Introduction
Handing over the keys isn't the end of the sale. Until the DVLA knows the car has a new keeper, the car stays registered to you, along with any fines and tickets that follow it.
Here's how to tell the DVLA you've sold your car online or by post, what to do if you sold to a trader or have lost the V5C, and what happens once you've done it.
Summary:
- Telling the DVLA is the seller's job. The registered keeper stays responsible until the DVLA is told. Failing to notify it can lead to a fine of up to £1,000.
- The online service is free and quick. Needed are the registration number, the 11-digit reference number from the V5C and the buyer's name and address.
- Trade sales and missing V5Cs follow different routes. A trader fills in the yellow V5C section. Without a V5C the seller must write to the DVLA.
- Vehicle tax is cancelled automatically. The DVLA sends a refund cheque for any full months left. The buyer must tax the car themselves.
- Keep the 11-digit reference number private. The DVLA says it shouldn't be shared, copied or photographed.
Do You Have to Tell the DVLA?
Yes. The registered keeper must tell the DVLA when a car is sold. The duty continues until the DVLA's records are updated. Failing to do so can lead to a fine of up to £1,000.
Until the record changes, speeding tickets, parking fines and tax reminders can still come to you, even when the buyer was responsible.
What You Need
- The vehicle registration number
- The 11-digit document reference number from the V5C
- The buyer's full name and address
- An email address, if confirmation is wanted
Agree the buyer's details with them at handover. Keep a receipt showing the date and price.
How to Tell the DVLA Online
The official service is "Tell DVLA you've sold, transferred or bought a vehicle" on GOV.UK. The DVLA charges nothing for it. Avoid any third-party site that asks for payment.
Choose the right options: The service asks whether you're a motor trader, what you've done with the vehicle and whether you sold privately or to a motor trader.
Enter the vehicle details: Add the registration number and the 11-digit reference number from the front of the V5C.
Add the buyer's details: For a private sale, enter the new keeper's full name and address.
Give your email address: The DVLA sends an email confirmation if you provide one.
Hand over the green slip: Give the buyer the green new keeper slip (V5C/2) so they can tax the car.
If You Sold to a Motor Trader
GOV.UK says to get the trader to fill in the yellow "sell, transfer or part-exchange your vehicle to the motor trade" section of the V5C. Send the perforated section to the DVLA and give the trader the rest of the logbook.
The online service has a separate option for trade sales. A trader can tell the DVLA online with the seller's consent. Notifying the DVLA directly is the safest way to be sure. Destroy the yellow section once you've done so.
Ask the buyer in writing who will notify the DVLA and when. Keep a receipt either way.
If You Don't Have the V5C
The online service needs the 11-digit reference number. Without a V5C the seller must write to the DVLA instead. Include your name and address, the registration number, the make and model, the exact date of sale and the new keeper's or trader's name and address.
Post the letter to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BA. The buyer will need to apply for a V5C using form V62, which costs £25.
If You'd Rather Use the Post
For a private sale, fill in section 2 if you have a new-style logbook (multi-coloured numbered blocks on the front cover) or section 6 on an older one. Give the green new keeper slip to the buyer and post the rest of the V5C to the DVLA.
Online is faster and gives instant email confirmation. The online route is the better choice when the reference number is to hand.
Keeping a Private Number Plate
If you want to keep the registration number, take it off the vehicle before you tell the DVLA. GOV.UK is clear that this step must come first.
What Happens After You Tell the DVLA
- An email confirmation, if you gave your email address
- A letter confirming you're no longer the keeper
- Cancellation of your vehicle tax and of any Direct Debit
- A refund cheque for any full months left, calculated from the date the DVLA gets your information
The cheque goes to the name and address on the V5C. Update the address first if you've moved.
Vehicle tax doesn't transfer with the car. The buyer must tax it before driving it away.
Keep the confirmation email and the DVLA's letter. Both are your evidence if a penalty notice arrives after the sale.
Keep Your V5C Reference Number Safe
The DVLA says the 11-digit reference number is the key to its online services and shouldn't be shared, copied or photographed, in the same way as a credit card number. Never post photos of the V5C in adverts or messages.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Leaving the buyer to tell the DVLA instead of notifying it yourself
- Not recording the buyer's full name and address at handover
- Forgetting to remove a private number plate first
- Paying a third-party site for a free service
- Not keeping the DVLA's confirmation
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When you sell to any trade buyer, confirm who will notify the DVLA and keep your own confirmation. For the full process, see our guide on transferring car ownership in the UK.
Conclusion
Telling the DVLA takes a few minutes and protects you from fines, tax and tickets for a car you no longer own. Use the online service with the 11-digit reference number whenever you can.
Handle trade sales and missing logbooks with the right route. Keep the confirmation as proof.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I tell the DVLA I've sold my car?
Use the free online service on GOV.UK with the vehicle registration number, the 11-digit reference number from the V5C and the buyer's name and address. Posting the relevant V5C section also works.
What do I need to tell the DVLA I've sold my car?
The registration number, the 11-digit reference number from the V5C and the buyer's full name and address. An email address is optional but gives you confirmation.
Can I tell the DVLA online if I sold to a dealer?
Yes. The online service has a separate option for sales to the motor trade. A trader can also notify the DVLA with the seller's consent. Doing it directly is the safest way to be sure.
What if I don't have the V5C?
Write to the DVLA with your name and address, the registration number, the make and model, the exact date of sale and the buyer's or trader's name and address. The online service needs the reference number.
Do I get a refund on my car tax after selling?
Yes. The DVLA cancels your tax and sends a refund cheque for any full months left, calculated from the date it gets your information. Any Direct Debit is cancelled automatically.
What happens if I don't tell the DVLA I've sold my car?
The seller remains the registered keeper and can be fined up to £1,000. Tickets and tax reminders for the car can keep coming to you.