V5C & Vehicle Logbooks · Filed 15 Jul 2026

How Long Does a V5C Take to Arrive? Every Scenario + What to Do If It's Late (UK)

Five days or six weeks? Every V5C timescale — new keeper, replacement, name change — and the exact point at which you should chase DVLA.

By Jamie Dawson · Editor ▮ Updated 15 Jul 2026 ▮ 1 min read

How long does a V5C take to arrive — UK timescales

Quick answer: If the process happened online (seller notified the sale online, or you used DVLA’s online replacement service), expect the V5C in about 5 working days. Anything done by post — paper notifications, V62 applications, name changes — takes 2 to 6 weeks. The chase point: 6 weeks. After that, contact DVLA — and if a V62 application went missing, the replacement is reissued rather than re-charged.

Timescales by scenario

Scenario	Typical wait
Bought a car — seller notified DVLA online	~5 working days
Bought a car — seller posted the V5C section	up to 4–6 weeks
Replacement via DVLA’s online service (£25)	~5 working days
Replacement by post / V62 at the Post Office (£25)	up to 6 weeks
Name change (post only, free)	2–4 weeks
Address change (online, free)	~5 working days

While you wait

You can drive, tax (see taxing without the logbook), insure and MOT the car as normal. The one thing you can’t easily do is sell it cleanly — see selling without a V5C.

When and how to chase

Under 6 weeks: wait — DVLA won’t act early.
Over 6 weeks: contact DVLA (webchat or 0300 790 6802) with the reg and your details. If a notified new-keeper V5C never arrived, DVLA sends a replacement free; if your V62 went astray, chase rather than paying again.

FAQs

Can I check the status online?
There’s no public V5C tracker — but DVLA’s vehicle enquiry service shows when the keeper record changed, which tells you the sale was processed.

Does a missing V5C mean the car isn't mine?
No — the keeper record at DVLA is what counts; the paper simply confirms it.

Sources

gov.ukGet a vehicle log book (V5C)gov.ukGet vehicle information from DVLA