Can the police impound your car for no license? Of course, the police can impound your car for driving with no license. Recently, our staff drove the company truck without her license. The police towed the truck and the company spent a little below $380 to recover it from the impound.
Some police officers understand that a driver can forget or misplace their driver’s license. When they stop a driver who is without a license, they’d be considerate. They can request a soft copy of the license in the form of a picture to be sure you are a licensed driver. You just have to be nice and respectful to the cop and do not present a fake driver’s license.
Can the Police Impound Your Car for No License?
The police can impound your car if you have no license. Besides, a license is required by law to drive legally. If you have no driver’s license, the police officer would be doing their job wrong to allow you to drive the car. Moreover, if you can get in touch with a licensed driver or recover your driving license, the cop might allow you to leave with your car.
Alternatively, you can have the tow company tow your car to your residence. To enjoy this liberty, your car must be duly registered. Otherwise, you’d have double questions to answer.
If the police decide to tow your car, they put a Hold on the release of the car. The Hold lasts about 30 days before you can recover the vehicle. You’d also have to prove that you’re the registered owner of the car and there’s active insurance. When the tow yard receives a release of the vehicle from the police or responsible agency in your jurisdiction, they will release the vehicle to you.
Does the Police Impound Your Car Without a Driver’s Licence as a Repeat Offence?
The police do not impound a car you drive without a license for a repeat offense. I.e., your car can be impounded even on a first offense, depending on the officer and circumstances.
Some states will let you go, citing the first-time offender, though. It is illegal for the cop to let you drive away without a license. So, they will have a licensed person drive the car.
You’ll pay the price for going against the law, which demands driving with a valid driver’ license. If you’re a repeat offender, the police officer might not spare you. Some ruthless countries will have you in jail. So, you see, driving without a license is bad. The state wants to be sure that you do not endanger your life and the lives of other road users.
Will the Police Tow Your Car if You’re Caught with a Suspended License?
Yes, the police will tow your car if you have a suspended license. A suspended license means “no license” universally, and it is illegal to drive if your license has been suspended.
Some cops will arrest you while some will cite you. Both are disadvantageous and may result in a driving ban.
Most of the time, the police will have your car towed. The vehicle is towed by a certified tow company or licensed operator.
You may be fortunate to contact a kind police officer. They may permit the licensed person in the car to take over the wheels while citing you minimally. However, you must be nice to the officer. If you attempt to prove your worth during this moment, the officer is forced to tow the vehicle. Of course, you’d pay more to recover it. You can negotiate with the towing company.
If there’s no licensed person to take over the wheel, the car will be moved by a licensed tow operator. The towing company will be good to move your car out of a public roadway. Note that the storage fee is charged daily and the longer your car remains in the impound lot, the more money you’d have to pay to retrieve it. If you do not retrieve your vehicle early, the tow company auctions it.
What if there is No Licenced Driver?
If a registered owner of the car pulled over and found not to have a license, and there’s no licensed person, the car is towed. Typically, a cop can afford to wait between 15-20 minutes. If a licensed person does not show up, you’ll be arrested or provided with a notice to appear for the vehicle to be impounded at the police yard instead of a towing company.
Does Not Having a Licence Warrant the Police to Search Your Car?
It depends on the circumstances. Normally, not having a driver’s license is not the reason cops search your car. But if the police officer has a reason to search your car, he’d inform you.
If you drive a car without a license, the police have it towed after pulling you over. Now, before the vehicle is towed, an inventory search is done to ensure that there are no valuables left in the car.
During the inventory search, if there is evidence of a crime, including unlicensed guns, drugs, etc., you’d be arrested.
Also, being rude to the police officer forces them to search your car, even if you have a valid driver’s license. They’d want to ensure the safety of others by searching your vehicle for illegal possession.
If the police received a criminal report recently, and your vehicle is similar to the reported vehicle, a search would be conducted. The search does not incriminate you, except you possess unlawful items.
Final Thoughts
Some police officers will allow you to contact a licensed person to drive the car. If you forgot your license at home, you may be allowed to have someone bring the license within a short period, typically 15-20 minutes.
Also, if you’re not the registered owner of the car, cops might allow you to inform the registered owner to show up. If the registered owner is out of state, the car will be impounded until the owner returns to prove ownership.
Bernard is the lead driver and force behind his Big Dog Garage Race Team. He is the General Manager and Chief Mechanic of Jay Leno’s Garage. Bernard and his crew of seven are responsible for all repairs, restoration and fabrication of Jay’s incredible automobile and motorcycle collection.
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