What Are The Penalties For Littering While Driving?

While tossing a wrapper or cigarette out of your car window might feel like a ‘harmless’ act, littering while driving not only damages the environment, but poses threats to other road users too. And now, littering is under more scrutiny than ever.

New studies have revealed the impact of littering while driving, and conversations are heating up around tougher fines, harsher penalties, and just how enforceable the UK’s litter laws are for motorists. 

In this blog, Kwik Fit’s team unpack the current penalties for littering while driving, the real impact on the planet and people, and the changes that campaigners are calling for to make our roads cleaner and safer for everyone.

Is littering on the rise among drivers?

When you’re driving, how often do you notice litter at the side of the road, being thrown from cars, or blowing along the road itself?  

Recent research from the charity IAM RoadSmart reveals that nearly half of adults said they were more concerned about litter on roadside verges than they were 12 months ago, suggesting that the nation’s drivers are becoming more conscious of the problem. 

But what about the drivers who are actively contributing to the problem? A 2025 study from National Highways revealed that a shocking 31% of 18 to 24-year-olds and 24% of 25 to 34-year-olds admitted to littering on the roadside over the past year. On this, Keep Britain Tidy’s CEO, Allison Ogden-Newton, said: 

Littering is a road safety concern

Throwing litter from a vehicle is not a victimless crime. Aside from the sustained harm that litter causes to wildlife, littering also poses a major threat to the safety of other road users.

IAM RoadSmart’s survey found that drivers are throwing litter and cigarette butts out of their windows as motorcyclists overtake — with 37% of bikers reporting this behaviour in 2024/5. Not only could this cause direct injury, but it could also cause distraction, leading to collisions and accidents - which may prove fatal.

Littering also threatens those who risk their lives when cleaning up roadside verges. Though not everyone would agree. As part of their survey, National Highways reported that 10% of drivers don’t think that people who collect litter from roadsides are taking any risks with their lives.

What are the current laws for littering while driving?

So, what does the law say about littering? And how is it enforced?

Penalty notices

At the time of writing, if a person is caught littering from a vehicle, the registered keeper of that vehicle can be issued with a Littering from Vehicles Penalty Notice (PN) by their local authority. That’s right - it might come as a surprise, but even if you’re not the one throwing the litter, if one of your passengers is caught littering from your car, the fine still comes through the post to you.

This applies to everywhere outside of London. The local authority specifies the amount of the penalty (currently up to £500 and no less than £50). If no amount is specified by the local authority, it will be £100.

The Environmental Protection Act

The penalty notices are enforced in line with the Environmental Protection Act (1990) — specifically sections 88 and 87. Under Section 87, a person is guilty of an offence if they “throw down, drop or otherwise deposit any litter in any place to which this section applies and leave it.” This includes “any public open place” and — crucially — “any relevant highway or relevant road and any trunk road which is a special road”. This rule is also enforced by the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act (2005).

The Highway Code

The Highway Code also condemns throwing litter from a car under Rule 147, stressing the dangers of doing so. Here’s the rule in full:

Should penalties for littering be more severe?

While there are clear laws and penalties for littering while driving, many think that the litter laws are not often enforced as much (or as strictly) as other motoring offences, with local authorities falling under criticism.

Campaigners are now calling on the Government to introduce tougher laws for drivers who litter, increasing fines and threatening penalty points for littering from a vehicle. In a bid for more “draconian” action to be taken, Baroness Warsi and campaign group Clean Up Britain are calling for 3 penalty points for littering motorists, as well as the use of number plate recognition to catch more offenders.

Clean Up Britain’s founder, John Read, is also calling for £1,000 on-the-spot fines for litterers to act as a greater deterrent to drivers still tempted to litter while on the move. In Wales, there is currently no legislation allowing local authorities to punish littering motorists at all.

How to report a car for littering?

Just as the penalties for littering while driving vary from county to county, so too does the process for reporting. Local authorities can enforce this crime at their own discretion, so, if you see a motorist throwing rubbish from their vehicle and you want to report it, you’ll need to check with your local council to see what their reporting system is.

Some councils make it much easier to report litter, like Buckinghamshire Council, while others don’t have any formal reporting process at all.

Respect the roads and those who use them

To keep the UK’s roads clean and safe for all who use them, respect the rules and dispose of your litter responsibly. 

It helps if you can keep your car clean — and we’ve got a complete guide for that.

Keep up to date with all the latest motoring law changes and advice for drivers with the Kwik Fit blog and, if you’ve got any questions about the condition of your vehicle, contact your local Kwik Fit.