In this guide, we’ll define the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and the role it fulfils. We’ll also cover your legal responsibility to notify the DVLA after selling your car, how to do so, and how to obtain key information about a vehicle from the DVLA.
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What is the DVLA?
The DVLA is an executive agency of the Government, working under the Department for Transport (DfT). It has its roots in the Motor Car Act 1903, which gave borough and county councils responsibility for vehicle registration in the UK.
The DVLA itself was formed in 1965, creating a central hub, and taking control of all things vehicle and driver-related. It’s now a digital organisation with two physical centres: one in Swansea and another in Birmingham.
Its main role is to maintain records of all the drivers and vehicles in the UK (more than 50 million and 40 million respectively), although it has many other functions, including:
- Collecting and refunding road tax (and issuing penalties for non-payment).
- Issuing driving licences.
- Keeping records of drivers’ penalties and disqualifications.
- Issuing vehicle registration certificates (or V5C logbooks).
- Assisting the police with intelligence on car-related crimes.
- Selling personalised number plates.
How do I inform the DVLA that I’ve sold my car?
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Online
Using the DVLA's online service is the quickest and easiest way to let them know that you’ve sold your car to a person, business, or trader.
Make sure you have the 11-digit document reference number from your V5C logbook and the full name of the new keeper to hand, then follow the instructions on screen.
If you’ve given them permission to do so, the trader can also use this service to tell the DVLA that you’ve sold your vehicle to them.
The DVLA’s online service is available from 7am to 7pm every day.
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By post
You can also tell the DVLA you’ve sold your car by post:
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If you’re selling to a private buyer, you need to complete sections 2 and 6 of your V5C logbook. Give section 6 (the ‘new keeper’ slip) to the buyer. Send the remainder of the logbook to: DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BA.
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If you’re selling your car to a trader, scrapping, or part-exchanging it, detach section 4 and give the rest of the V5C logbook to the trader. After the point of sale, the easiest way to notify the DVLA is via their website. However, if you cannot use the online service, complete section 4 and post it to: DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BA.
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What if I sold my car abroad?
The guidance above still applies if you are transferring to a dealer and/or a new keeper in the UK.
However, you must follow a different process to notify the DVLA if the person you’re transferring to lives overseas.
In this case, you can only notify the DVLA by post:
- You’ll need to complete the ‘permanent export’ section of your V5C logbook (section 5).
- Once completed, detach this section, and post it, with a letter including the buyer’s name and address to: DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BD.
- Give the remainder of the V5C logbook to the next owner, so they can register the car in their country of residence.
Getting car information from the DVLA
The information the DVLA holds can be invaluable when you’re selling or buying a used car, particularly if the V5C logbook is missing.
You can use the vehicle enquiry service on the DVLA website to find key details about any UK-registered vehicle, including its:
- Make, model, colour and engine size.
- Year of manufacture and the date it was first registered.
- MOT and road tax status – and the dates of expiry for its MOT certificate and road tax.
You can also use our MOT check tool or the DVLA website to view a vehicle’s full MOT history (from 2005 onwards), including recorded mileages, test locations, whether it passed or failed each test, and any advisories highlighted during MOT tests.
Finally, you can use the DVLA website to determine whether a vehicle is subject to recall.
Informing the DVLA that you’re keeping your registration
If your car has a personalised number plate, you may want to retain the plate when you sell your car. The good news is you can do just that!
All you need to do is apply to the DVLA online or by post. Visit our step-by-step guide to keeping your private number plate to learn more.
Important: If you wish to retain your private registration plate, you will need to take it off your car before you sell it. Otherwise, the registration will transfer to the new owner at the point of sale.
Why informing the DVLA is crucial
You’re legally obliged to let the DVLA know if you sell your car.
If you don’t, you could face a fine of up to £1,000. You could also find yourself liable for penalties and fines if the new owner gets a speeding ticket, is involved in an accident, or commits another traffic offence, as you’re still legally responsible for the car.
Furthermore, the DVLA cannot give you a car tax refund (for any full months’ outstanding cover) until you tell them you’ve sold the car.