Clamping a protected vehicle
Certain vehicles cannot lawfully be clamped, and if yours falls into one of these groups the clamp must be removed at no cost to you. The protected categories are: vehicles displaying a valid disabled person's parking permit (blue badge or equivalent); ambulances; emergency service vehicles; and any other types of vehicle that the relevant authority has specifically listed as exempt. Protection also applies if you — the driver or keeper — were in the process of moving the vehicle at the very moment it was clamped.
Legal basis
Vehicle Clamping Act 2015 s.14.
How to identify this in your case
Photograph the disabled permit displayed on the dashboard at clamping. Hospital ID for ambulance. ID for emergency services. Or: dashcam showing vehicle in motion when 'clamped'.
Sample appeal wording
To: [Operator] Re: Clamping at [LOCATION] on [DATE] The vehicle was prohibited from being clamped under s.14 VCA 2015. [SELECT] - Vehicle was displaying a valid disabled person's parking permit (number [X], holder [NAME]). Photograph enclosed. - Vehicle is registered as an ambulance (cert. enclosed). - Vehicle is an emergency service vehicle in performance of duty. - Vehicle was in the process of moving / loading / unloading and was not stationary unattended. Clamping was unlawful. I require: 1. Full refund of release fee EUR [AMOUNT]. 2. Compensation for distress and inconvenience. 3. Confirmation no further action. If not received within 14 days, I will lodge complaints with the NTA, the Garda Siochana (s.14 is a criminal offence), and pursue civil proceedings. Yours faithfully, [NAME]
Replace [PARKING DATE], [NtK DATE] etc. with your own dates before sending.
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