The Driver and Automobile Licensing Company (DVLA) has issued an alert to drivers
DVLA quantity plate sells for over £25,000 at public sale
Tens of millions of motorists have been instructed to tear up and bin a key doc – or danger fines and severe paperwork complications.
The Driver and Automobile Licensing Company (DVLA) has issued an alert to drivers: if you happen to promote your automobile privately, you will need to destroy most of your log e book instantly after finishing the sale on-line. The alert centres on the V5C registration certificates – generally often known as the log e book – which proves who’s legally answerable for a automobile. Underneath official steerage, sellers ought to:
Fail to comply with these steps and you would nonetheless be on the hook for parking fines, dashing tickets or automobile tax, even after handing over the keys.
Tens of millions liable to expensive mistake
The warning has wide-reaching implications due to the sheer scale of automotive gross sales in Britain.
The Driver and Automobile Licensing Company (DVLA) has issued an alert to drivers (Picture: Getty) Get motoring information and recommendation plus chosen affords and competitions Subscribe Invalid e-mail
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Figures from the Society of Motor Producers and Merchants present that round 7.8 million used vehicles modified palms within the UK in 2025.
That’s the equal of:
With such big numbers, even a small proportion of drivers getting it mistaken may depart lots of of 1000’s uncovered to penalties.
Why you will need to destroy it
The DVLA’s instruction is designed to forestall fraud and guarantee there isn’t a confusion over possession.
When you inform the DVLA you’ve bought the automotive:
- Your automobile tax is mechanically cancelled
- You’ll obtain a refund for any full unused months
- Obligation transfers to the brand new keeper
When you promote your automobile privately, you may inform us on-line with out sending us your log e book.
Merely:
1️⃣ Give the customer the inexperienced ‘new keeper’ slip
2️⃣ Use https://t.co/60rBEjkomV to inform us you’ve bought it
3️⃣ Destroy the remainder of the log e bookJob accomplished! ?????? https://t.co/U63v4z3Wt8 pic.twitter.com/gdSKwBkWC4
— Driver and Automobile Licensing Company (@DVLAgovuk) April 16, 2026
If the outdated log e book is saved or handed on incorrectly, it may be misused – or depart the earlier proprietor nonetheless linked to the automobile on official data.
In its steerage, the DVLA stated: “When you promote your automobile privately, you may inform us on-line with out sending us your log e book… destroy the remainder of the log e book.”
The simple-to-miss tax lure
Drivers are additionally warned that automotive tax doesn’t switch with a automobile.
Patrons should tax the automotive instantly earlier than driving it away – or declare it off the street (SORN).
What if paperwork is lacking?
When you’ve misplaced your log e book, you can not use the usual on-line service. As a substitute, you will need to apply for a substitute utilizing a V62 kind or write on to the DVLA with full particulars of the sale.
Failing to inform the company correctly may end up in a effective of as much as £1,000. Extra particulars might be discovered right here.
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