Selling a car to a private buyer – Notifying the DVLA and refund of Road Tax

When you sell your car by any means – private, dealer, auction or as scrap – you must notify the DVLA and they will arrange for a refund of any full months of road tax remaining.

Road Tax cannot be sold or transferred with the vehicle.

Selling your car to a private buyer

You will need the reference from the latest V5C registration certificate (or logbook)

You need to complete and give the green V5C/2 section to the buyer

Make sure:

* no changes have been made on the V5C registration certificate

* the name and address on the V5C are correct

* any personalised registration numbers have been kept or assigned to another vehicle

Notification of sale can be done online or by post.

Online

Notify the DVLA online that you have sold your car. You need to give the green V5C/2 section to the buyer and destroy the original V5C.

The new keeper should get:

* an email confirmation (if you provided the new keeper’s email address)

* the new V5C registration certificate within 5 working days

You’ll be sent:

* an email confirmation (if you provided your email address)

* a letter confirming that you’re no longer the keeper of the vehicle

* a refund for any full months of vehicle tax (or direct debit cancelled)

By post

If you have a V5C you must:

* complete the V5C with details of the buyer and date of sale

* buyer and seller to sign

* tear off V5C/2 and give to buyer

* send the remaining V5C document by post to DVLA

If you don’t have a V5C you must write to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BA, with the:

* vehicle registration number

* make and model

* exact date of sale

* name and address of the new keeper

* signatures of the buyer and seller