Tesla Fined in UK for Failing to Identify Drivers in Police Investigations

Tesla has been fined more than £20,000 in the UK after repeatedly failing to identify drivers linked to alleged road traffic offences, according to court records reviewed by the Press Association. The convictions relate to Tesla Financial Services, which has been prosecuted multiple times for not responding to police requests over a two-year period.

Courts convict Tesla Financial Services in multiple cases

Court data shows Tesla Financial Services has been convicted at least 18 times since the start of 2024 for failing to provide driver details when requested by UK police forces. Seventeen of those cases have already been sentenced, while another guilty plea entered last week is scheduled for sentencing at Bath Magistrates’ Court at a later date.

Under UK law, police investigating road traffic offences can require the registered keeper of a vehicle to identify the driver involved. Where vehicles are leased or rented, that responsibility typically falls on the leasing company. Failure to provide the information can itself result in criminal prosecution, separate from the original driving offence, according to the BBC.

In one case cited in court documents, South Wales Police contacted Tesla Financial Services in July 2025 after a Tesla vehicle was recorded travelling at 80 miles per hour on the M4 near Llantrisant, Rhondda Cynon Taf. The driver was not identified, and the company later pleaded guilty to the charge.

Fines imposed after unanswered police correspondence

Court records show that in the South Wales case, Tesla company director Becky Hodgson entered a guilty plea by email in November, stating that the firm had attempted to submit the plea online but encountered technical issues. While admitting the offence, she said Tesla believed it had complied with the police request by sending the driver nomination by post.

Despite that explanation, Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates’ Court convicted Tesla on January 6, issuing a £1,000 fine, £120 in costs, and a £400 victim surcharge.

Additional convictions involve cases brought by Metropolitan Police, Hampshire Constabulary, and Thames Valley Police. In one concluded case, a Tesla vehicle was recorded travelling close to 100 miles per hour on the A3 in Petersfield, Hampshire, but the driver was not identified due to unanswered correspondence.

Across the identified cases, magistrates imposed fines, costs, and court fees totaling £20,686 under the single justice procedure, which handles minor criminal offences. Tesla has been contacted for comment.

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