SafeRoads vehicle Seizure Reviews
You may be able to challenge the seizure through SafeRoads Alberta. Contact us to find out whether a review makes sense in your situation.
A SafeRoads Alberta vehicle seizure can be challenged through a formal review process.
What Is a Vehicle Seizure Review?
When a vehicle is seized in Alberta under an Immediate Roadside Sanction or the Suspended Driver Vehicle Seizure Program, the seizure takes effect immediately. In most cases, the vehicle is towed and held until the seizure period expires.
A vehicle seizure review is a formal process through SafeRoads Alberta that allows you to challenge whether the seizure was properly issued. If the review is successful, SafeRoads will authorize the release of your vehicle from the tow lot.
You can apply for a seizure review at any time before your vehicle’s scheduled release date.
- Call us now: 403-465-1324
Your Situation Determines Your Options
Vehicle seizure reviews fall into two categories depending on your relationship to the vehicle. The grounds for review and what you need to demonstrate are different in each case.
You Were Driving Your Vehicle When It Was Seized
If you were the driver at the time your vehicle was seized, a seizure review examines whether you are able to meet the regulatory requirements for the release of the vehicle. The review is limited in scope and does not consider financial hardship, the inconvenience of losing your vehicle, or your need for transportation. Because the grounds for a successful driver seizure review are narrow, the outcome depends heavily on the specific circumstances of your case.
A consultation can help determine whether a review is likely to be productive, or whether a full IRS appeal may be the stronger path forward.
Your Vehicle Was Seized but You Weren't Driving
If your vehicle was seized while someone else was driving it, you may be eligible for relief as an “affected person.” This is a separate process with its own set of criteria.
The affected person review looks at the circumstances under which your vehicle came to be driven by someone else and whether you took reasonable steps before lending it. The specifics of what you need to demonstrate depend on how the seizure occurred.
If you weren’t behind the wheel when your vehicle was seized, contact us and we can explain exactly what applies in your situation.
- Rajveer Gill“These guys are simply best at their work. They got me out of a one-year licence suspension and to drop serious charges. They really saved me big time.”
What the Review Considers and What It Doesn’t
A vehicle seizure review is strictly regulatory. The adjudicator examines whether the seizure was issued in accordance with the requirements set out in Alberta’s Vehicle Seizure and Removal Regulation.
The review focuses on whether the applicant is able to establish the specific grounds required for the vehicle seizure to be released. These grounds are defined in the regulation and vary depending on your situation. A consultation can help determine whether those grounds may be available in your case.
It’s important to understand that certain arguments are not considered in a seizure review, including:
- You need your vehicle to get to work
- You don’t have the financial means to cover tow lot fees
- You need your vehicle for family or medical transportation
- The seizure is causing you general inconvenience or hardship
This doesn’t mean a review isn’t worth exploring. It means the review is focused on whether the seizure itself was properly issued, not on the impact it’s having on your life. That’s a technical question, and it’s exactly where our experience matters.
You May Have Options.
Find Out if Your Vehicle Seizure Can Be Challenged
A Seizure Review Isn’t the Only Option Available.
Why You Should Also Consider an IRS Appeal.
If your vehicle was seized as part of an Immediate Roadside Sanction, there may be a stronger path available to you.
A full IRS appeal examines whether the entire sanction was issued in accordance with Alberta’s regulatory requirements. If the IRS is cancelled through a successful appeal, all of the consequences that came with it are reversed, including the vehicle seizure and associated costs, licence suspension, financial penalties, and any mandatory reinstatement requirements.
In many cases, the IRS appeal offers a broader and more effective challenge than a seizure review on its own. That’s why we often recommend looking at both options together.
A free consultation is the best way to determine which path, or combination of paths, makes the most sense for your situation.
How the Vehicle Seizure Review Process Works
A Free Consultation to Review Your Options
We review the details of your seizure, including when it happened, whether you were the driver or the vehicle owner, and what type of seizure was issued. From there, we advise on whether a seizure review, an IRS appeal, or both is the right approach.
We Prepare Your Review Application
If a seizure review makes sense in your situation, we prepare the application and gather the supporting documentation needed. Every case is different, so we tailor the submission to the specific grounds that apply to you.
We Submit Your Application to SafeRoads Alberta
Your seizure review is submitted through SafeRoads Alberta on your behalf. We make sure everything is complete, properly documented, and filed before your deadline.
Decision and Next Steps
Once SafeRoads Alberta issues a decision, we notify you of the result and any next steps. If the seizure is cancelled, a release authorization is sent to the tow lot. If upheld, we can discuss whether an IRS appeal is still available as an alternative path.
Not Sure Where to Start? We Are Here To Help.
Vehicle seizures are stressful, and the rules around them aren’t straightforward.
Whether you were the driver or the vehicle owner, a free consultation is the fastest way to find out what options may be available to you.