10/2023 | 2/11/2023 |
Council roads
If you can't find your vehicle in the list above, it may have been left on a council road or road reserve.
Check the below council websites:
- Alice Springs Town Council website
- Darwin:
- Katherine Town Council website
- Tennant Creek - contact the Barkly Regional Council by:
- calling 08 8962 0000
- emailing reception@barkly.nt.gov.au.
Claiming your vehicle
Before you can claim your vehicle, you must pay the release fee.
This fee includes towing costs, which are based on the:
- location of the vehicle
- associated costs that the department has incurred.
The owner of the vehicle can get more information about the fee at the time of enquiry.
Damage during towing
Care is always taken when removing vehicles.
However, an officer is not liable for any damage they cause when entering or moving the vehicle.
Contact
For more information or to claim your vehicle, call your local DIPL office: