Tell DVLA you've sold, transferred or bought a vehicle

Sold your vehicle to a private individual or business

You need the 11 digit reference number from the latest vehicle log book (V5C).

Give the green ‘new keeper’ slip from the log book to the buyer.
Tell DVLA you’ve sold the vehicle using this service.
Destroy the rest of the log book.

You cannot use this service if the buyer is registering the vehicle abroad. This includes the Channel Islands (Jersey and Guernsey), Isle of Man and Ireland. You need to fill in the ‘permanent export’ section instead.

Tell DVLA

You can take the registration number off the vehicle if you want to keep it. You must do this before you tell DVLA you sold your vehicle.

What happens next

You’ll be sent:

an email confirmation (if you gave your email address)
a letter confirming you’re no longer the keeper of the vehicle
a refund cheque for any full months left on your vehicle tax, calculated from the date DVLA gets your information - if you pay by Direct Debit, it’ll be cancelled automatically

The buyer must tax the vehicle before driving it, or declare that it’s off the road (a SORN). The tax is not transferred when the vehicle is sold.

The new keeper should get:

an email confirmation (if you gave their email address)
a new log book within 5 working days

Other ways to apply

Fill in the log book and post it to DVLA.

If you do not have a log book you must write to DVLA with:

your name and address
the vehicle registration number
the make and model
the exact date of sale
the name and address of the new keeper

Your notification can be rejected if you do not give all the information. This will also affect any vehicle tax refund you’re owed.

DVLA
Swansea
SA99 1BA