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Emphasising the importance of the registration certificate

The law requires someone selling a vehicle to pass the relevant part of the registration document to the purchaser and notify DVLA of the change. DVLA and the police strongly recommend that prospective purchasers have sight of the registration document V5 or registration certificate V5/C and physically check details contained on it against the vehicle prior to purchase.

In order to tax a used vehicle with form V10 (or V85 for heavy goods vehicles) it's necessary to produce the appropriate section of the registration document or certificate. So it's essential that the appropriate part of the registration certificate is passed on to the buyer when a vehicle is sold.

• How to notify DVLA if you sell your vehicle
• How to tax your vehicle

Vehicle identity checks (VIC)

The VIC scheme, operated by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA), has been introduced as a deterrent to ‘ringing’ cars. Ringing is a practice which involves passing off stolen cars as repaired accident damaged cars.

Since 7 April 2003, all cars notified to DVLA by an insurer as ‘written off’ within salvage categories A, B or C are required to pass a VIC before DVLA will issue a registration certificate V5C.

• Vehicle identity check

Certificates of destruction

The End of Life Vehicles Directive allows a certificate of destruction (COD) to be issued for a vehicle taken to an authorised treatment facility (ATF) for destruction. The COD will be issued to the last owner or holder of the vehicle and will end the keeper's financial responsibility by updating the record held at DVLA.

To process end of life vehicles, the ATF must be licensed by the Environment Agency or Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Registration of number plate suppliers

The register of number plate suppliers scheme (RNPS) has now been extended to include Scotland and Northern Ireland from 1 August 2008.

The scheme ensures that number plates are only sold by registered suppliers and to a purchaser who can show entitlement to a particular registration mark and can provide verification of personal details. Number plate suppliers are required to keep records of sales and make them available for inspection by the police, trading standards, DVLA or Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) enforcement officers.

• Registered number plate supplier Opens new window

Continuous registration

Under the continuous registration system, the registered keeper of a vehicle remains financially responsible for the vehicle, until DVLA is formally notified of its transfer or disposal. This makes it possible to carry out enforcement from the record, instead of relying on a sighting on the public road, and encourages individuals to notify DVLA of any changes in keeper details.

• Advice on selling your vehicle

Name and address checks

To improve accuracy DVLA has introduced new measures to check name and address details to be entered onto the vehicle record. Documentary evidence is required to verify name and address with forms V55/4 and V55/5 used mainly to register imported vehicles, rebuilds and kit built vehicles.

More thorough measures are being taken to establish the true address when registration documents are returned undelivered.

• How to register your vehicle and identity checks

Further information

You can find more information about vehicle crime on the Home Office website below.

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