> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.logbook.co.uk/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Telling DVLA You've Sold Your Car: Change of Ownership Explained - URL: https://www.logbook.co.uk/tell-dvla-sold-car-change-of-ownership-uk/ - Published: 2026-09-09T10:17:42.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-09T10:17:42.000Z - Description: The complete change-of-ownership process when you sell a car — online and postal routes, the green slip, what happens to your tax, and why speed protects you. - Author: Jamie Dawson - Tags: V5C & Vehicle Logbooks > **Quick answer:** Tell DVLA online the day you sell — the free service takes five minutes and needs the **11-digit document reference number** from the V5C. Enter the new keeper's details, hand them the **green V5C/2 slip**, and destroy the rest of the logbook once DVLA confirms. Your road tax is refunded automatically for full remaining months; the buyer must tax the car before driving away. Fail to notify and you stay legally responsible for the car — fines, tickets and all — and risk a penalty of up to £1,000. Selling a car is the one moment the logbook really earns its keep — and the moment most disputes start. The paperwork is simple, but the order matters, and the cost of getting it wrong lands entirely on the seller. Here is the complete change-of-ownership process, both routes. ## Before you sell: two things to check 1. **Private plate?** If you want to keep a personalised registration, retain it *before* notifying the sale (online or form V317). Once the change of ownership goes through, the plate goes with the car. 2. **Is the V5C in your name at your address?** If not, sort that first — a change of ownership filed from wrong details causes weeks of correspondence. See [updating the address on your V5C](https://www.logbook.co.uk/update-address-v5c-logbook-2/). ## The online route (recommended — instant) 1. Go to the gov.uk service *"Tell DVLA you've sold, transferred or bought a vehicle."* 2. Enter the **11-digit document reference number** from the front of the V5C ([where to find it](https://www.logbook.co.uk/where-is-v5c-number-uk-location-guide/)). 3. Enter the new keeper's name and address (agree these with the buyer on the spot — do it together at handover). 4. Tear off the green **V5C/2 "new keeper" slip** and give it to the buyer. It carries the 12-digit reference they'll use to tax the car immediately — full detail in our [green slip guide](https://www.logbook.co.uk/v5c2-green-slip-new-keeper-explained/). 5. DVLA confirms by email, usually within minutes. Destroy the remainder of the V5C — the buyer gets a fresh one, not your old book. The buyer's new V5C arrives in **around 5 working days** — timescales for every scenario are in [how long a V5C takes to arrive](https://www.logbook.co.uk/how-long-does-v5c-take-uk/). ## The postal route (slower, still valid) Complete the "new keeper" section of the V5C with the buyer's details, both of you sign where indicated, give the buyer the green V5C/2 slip, and post the rest of the V5C to **DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BA**. The buyer's new logbook can take up to 4–6 weeks. Use post only when you must — the online route removes both the wait and the "lost in the post" dispute. ## What happens to your road tax Vehicle tax has not been transferable since 2014\. When DVLA processes the sale: - Your tax is cancelled and a **refund cheque for any full months remaining** is sent automatically to the address on the V5C — no need to apply. (Part-months are lost, so selling on the 1st beats selling on the 31st.) - Any Direct Debit is cancelled automatically. - **The buyer must tax the car before driving it away**, using the 12-digit reference on the green slip — they cannot ride on your old tax even for the drive home. See [taxing a car without the full logbook](https://www.logbook.co.uk/tax-car-without-logbook-v5c/). ## Selling to a dealer or trade The online service has a separate option for selling to the motor trade — the trader gives you their details (or their trade identity). By post it's the yellow **V5C/3** section instead. Everything else — instant tax refund, keeping proof — works the same. Get the trader's details in writing; "we'll sort the paperwork" from a dealer is the classic route to tickets arriving at your door months later. ## Why notifying fast matters (the ugly list) Until DVLA records the change, **you are the registered keeper**. That means: - Speeding and red-light camera fines come to you - Parking penalties and ULEZ/CAZ charges come to you - Untaxed-vehicle enforcement targets you - If the car is used in a crime, the first knock is your door - And the failure to notify itself carries a fine of **up to £1,000** Notify at the point of handover, keep the email confirmation, and keep a dated note of the buyer's details and the mileage. That small record ends every argument that follows. ## Common problems - **No V5C at all?** You can still notify DVLA of the sale by letter, but selling without a logbook depresses the price and invites suspicion — the full picture is in [selling a car without a V5C](https://www.logbook.co.uk/sell-car-without-logbook-v5c/). - **Buyer refuses to give their details?** Don't hand over the car. A legitimate buyer has no reason to withhold their name and address. - **Sold weeks ago and heard nothing?** If you notified by post, chase DVLA after 4 weeks. If you never notified — do it today by letter with the sale date, buyer details and mileage. - **Buying rather than selling?** The mirror-image checks are in our [used car buyer's document checklist](https://www.logbook.co.uk/used-car-documents-checklist-uk/). ## Frequently asked questions ### How do I tell DVLA I've sold my car? Use the free online service at gov.uk (search "tell DVLA sold vehicle") with the 11-digit document reference number from the V5C. Enter the new keeper's details, give them the green V5C/2 slip, and DVLA confirms by email instantly. You can also do it by post using the V5C itself. ### What happens to my road tax when I sell my car? Tax is cancelled automatically when DVLA processes the change of ownership, and you get a refund cheque for any full months remaining, sent to the address on the V5C. Tax does not transfer — the buyer must tax the car before driving it away. ### Is there a fine for not telling DVLA I sold my car? Yes — up to £1,000 for failing to notify. Worse in practice: until DVLA knows, you remain the registered keeper, so the buyer's speeding tickets, parking penalties and tax liability all come to you. ### How long does the new keeper wait for their V5C? Around 5 working days if the sale was notified online, or up to 4–6 weeks by post. They can tax and drive the car immediately using the 12-digit reference on the green new keeper slip. --- *Reviewed by Jamie Dawson, Editor of Logbook.co.uk. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Corrections:* [*corrections@logbook.co.uk*](mailto:corrections@logbook.co.uk)