How to Change Your Address on a V5C (Plus the £1,000 Fine for Not Updating)

If you have moved house, you are legally required to update your address on your V5C logbook with the DVLA. It is a quick process, costs nothing, and can be done online in minutes. Failing to keep your V5C up to date can result in a fine of up to £1,000, and means important correspondence from the DVLA goes to the wrong address.

This guide explains exactly how to update your address on a V5C, how long it takes, and what to do if your circumstances are more complex.

Why You Must Update Your V5C Address

The V5C records the name and address of the registered keeper of the vehicle. The DVLA uses this address to send vehicle tax reminders, MOT reminders, recall notices, and any enforcement correspondence. If your address is out of date, you may miss important notifications, and you remain legally responsible for any consequences.

Failing to notify the DVLA of a change of address can result in a fine of up to £1,000. The process takes less than five minutes online. There is no good reason to delay.

How to Update Your Address Online

This is the fastest and recommended method. Go to gov.uk and search for "change address on V5C" or navigate directly to the vehicle management section.

You will need your V5C document reference number (the 11-digit number printed on the front of your logbook) and your vehicle's registration number. You will also need your new UK address.

Enter your details, confirm the change, and submit. The DVLA updates their records immediately. A new V5C showing your updated address is then posted to you. gov.uk publishes no delivery estimate for a change of address: contact DVLA if it has not arrived after 4 weeks.

Keep your old V5C until the new one arrives, do not destroy it in advance.

How to Update Your Address by Post

If you prefer to update by post, or if your V5C is the older style without an online reference, use the section that matches your log book. New style, the one with multi-coloured numbered blocks on the front cover, uses section 3. The older style uses section 6.

Fill in your new address, sign the declaration, and send the whole log book to the DVLA address printed in that section: section 3 on the new style, section 8 on the older style. Do not use a PO Box address, and on the older style do not tick the new keeper box or fill in your name.

gov.uk publishes no processing time for a postal change of address. The DVLA will send a new V5C to your new address once the change has been processed.

Do not send just the relevant section, post the entire document.

What If You Have Lost Your V5C?

If you have lost your V5C and also need to update your address, you cannot update the address using the online service, the service requires the document reference number from the physical V5C.

In this case, apply for a replacement V5C using the V62 form or the online replacement service at gov.uk/vehicle-log-book. When applying, enter your new address, the replacement will be issued to your current address and will show the correct details from the outset.

The replacement costs £25.

Updating Address for Multiple Vehicles

If you own more than one vehicle, you must update the address for each one separately. There is no bulk update facility. Each V5C must be updated individually using that vehicle's document reference number.

What About a Name Change?

A name change (for example following marriage or deed poll) cannot be done online. It must be done by post.

Write your new name in the relevant section of your log book and include a letter explaining why it needs to change. Send it to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1DD. You need proof only if you are legally changing your name, for example a deed poll: gov.uk says you do not need proof if you are changing your name because you got married or divorced, or because it was spelt wrong. It can take up to 6 weeks to get the new log book.

Do not send original documents, send certified copies where possible, or contact the DVLA directly on 0300 790 6802 for guidance on what is acceptable.

What Happens If You Do Not Update Your Address?

Beyond the potential fine of up to £1,000, failing to update your address has practical consequences. You may miss vehicle tax reminders and incur late payment penalties. You may miss MOT reminders and inadvertently drive with an expired MOT. You may miss manufacturer recall notices relating to safety defects. Enforcement notices for traffic offences may go to your old address, creating complications if you are unaware of them.

None of these outcomes are difficult to avoid. The online update takes minutes.

Selling the Car Instead of Just Moving?

If you are selling the vehicle rather than simply changing your own address, you do not need to update your address on the V5C first, selling is a separate DVLA process. See how to transfer a V5C when selling your car.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to update my address if I am temporarily staying elsewhere?
No, the address on the V5C should be your permanent residential address. Short-term stays do not require an update. If you have moved permanently, update it promptly.

Can I update my address at a Post Office?
Yes, in one specific case. A Post Office that deals with vehicle tax can change your address at the same time as taxing the vehicle, and gov.uk points you to exactly that route if your tax is due within the next 4 weeks. Outside that case, change your address online at gov.uk or by post to DVLA.

How long does it take for the new V5C to arrive?
gov.uk publishes no delivery estimate for a change of address, by either route. Its guidance is to contact DVLA if the new log book has not arrived after 4 weeks. After 6 weeks without notifying DVLA you pay £25 for a replacement.

Is there a fee for updating my address?
It is usually free, in gov.uk’s own wording. The only cost arises if you also need a replacement V5C because yours is lost, in which case the standard £25 replacement fee applies.

What is the document reference number and where do I find it?
The document reference number is an 11-digit number printed on the front page of your V5C. It is sometimes called the V5C reference number. Keep it secure. It can be used to apply for a replacement or to tax your vehicle online.

Key Takeaways

You are legally required to update your V5C address when you move house, failure can result in a fine of up to £1,000. The online update at gov.uk is free, takes minutes, and results in a new V5C being posted to you, with no published delivery estimate. You need your 11-digit document reference number and vehicle registration to update online. Postal updates have no published processing time. Send the whole log book to the DVLA address printed in the relevant section of the document. Name changes must be done by post with supporting evidence. They cannot be completed online. If your V5C is lost, apply for a replacement using the V62 form and enter your new address on the application.