Abandoned, stolen or written-off vehicles

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:

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: