Where Is the V5C Number? (UK V5C Number Location Guide 2026)

Quick answer: The V5C number is in the top right corner of page 1 of your UK logbook, inside a small box labelled "Document reference number". It's an 11-digit code with no letters or spaces. You need it to tax your car at gov.uk, apply for SORN, transfer ownership, or run an HPI check. The V5C/2 new keeper slip has its own separate 12-digit reference number in the same top-right position on the green slip.

Where to find the V5C number — exactly

Open your V5C (UK vehicle logbook). On the front page (Section 1), look at the top right corner. You'll see a small printed box with the heading "Document reference number".

Inside that box: 11 digits, no letters, no spaces, no hyphens. For example: 12345678901.

That's your V5C number.

What the V5C number is NOT

Three things people commonly confuse with the V5C number:

• The VRM (registration plate) — this is the public number on the car's plates. It's larger on the V5C, in Section 1. Not the V5C number.
• The VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) — 17 characters, includes letters. Lower on the V5C front page. Identifies the vehicle, not the document.
• The V5C/2 reference number — a separate 12-digit code on the green new keeper slip. Different number, different purpose.

What the V5C number is used for

The 11-digit V5C number is required for:

• Taxing your car online at gov.uk/vehicle-tax
• Taxing your car by phone on 0300 123 4321
• Applying for SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification)
• Selling, transferring, scrapping, or exporting the vehicle
• Updating keeper details (change of name, address)
• Verifying a V5C is genuine via gov.uk before buying a used car

The V5C/2 number — where to find it

When you buy a used car from a private seller, they give you the green V5C/2 new keeper slip — torn from the V5C. The V5C/2 has its own 12-digit reference number, printed in the same top-right position on the slip.

You use the V5C/2 number — not the V5C number — to tax the car immediately as a new keeper before your full V5C arrives in the post (typically 5-10 working days after DVLA processes the change).

Visual check — what a genuine V5C number looks like

• Position: top right corner, front page (Section 1)
• Label: "Document reference number"
• Format: exactly 11 digits, no breaks
• Printing: machine-printed, same crisp font as the rest of the certificate
• Pattern: no handwriting, no stickers covering it, no signs of editing

If any of those aren't right — the V5C may be a fake or tampered with. See our V5C red flags guide.

What if you've lost your V5C and need the number?

You cannot retrieve the V5C number from anywhere else — not from your insurance, the dealer, or any online lookup. The number is unique to the physical document you've lost.

The fix: apply for a replacement V5C using the V62 form. £25 fee, 5-10 working days for the new V5C to arrive in the post. The new V5C will have a new V5C number — the lost original's number is permanently retired.

If you only need to tax the car immediately and you have a V5C/2 from a recent purchase, that number works in the meantime.

Verify a V5C number on gov.uk (free)

Before buying a used car, verify the seller's V5C is current and genuine:

1. Go to gov.uk/get-vehicle-information-from-dvla
2. Enter the registration plate (VRM)
3. Enter the V5C number (the 11-digit document reference number)
4. If the basic vehicle details come back matched, the V5C is current and genuine
5. If you get "no match" or "details don't agree", do not buy the car

Takes 30 seconds. Costs nothing. Catches most V5C fraud.

Why does the V5C number change every time?

Each V5C is a separate physical document. Every reissue gets a fresh number. You'll get a new V5C (with a new number) whenever you notify DVLA of:

• Change of keeper (sale)
• Change of address
• Change of name (marriage, deed poll)
• Change of vehicle details (colour, engine)
• Replacement after loss/damage

The vehicle's identity (VRM, VIN, ownership history) carries over. Only the document — and its reference number — is new.

FAQs

Where exactly is the V5C number on a UK logbook?

Top right corner of page 1, inside a small box labelled "Document reference number". It's an 11-digit code.

Is the V5C number the same as the registration plate?

No. The V5C number is an 11-digit code unique to the document. The registration plate (VRM) is the public number plate on the car.

Where is the V5C/2 number?

The V5C/2 is the green new keeper slip torn from the V5C when a car is sold. It has its own 12-digit reference number in the top right corner.

Can I tax a car without the V5C number?

If you have the V5C/2 from a recent purchase, that works. Otherwise no — you need a current V5C or V5C/2 number.

What if my V5C is in the post and hasn't arrived?

Use the V5C/2 slip the seller gave you (if buying) or wait for the V5C (if you've just notified a change). The V5C/2 expires once DVLA processes the change and issues your new V5C.

Related guides

• How to verify a car's service history before you buy
• Service history stamps: spotting fakes
• The 7 documents to check when buying a used car
• Free vs paid HPI check 2026
• Full vs partial service history: UK buyer's guide

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by Jamie Dawson, Editor.