Why does the V5C matter?
The V5C (the vehicle log book) shows who the registered keeper is. When we buy a car, we check photo ID that matches the name on the V5C, and you need the V5C’s 11-digit reference number to tell DVLA you’ve sold the car.
| Your situation | Answer on our form | What happens next |
|---|---|---|
| The V5C is in your name | In my name | Your price appears online for most cars. |
| You’ve applied for a new one | New one on its way | You get your price online; part of it is held back until you send us the new logbook. |
| You’ve lost it | Lost | One of our buyers calls you to talk it through. |
| It’s in someone else’s name | Not in my name | One of our buyers calls you to talk it through. |
What if I’ve lost the V5C?
gov.uk says the registered keeper can apply to DVLA for a replacement online or by phone, as long as the details on it can stay the same; otherwise it’s done by post. DVLA charges a fee (gov.uk has the current amount), and gov.uk says a replacement usually arrives by post within 5 to 7 working days.
How we handle it: choose “Lost” on the form, and one of our buyers calls you within 30 minutes (9am–6pm Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm Sat) to talk it through. If you’ve already applied for a replacement, choose “New one on its way”: you get your price online, part of it is held back until you send us the new logbook, and your price page shows how much.
What if the V5C isn’t in my name?
This happens for lots of reasons: you’ve just bought the car and the new V5C hasn’t arrived yet, the car is registered to your partner or a relative, or it’s registered to a business.
- You’ve just bought it and a new V5C is on its way: choose “New one on its way”. If you’ve only owned the car for a short time, one of our buyers may call you to check a few details.
- It’s registered to someone else: choose “Not in my name”, and one of our buyers calls you to talk it through. Because we check photo ID that matches the name on the V5C, the registered keeper needs to be involved in the sale.
- It’s registered to a business: choose “Not in my name” and tell us in the “Anything else we should know?” box.
What if the registered keeper has died?
gov.uk explains what to do when you sell the vehicle of someone who has died. If you sell to a motor trader, the trader fills in the yellow “sell, transfer or part-exchange your vehicle to the motor trade” section of the V5C. You send its perforated section to DVLA with a letter giving your relationship to the person who died, the date they died and who should receive any vehicle tax refund, and you give the trader the rest of the V5C. gov.uk also explains what to do if you can’t find the V5C.
How we handle it: choose “Not in my name” on the form, and tell us in the “Anything else we should know?” box that you’re selling on behalf of someone who has died. One of our buyers calls you to talk it through.
General information only, not advice about your own situation. gov.uk has DVLA’s full rules.