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Clamping

Wheel clamping is designed to prevent vehicles from being mobile. A wheel clamp, also known as a wheel boot or shoe surrounds the wheel of the car to prevent the car from being driven.

A wheel-clamping device can be put on a vehicle if it is parked improperly on public parking land or if it is untaxed and on a public road.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) uses automatic number plate recognition cameras to spot untaxed vehicles on English roads. It can be very expensive to remove the device from your car, but if left unpaid, the DVLA has the authority to tow cars away.

Clamping, blocking or towing away a car parked on private land is illegal unless you have lawful authority. But you do not need to accept nuisance parking. Book a free, no-obligation consultation with us and we may be able to solve your car park problems in 2-8 weeks, legally and at no cost to you.

Book a free, no-obligation consultation

Is Clamping Illegal?

It is illegal to clamp, block or tow away a car parked on private land or property unless you have lawful authority. Lawful authorities are only considered to be organisations such as the police, DVLA and local authorities. Lawful authorities have the power to clamp a car if the vehicle is improperly parked or untaxed.

No private organisation can clamp a vehicle.

If you clamp your own vehicle to prevent theft, this would not be considered an offence.

DVLA Clamping Rules

The DVLA will act when a vehicle is parked illegally on public land, contravening parking restrictions or causing an obstruction. Your car might also be removed from a public road by the Fines/ Civil Enforcement Officers if you have not paid a number of fines.

Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) enforcement officers can also clamp or tow cars when a vehicle is considered dangerous to other road users.

Local authorities also have the legal right to clamp vehicles and tow them away if the driver does not have car tax or insurance. If a car is causing a hazard or has been abandoned, they are likely to remove it from the road rather than clamping it. Blue badge holders issued to disabled drivers or passengers should not be clamped.

If you have been legally clamped by one of the Authorised Bodies, follow the instructions attached to the vehicle to pay a fee to get the clamping device removed. You might be asked to pay over the phone or be given a period of around 14 days. Do not try to attempt to forcibly remove the wheel clamp yourself, as you might be prosecuted for criminal damage.

DVLA Clamping rules on Private Land

Wheel clamping on private land by a private company is illegal. Under some circumstances, and only with good reason, the police, the DVLA or the local authority can instruct for a car to be clamped by a private company on their behalf.

Private landowners, such as home or business owners, can issue parking fines if cars are parked illegally on their property, but they cannot legally clamp cars.

If you are a private landowner and would like to prevent unauthorised parking or nuisance parking on your premises, please explore our car park management services:

Advice on Wheel Clamping for Private Landowners

As a landowner with private parking space, you might feel annoyed by unauthorised vehicles using your car park and taking away the spaces designated for your staff and visitors. Car clamping by private companies is illegal in the UK, so if you are looking for effective car park management solutions, this is not a viable option.

However, there are a number of other solutions out there, such as electronic barriers and pay stations that can help clamp down (no pun intended) on illegally parked vehicles on your property. Having the ability to charge vehicle owners for their use of the car park can inject some extra profit into your business, which can be put to other uses. Staff and visitors can be issued with parking permits that will exempt them from paying, ensuring that your car park is well managed and giving you the powers to issue fines to those drivers who do not comply with the rules.

Who we help

We’re the trusted UK car parking management company for businesses in every sector, including leisure, hospitality, retail parks, restaurants, the NHS, hotels and more:

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You don’t need to do anything, we take care of every aspect

Running a successful business and managing your car park effectively at the same time can prove frustrating and stressful. Some drivers will always try to take advantage of parking spaces, no matter which area you are located in. At Creative Car Park, we take the stress out of parking management by providing bespoke parking solutions to meet your personal and business needs.

Speak to one of our advisors today to see how we could help you! Call us on 0333 242 5529 or contact us online.

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We provide expert car park management solutions for individuals and businesses across the UK. Contact us via telephone, email or simply fill in the contact form below.
We will be more than happy to provide advice, guidance and solutions to any problems or queries you may have.

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