To transfer a vehicle to a new keeper in Great Britain, the seller (or giver) tells the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) that the registered keeper has changed, either online on GOV.UK or by posting the right section of the V5C. The new keeper then receives their own V5C, and the old keeper's vehicle tax is cancelled.
Part of Plate Transfer & Retention. Start with the main guide: How to Remove a Private Plate from a Car
Updated October 2026 · Independent information, not legal advice
The V5C records the registered keeper, not the legal owner, which is why the paperwork focuses on who is responsible for the vehicle. The steps below cover selling, buying, gifting and inheriting a vehicle, and the traps around tax, insurance, MOT and private number plates.
How Do You Transfer A Vehicle To A New Keeper?
To transfer a vehicle, the current keeper notifies the DVLA of the new keeper's details, hands over the right paperwork and gets rid of any responsibility for the vehicle. The buyer must tax and insure the vehicle before it is driven.
- Agree the sale and check the vehicle details match the V5C.
- Fill in the new keeper details with the buyer present.
- Tell the DVLA online, or post the V5C section as instructed on it.
- Give the buyer the new keeper's slip (supplement) from the V5C.
- Cancel or update insurance and any direct debits.
- The buyer taxes the vehicle and arranges insurance before driving it away.
- Wait for the DVLA's confirmation and the new V5C for the buyer.
Why the keeper is not always the owner
If a vehicle is on finance or lease, the legal owner may be the lender. A keeper cannot sell what they do not own, so check before you advertise; see private number plates on finance for how finance can affect a vehicle.
What Documents Are Involved?
Several documents matter, and each does a different job. The V5C is the registration certificate, the new keeper's slip is the part the buyer keeps, and any MOT certificate and service history help the buyer.
- V5C (logbook) in the current keeper's name.
- The new keeper's supplement (slip) from the V5C.
- A valid MOT certificate, where one is required.
- A receipt or bill of sale showing price, date and both parties' details.
- For a private plate, the V778 or V750 where relevant.
What a V5C shows
The V5C records the vehicle's make, model, colour, registration number and the registered keeper. What a vehicle registration document shows goes through each field.
Selling A Car: What The Seller Must Do
The seller's duty is to tell the DVLA about the sale straight away, and it is the single most important step. Until the DVLA has been told, the seller can still be treated as the keeper, which can mean penalty notices or parking charges landing with them.
- Complete the new keeper details accurately.
- Tell the DVLA online or by post.
- Keep a copy of the receipt.
- Remove the vehicle from the insurance policy only once it has gone.
Transfer car ownership online
You can transfer car ownership online through GOV.UK's change-of-keeper service, which asks for the registration, the V5C details and the buyer's name and address. The buyer is told to expect a new V5C by post.
Posting the V5C instead
The paper route means completing the seller's section, sending it to the DVLA and giving the buyer the slip. Do it the same day.
Buying A Car: What The New Keeper Must Do
The buyer must make sure the DVLA records them as the new keeper and that the vehicle is taxed and insured before they drive it. Do not drive the car away on the seller's tax or insurance.
- Check the seller's V5C matches the vehicle and the seller.
- Take the new keeper slip (supplement).
- Arrange insurance.
- Tax the vehicle in your own name.
- Wait for your V5C and check every detail.
Before you pay
A used-car check shows what the record holds. The free number plate check shows make, model, colour and MOT and tax status, but not finance or write-off data.
What About Vehicle Tax When A Vehicle Changes Keeper?
Vehicle tax is not transferable, so the existing tax ends when the keeper changes and the buyer must tax the vehicle before driving it. Does road tax transfer explains why.
Refunds for the seller
The DVLA normally refunds full unused months of tax when a vehicle is sold, to the seller. Read car tax refund for how and when.
Direct debits
If tax was paid by direct debit, the DVLA stops collection when it records the sale. Check your bank statement to confirm.
If the new keeper cannot tax straight away
Do not drive the vehicle until it is taxed. A car that stays parked on private land can be left until tax is arranged.
- Check the current rate on GOV.UK.
- Use the V5C details or the new keeper slip to tax online.
Insurance When A Vehicle Is Sold Or Bought
Insurance does not pass to the new keeper automatically. The seller should tell their insurer the car has gone, and the buyer needs a policy in place before the vehicle is driven.
- Insurance is tied to the driver and the vehicle, not just the car.
- The buyer's cover should begin before they drive off.
- The Motor Insurance Database shows who is insured; use a vehicle insurance check.
Policies in the seller's name
Some insurers let a policy cover a replacement car for a short time. That is for the insurer to confirm, not something to assume.
Temporary cover
Short-term policies exist for a drive home, but terms vary by insurer, so read the policy wording.
- Check cover starts before you move the car.
MOT And The Transfer
The MOT stays with the vehicle, not the keeper. A valid MOT continues after a sale, and the buyer can check it with the MOT check. If there is no MOT, the buyer cannot normally tax the vehicle.
Selling a car without an MOT
It is possible to sell a car that needs an MOT, but the buyer must make sure it can be driven legally, so disclose the position plainly.
Transferring A Vehicle With A Private Number Plate
If a private number plate is on the vehicle, decide before the sale whether it goes or stays. To keep it, retain it first with the DVLA, because the number otherwise passes with the car. See how to retain a number plate and removing a private plate.
Assigning your retained number to the new car
When you buy your next car, you can assign the retained number to it. How to put a private number plate on a car covers the process.
A registration can only move from a donor vehicle (the car it is on now, or the V778 retention document holder) to a recipient vehicle by assignment through the DVLA. The application is usually made on form V317 or online, and the plate you keep is the original registration number from the donor vehicle. A new number comes with a V750 certificate of entitlement when it has not been on a vehicle before, and a number plate supplier may only make the physical plates once you can show your entitlement and identity.
Gifting A Vehicle
Giving a car away is a change of keeper like any sale, so the DVLA must be told. Complete the new keeper details, hand over the V5C slip, and the recipient must tax and insure the vehicle before driving.
- Write down that no money changed hands.
- Cancel your own insurance only after handover.
- The recipient should check the vehicle before accepting it.
Gifts and records
Record the date, the names and that no money changed hands, so the DVLA and any enforcement agency can see what happened.
Inheriting A Vehicle
When a keeper dies, the executor usually deals with the DVLA about the vehicle. The DVLA's GOV.UK guidance explains how to notify it and become the new keeper. Tax and insurance still apply if the vehicle is used.
If the vehicle will not be used
You can declare it off the road: how to SORN your car.
Selling To A Motor Trader Or Scrapping
If a vehicle is sold to a motor trader or scrapped, the process is slightly different: the trader or scrap yard may complete the paperwork, but you should still check the DVLA has been informed. Keep the receipt or certificate of destruction and see checking whether a car has been scrapped.
Common Mistakes When You Transfer A Vehicle
Most mistakes are about timing and trust.
- Waiting to tell the DVLA.
- Handing over the whole V5C when only a section is needed.
- Assuming tax or insurance transfers.
- Forgetting the private plate.
- Not keeping a receipt.
- Buyers driving off before taxing and insuring.
Consequences
Penalties and enforcement letters tend to go to the last keeper on the DVLA's record, so keep evidence of the date and time of sale.
Sending the wrong form
Use the current V5C sections and the DVLA's online service, not an old copy of a form.
- Check you have the latest version on GOV.UK.
Who Does What When A Vehicle Changes Keeper?
| Task | Seller | Buyer | Where to do it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tell the DVLA | Yes | Check it happens | GOV.UK or post |
| Vehicle tax | Cancelled, refund | Must tax before driving | GOV.UK |
| Insurance | Cancel after sale | Arrange before driving | Insurer |
| MOT | Stays with the vehicle | Check status | MOT history |
| V5C | Hand over slip | Receive new V5C | DVLA |
What If The Buyer Does Not Tax The Car?
If the buyer does not tax the vehicle, the seller is not responsible provided the DVLA has been told of the sale. An untaxed vehicle may be reported through the DVLA; see how to report an untaxed vehicle.
Evidence that protects you
Keep the receipt, a copy of the DVLA confirmation and any messages with the buyer.
- Keep records for as long as you might need them.
What If Something Goes Wrong?
If the DVLA has not recorded the change, or the buyer has not received a V5C, act quickly. Contact the DVLA through its contact options, and keep your proof.
Missing V5C
If the V5C is missing, the keeper can apply for a replacement. Taxing a car without a V5C covers what is possible.
Disputes
For a disagreement over the sale itself, get advice from a consumer or legal adviser; the DVLA only deals with registration.
Northern Ireland And Other Special Cases
Northern Ireland vehicles are still registered through the DVLA, but the vehicle test is run by the DVA. Vehicles bought from abroad follow import rules and are not covered by a simple change of keeper.
Vehicles registered in Northern Ireland
The DVLA still deals with the registration, while the DVA runs the vehicle test. See MOT in Northern Ireland for how tests differ.
- The same keeper-change principle applies.
Selling To A Stranger From An Advert
When the buyer is someone you have never met, take sensible precautions with payment and paperwork. Meet at your home or a safe public place, let the buyer inspect the car, and complete the paperwork together.
- Confirm payment has cleared before you hand over the keys.
- Do not post the whole V5C to anyone.
- Write the date and time of handover on the receipt.
- Photograph the buyer's details and the new keeper slip.
Spotting a rushed buyer
A buyer who wants to skip the paperwork or leave without details is a warning sign. You remain exposed to enforcement letters until the DVLA has the sale on record.
A Day-Of-Sale Checklist
Work through these steps at the point of handover and little goes wrong.
- Confirm the buyer's name and address match their identification.
- Complete the new keeper details with them.
- Notify the DVLA before they leave, online if you can.
- Give them the new keeper's slip and any MOT and service papers.
- Take payment, sign the receipt and cancel insurance afterwards.
Vehicles On Finance Or Lease
If a car is on finance, the lender may be the legal owner, so the keeper cannot simply sell it. Settle the finance first and get written confirmation. A buyer can check the position with a car finance checker, because a free lookup does not show finance.
Leased and company vehicles
A leased car is returned to the lessor, and a company vehicle changes keeper through the company's authorised person. The V5C names the keeper, and the business is responsible until the DVLA records the change.
Motorbikes, Vans And Trailers
Motorbikes, vans and commercial vehicles are transferred with the same V5C process. Trailers are different, as they usually do not carry a separate V5C in the way cars do, so check the DVLA's guidance and number plates for trailers.
Motorcycle sales
A motorcycle keeper tells the DVLA in the same way. The motorcycle's frame number matches the V5C.
Classic, Imported And Registered-Abroad Vehicles
A classic car carries a V5C like any other, and the keeper change is the same. An imported vehicle must be registered in the UK before the normal process applies. If the vehicle has a private number or a historic number, see antique number plates for how age-related rules apply.
Disabled Keeper Exemptions
If the previous keeper had a disabled tax exemption, it does not pass to the buyer unless they are also eligible. See bought a car with a disabled tax exemption.
Checking The Vehicle Before And After The Change
After the transfer, check the registration shows correctly. The vehicle tax status lookup should show the current tax position and the MOT record should be intact. The V5C issue date will update when the new certificate is issued, as explained in the V5C issue date.
Where To Read More
The DVLA's pages on GOV.UK are the final word. See also the DVLA explained and the wider plate transfer and retention hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I transfer a vehicle to a new keeper?
The current keeper tells the DVLA about the sale, online on GOV.UK or by sending the relevant V5C section, and gives the buyer the new keeper slip. The buyer must tax and insure the vehicle before driving it, and the DVLA issues a new V5C in their name. Keep a receipt showing the date and time.
Can I transfer car ownership online?
Yes, in most cases. GOV.UK has a service for the seller to tell the DVLA that the keeper has changed, using the V5C details and the buyer's name and address. The buyer then receives a new V5C by post. Check the DVLA's current service on GOV.UK for any exceptions.
Does the DVLA need to be told if I sell my car?
Yes. The seller should tell the DVLA straight away, because until it is recorded you could still be treated as the keeper and receive penalties or charges. Do it online or by post, and keep proof of the date.
Does road tax transfer to the new keeper?
No. Vehicle tax is not transferable, so the tax ends when the keeper changes and the buyer must tax the vehicle before driving it. The seller normally receives a refund for full unused months, and any direct debit is stopped.
Do I need a V5C to sell a car?
The V5C proves who the registered keeper is, so selling without it is difficult and a buyer should be cautious. Apply to the DVLA for a replacement first. A buyer without a V5C may be unable to tax the vehicle easily.
What is the new keeper slip?
It is the part of the V5C that the seller gives the buyer as proof that the DVLA has been told of the change. It does not replace the full V5C, which the DVLA sends to the new keeper after updating its records.
Who is responsible for insurance when a car is sold?
The seller should tell their insurer the car has gone, and the buyer must arrange their own cover before driving. Insurance does not pass with the car. The Motor Insurance Database records who is insured.
Can I give a car to a family member?
Yes, but the same change-of-keeper process applies. Tell the DVLA, give them the new keeper slip and make sure they tax and insure the vehicle before driving it. Record that no payment was made.
What happens to the MOT when I transfer a vehicle?
The MOT stays with the vehicle. The buyer can check the MOT history and expiry date. If no MOT is valid and one is required, the buyer will usually need to arrange a test before taxing the vehicle.
What if I want to keep my private number plate?
Retain the number with the DVLA before the sale completes, because otherwise the number goes with the car. Fit plates for the original or replacement number and then complete the transfer of the vehicle.
What if the buyer never taxes or registers the car?
If you told the DVLA about the sale, the buyer becomes responsible for the vehicle. If you did not, you may still be treated as the keeper, so always tell the DVLA and keep proof.
Who do I contact if the new V5C does not arrive?
Contact the DVLA through GOV.UK. The new keeper can apply for a replacement V5C if necessary, and the seller should keep evidence that they notified the DVLA.
Official Sources
Rules, fees and deadlines change. Confirm anything that affects your money or legal position with the official service.