Safe Car Check
What the V5C actually is
The V5C, usually called the log book, is DVLA's record of who is responsible for a vehicle. It names the registered keeper, lists the car's identity (registration, VIN, engine number, make, model, colour, engine size) and shows the date the current keeper acquired it and how many previous keepers there have been.
It is not proof of ownership. DVLA says so on the document itself. A car on hire purchase or PCP is owned by the finance company while the person driving it is the registered keeper, and the V5C will not tell you which situation you are in. For that you need an outstanding finance check.
Is it legal to buy a car without one?
Yes. No law requires a V5C to change hands when a car is sold. DVLA's guidance for buyers nevertheless says you need to see the V5C before you buy, and for good reason: it is the only document that lets you check the seller's name and address, the car's identity numbers and its keeper history in one place. Buy without it and you are relying on the seller's word for all three.
Why the seller might not have it
Some reasons are perfectly ordinary. Others are the reason this guide exists.
| Reason given | How likely it is genuine | What to ask for |
|---|---|---|
| Lost it, or it was damaged | Common and often true | Ask them to apply for a replacement online. It usually arrives within 5 to 7 working days. Then buy. |
| Just bought the car and the new V5C has not arrived yet | Plausible, but a quick resale is itself a warning sign | Ask to see the green V5C/2 new keeper slip from the previous owner's log book, and ask why they are selling so soon. |
| Selling for a relative or friend | Sometimes true | Ask to deal with the keeper directly, see their ID, and view the car at the address on the V5C. |
| The car came from auction without a V5C | True for some trade stock | Ask for the auction paperwork and a history check. Expect to apply for the V5C yourself. |
| No reason, or the story changes | Walk away | Nothing. There are plenty of cars with their paperwork. |
What you lose without it
- Keeper verification. You cannot compare the seller's ID and address with the name on the document, which is the single best protection against buying a stolen or cloned car.
- Identity check. You cannot compare the VIN on the windscreen and door pillar, or the engine number, with the registered values. Cloned cars carry the plates of a legitimate car; the VIN gives them away.
- Keeper history. The number of previous keepers and the date the seller acquired the car are on the V5C. A seller who has had the car three months and will not say why is a different proposition from one who has had it eight years. See how many previous owners is too many.
- Instant tax. You need the 12-digit reference from the green V5C/2 slip to tax the car immediately. Without it you cannot drive the car away legally.
- Free MOT detail. The GOV.UK MOT history service shows where each test was done only if you enter the 11-digit V5C document reference.
- Time and money. A V62 application costs £25 and DVLA checks the details before issuing a certificate. Allow several weeks, during which the car is not registered to you.
If you still want the car
- Run a vehicle history check first. It shows the number of previous keepers, the latest keeper change, outstanding finance, stolen markers and write-off records that the V5C would normally hint at. If the registered details do not match the car in front of you, stop.
- Ask the seller to order a replacement V5C. The registered keeper can do this online in minutes and DVLA usually posts it within 5 to 7 working days. A genuine seller loses nothing by waiting a week. If they refuse, that is your answer.
- Check the identity numbers yourself. VIN at the base of the windscreen, on the driver's door pillar sticker and stamped in the engine bay. All three must match each other and the history check.
- Get a written receipt. Seller's full name and address, your details, the registration, VIN, mileage, price, date and the words "sold without V5C". Both of you sign it. Photograph their ID.
- Apply with form V62 straight away. Download it from GOV.UK, post it with the £25 fee and the receipt. If you have the green V5C/2 slip, include it; DVLA will usually waive the fee.
- Do not drive it until it is taxed and insured. With no V5C/2 reference you may have to wait for the new V5C to tax it. Driving untaxed is an automatic penalty.
How to check a V5C is genuine
When the seller does produce one, spend a minute on the document itself.
- Colour. Current V5Cs are red. Blue ones are from the old series and should all have been replaced by 2012. Treat a blue one as a problem.
- Watermark. Hold it to the light. Genuine paper carries a repeating "DVL" watermark.
- Serial number. Top right of page one. Numbers between BG8229501 and BG9999030, or between BI2305501 and BI2800000, come from a batch of blank log books stolen in 2006 that are still used to paper over stolen and cloned cars. Walk away and tell the police.
- Details. Registration, VIN, engine number, colour and engine size must match the car. Any correction, overprint or mismatch is a stop sign.
- Keeper. Name and address should match the seller's photo ID and the place you are standing. A car viewed in a supermarket car park with a V5C registered to another town is a cloning set-up.
Red flags that outweigh any explanation
- The price is well below the market and the seller wants cash today.
- The seller will not meet at the address on the V5C or will not show ID.
- The VIN plate looks disturbed, re-riveted or freshly painted around.
- The seller has had the car for only a few weeks, with no clear reason to sell.
- The history check shows a finance agreement or a stolen marker. Finance can be settled; a stolen marker means leave, now.
A missing log book on its own is not proof of anything. A missing log book plus any one of the points above is a car to leave for someone else.
