Gardaí Seize Nearly 20,000 Uninsured Vehicles in 2025 as Database Proves Effective
Irish police (Gardaí) seized 19,673 vehicles for lack of insurance in 2025, according to a report from the Motor Insurers’ Bureau of Ireland (MIBI). This figure is part of a larger trend, with 38,546 vehicles detained in the first two years since the implementation of the Irish Motor Insurance Database (IMID) system in 2024.
IMID System and Increased Enforcement
The IMID system allows Gardaí to quickly verify a vehicle’s insurance status using automatic number plate recognition technology or mobile devices. The system has significantly streamlined the process of identifying uninsured drivers.
Charges and Summons Issued
Alongside vehicle seizures, Gardaí issued 51,024 charges and summons to drivers found without insurance since 2024. Of these, 25,009 were issued in 2025 alone. The database contains details of 4,589,494 valid driver numbers and 3,646,638 vehicles as of the end of 2025.
Impact of Driver Number Integration
David Fitzgerald, CEO of the MIBI, highlighted the impact of adding driver numbers to the IMID system. He stated that it has effectively eliminated tactics such as presenting fake insurance certificates or claiming mistaken identity. “Every driver number being tied to one specific individual for life” makes such attempts futile, according to Fitzgerald.
Concerns Regarding Fleet Vehicles
Despite the overall success, the MIBI has expressed concern about the compliance of fleet and motor trade vehicles. Thousands of vehicles used by businesses and motor traders are believed to be missing from the National Fleet Database (NFD), a subsection of IMID. The MIBI plans to collaborate with Gardaí and other stakeholders in 2026 to improve compliance within this sector.
National Fleet Database
Currently, 384,247 vehicles are listed on the National Fleet Database. The MIBI estimates that a significant number of fleet vehicles remain unreported, representing a potential legal risk for those owners.
“We hope to work with An Garda Síochána and other IMID stakeholders this year to target that group and to remind all offenders that if you do not meet your legal motor insurance obligations, you face the real risk of being prosecuted, a process that IMID has made easier than ever for the gardaí,” Fitzgerald said.