The Vehicle Impoundment Program

If you’re driving a vehicle while disqualified or while your driver’s licence is suspended, the vehicle may be impounded.

Vehicle impoundment is based on the actions of the driver. The vehicle that you’re driving at the time of the occurrence is the one that will be impounded, even if it’s not your vehicle.

Note: The licence plates on an impounded vehicle can’t be cancelled or transferred to another vehicle.

A vehicle will be impounded if one of the following situation applies:

• the driver is disqualified or suspended from driving
• the driver hasn’t renewed a driver’s licence after completing a suspension period
• the driver is driving without a valid licence – if the driver has been convicted for driving without a licence in the last 5 years

A vehicle won’t be impounded if suspensions result from either:

• the driver defaulting on repayment of money owed to SGI as a result of an uninsured vehicle collision
• returned cheques
• unpaid parking fines

Length of impoundment

The vehicle will be impounded for:

• 30 days – driver’s first occurrence
• 60 days – driver’s second occurrence within a 2-year time period

Costs of impoundment

Towing fees:

For vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of 5,500 kg or less that are seized, impounded and stored in:

• Regina or Saskatoon – $50
• outside Regina or Saskatoon – $45 + $1.75 per loaded km

For vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of more than 5,500 kg that are seized, impounded and stored in:

• Regina or Saskatoon – $100
• outside Regina or Saskatoon – $75 + $2.25 per loaded km

Storage fees for all types of vehicles:

• $5 per day at all compounds

Miscellaneous fees garage keepers can assess:

• winching or dolly costs when required to transport a vehicle – up to $25
• returning plates from abandoned vehicles to SGI – $4
• towing abandoned vehicles to auction – cost can’t exceed the original towing fees

Getting the vehicle back

At the end of the impoundment term, or after early release has been granted, you must buy a ‘Vehicle Impoundment Release Certificate.’ The certificate is $50 and is available at any SGI motor licence issuer.

Take the certificate to the garage where the vehicle is impounded to have it released. All towing and storage charges must be paid to the garage keeper before the vehicle can be released.

Applying for early release

You can apply for early release of the impounded vehicle based in the following situations:

• The vehicle owner reported the vehicle stolen.
• The owner couldn’t have reasonably known of the driver’s disqualification.
• The driver couldn’t have reasonably known of his/her own disqualification. The continued impoundment could pose a serious threat to the health of any person.
• The continued impoundment could pose extreme hardship for person(s) other than the driver.
• The 60-day impoundment term should have been 30 days.

To apply for early release:

1. Pick up an ‘Application for Early Release’ form at any SGI motor licence issuer after paying a $100 application fee.
2. A telephone hearing will be set up with the Highway Traffic Board within 3 days.
3. Results of the hearing – whether or not the vehicle will be released early – will be provided by telephone.
4. If the application for early release is successful, $50 of the $100 application fee will go towards the ‘Vehicle Impoundment Release Certificate’ and $50 will be refunded.

Abandoned vehicles

If a vehicle isn’t picked up 15 days after the end of the impoundment period:

• The garage keeper can apply to SGI to sell the vehicle.
• If sale of the vehicle doesn’t cover towing and storage costs, we’ll cancel the vehicle’s licence plates and apply the refund towards these costs.
• If costs still aren’t covered, we’ll apply a receivable to the vehicle owner’s file. The vehicle owner won’t be able to buy a driver’s licence or licence plates for any other vehicle until the receivable is paid.

For more information about the Vehicle Impoundment Program, call our Customer Service Centre at 1-800-667-9868.