How do I tell DVLA I've sold my car?

Why telling DVLA matters

When you tell DVLA you have sold your car, it confirms you are no longer the keeper, cancels your vehicle tax and refunds any full months left. The refund is worked out from the date DVLA gets your information, so tell DVLA as soon as you sell.

What you need

• The vehicle log book (V5C).
• The 11 digit reference number from your latest log book.
• The new keeper's details.

The online service is open Monday to Friday, 7am to 9pm, and Saturday and Sunday, 7am to 8pm.

Selling privately to a person or business

1. Give the buyer the green "new keeper" slip from the log book.
2. Tell DVLA online, using the 11 digit reference number from the log book.
3. Destroy the rest of the log book.

Selling to a motor trader

A motor trader includes a dealer, car buying service, motor auctioneer, salvage dealer, finance or insurance company, or fleet operator.

1. Give the trader the log book, including the green "new keeper" slip.
2. Tell DVLA online that you have sold the vehicle.

If you cannot use the online service

You cannot report the sale online if:

• you have already posted the log book to DVLA
• you do not have a log book

Instead, you can fill in the log book and post it to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BA. If you have no log book, write to the same address with:

• your name and address
• the registration number
• the make and model
• the exact date of sale
• the new keeper's details

DVLA can reject your letter if any of this is missing.

If the buyer is registering it abroad

1. Fill in the 'permanent export' section of your log book.
2. Send it to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BD, with a letter giving the buyer's name and address.
3. Give the rest of the log book to the buyer. They need it to register the vehicle in their country.

Any vehicle tax refund usually comes in 4 to 6 weeks, worked out from the date DVLA gets the 'permanent export' section.

How long it takes

The new keeper gets a new log book within 5 to 7 working days.

After you tell DVLA

• You get an email confirmation, if you gave an email address.
• You get a letter confirming you are no longer the keeper.
• Your vehicle tax is cancelled. If you pay by Direct Debit, it is cancelled automatically.
• You get a refund cheque for any full months of tax left, worked out from the date DVLA gets your information.

Example: you have tax paid up to the end of March and DVLA gets your information on 10 November. You get a refund for December, January, February and March, which is 4 full months. The part of November is not refunded.

What the buyer must do

Vehicle tax does not pass to the new owner. The buyer must tax the vehicle, or declare it off the road (SORN), before driving it.

Related guides

• How do I change the keeper on a V5C log book?
• What is a V5C log book?
• How do I scrap my car?
• How do personalised number plates work?
• How do I tax my car?

Where this comes from

• Tell DVLA you've sold, transferred or bought a vehicle (GOV.UK)
• Selling privately: what to do (GOV.UK)
• Selling to a motor trader: what to do (GOV.UK)
• Selling a vehicle (GOV.UK)