Driver's Licence

To Reclaim Your Vehicle

Before expiry of the 30-day impoundment period
An owner who meets certain conditions may recover his or her vehicle only after receiving authorization from the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec or on the order of a Court of Québec judge.

To do so, the vehicle owner must:

• Fill out an Application for Vehicle Release from Seizure (PDF: 141 Kb - 1 page) available in any SAAQ service outlet.
  or
• Present a motion of release from seizure before the Court of Québec;

Once an application is granted, the owner presents the SAAQ's authorization to the pound custodian and recovers the vehicle on payment of towing and impoundment charges. In the case of a court order, the owner must show the judgment.

At the end of the 30-day seizure and impoundment period
The owner must contact the custodian of the pound where his or her vehicle has been impounded to schedule an appointment. He or she may then go to the pound to pay the towing and impoundment charges. The owner must reclaim his or her vehicle within 10 days of the end of the seizure period.

When you reclaim your vehicle, your driver's licence must be valid. If the vehicle is prohibited from road use, it will have to be towed at the owner's expense.

What happens if the owner fails to reclaim his or her vehicle within ten days of the end of the impoundment period?
If the owner does not reclaim his or her vehicle within 10 days of the end of the impoundment period, the SAAQ will take the following actions, depending on the value of the vehicle (based on the wholesale selling price listed in the latest edition of a valuation guide recognized by the SAAQ).

• For a vehicle valued at $2,500 or less
  The SAAQ sends a notice to the vehicle owner and creditors with a claim on the vehicle, at least 5 days in advance. Should the owner fail to come forward following this notice, the SAAQ may remove the vehicle from road use and cede it to the pound as payment for towing and impoundment charges. The vehicle owner remains liable for payment of the SAAQ's expenses before again obtaining driver's licence or vehicle registration services
• For a vehicle valued at over $2,500
  The SAAQ sends a notice to the vehicle owner and to creditors with a claim on the vehicle, at least 10 days in advance. A notice is also published in a local newspaper that circulates in the area of the vehicle owner's home address. If the owner fails to recover the vehicle following these notices, the Société will dispose of the vehicle by sale by auction. Proceeds from the sale will be used to pay for the following:
  1. impoundment and towing charges;
  2. fees incurred by the SAAQ to dispose of the vehicle;
  3. creditors of the vehicle (where applicable);
  4. unpaid fines following violations of the Highway Safety Code or municipal traffic or parking bylaws (where applicable).

  The vehicle owner will receive the remainder of the proceeds (where applicable).

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