How To Inform DVLA I’ve Sold My Car?

If you’ve sold your vehicle, you’ll need to inform the DVLA you’ve done so; otherwise, you’re risking being liable for any violations the new owner might rack up. 

If you’re wondering how to inform the DVLA I’ve sold my car, here’s what you should know.

How To Inform DVLA I’ve Sold My Car

In the UK, drivers are legally required to notify the DVLA of a car sale.

There are two ways that you can tell the DVLA you’ve sold a car: online and by post.

The quickest and easiest way to tell the DVLA that you’ve sold a car is via an online form on the official UK government website. If you’re reporting the sale by post, you’ll need to provide different documents to the DVLA, depending on whether you have your V5C and the type of sale (or transfer). 

Here’s how to do that:

Online

To inform the DVLA that you sold your car online, you’ll need the 11-digit reference number from your log book (V5C) and the full name and address of the new owner. 

When the DVLA processes the information you’ve provided, the agency will transfer the vehicle documents to the new keeper in the DVLA database.

By post

You can tell the DVLA you’ve sold a vehicle by post, though this process usually takes longer. 

To inform the DVLA that the car has a new owner, you’ll need to fill out Sections 6 and 8 of the V5C and post the log book to the agency. 

Without a log book

If you don’t have a V5C, you won’t be able to inform the DVLA of the change in keeper via the online form.

 You’ll need to send in (by post):

• Your name and address
• The name and address of the new owner
• The make and model of the car
• The car registration number
• The date when the sale was made

Transfer (or sale) to dismantler, insurer, or motor trader

If you’re transferring or selling your car to a motor trader, dismantler, or insurer, and you 

Can’t tell the DVLA you sold a car via the online form, you’ll need to send Section 9 of the log book to the DVLA and give the rest of the log book to the buyer.

Taking the vehicle abroad

If the buyer plans to take the vehicle abroad and register it there, you’ll need to tell the DVLA by filling out the ‘permanent export’ section in the log book and sending it to the agency.

Worth noting: Before you sell the vehicle, you need to update your log book to reflect any changes you’ve made to the vehicle or your name and address (if you haven’t already). When you sell the vehicle, you’ll have to give the new owner the ‘new keeper’ slip from your logbook. 

What Happens If I Don’t Tell The DVLA I’ve Sold My Car?

If you fail to inform the DVLA after you sell your car, you’ll remain on record as the responsible keeper of the vehicle for MOT status (so make sure you weren’t caught driving without one), vehicle tax, and insurance. 

What’s more, the agency will hold you accountable for any offences the new owner commits (because the car is registered under your name in the DVLA database) and you can end up facing a fine of up to £1,000 for failing to report the change in ownership to the DVLA.

Telling the DVLA you’ve sold your car also makes sure that the government pays you back what it owes in vehicle tax. If you sold your car but didn’t tell the DVLA, it might affect the vehicle tax that you’ve owed.

How Can I Get a Refund on Road Tax?

You can cancel your vehicle tax by notifying the DVLA that there is a new keeper.

Once the DVLA processes your application, it will refund what you’ve paid for every remaining month within eight weeks.

The DVLA sends refund cheques to the name and address on the log book, which is why it’s important to update your information before you sell the vehicle and tell the DVLA you’ve sold a car. 

Worth noting: If you don’t want to sell your vehicle, but don’t plan to drive it on public roads, you can declare it as SORN, and the DVLA will cancel and refund your vehicle tax.

Bottom Line 

Selling a vehicle is not as simple as handing over the keys to the new owner. In addition to the paperwork, you’ll also have to tell the DVLA that you’ve sold a car. Luckily, the process of informing the DVLA is simple– all you have to do is go to the government’s official website and fill out the online form. You can report the change in ownership by post.