What Is A Vehicle Logbook?
Also known as a V5C, a vehicle logbook is a document required by the DVLA. It tracks the registration and taxation history of a specific vehicle. In other words, the logbook serves to link a person to a specific vehicle, by demonstrating who keeps the car. The logbook proves your ownership of a vehicle.
In addition, the vehicle logbook works as a summary of the vehicle’s key statistics: make, model, engine, etc. The chassis number is also recorded. The V5C provides a physical copy of the information the DVLA holds in its database.
Why Do I Need A Vehicle Logbook?
The vehicle logbook provides a summary of your car’s information, but why do you need it? By providing a short summary of the known facts of a vehicle, the logbook tells you what a particular vehicle should have. If anything changes on a vehicle, from a new paint colour to a new engine, the logbook must be updated and the DVLA notified. The logbook acts as an ongoing definition of a particular vehicle. This makes the logbook critical when a vehicle is sold. If you are buying a used vehicle, the logbook tells you what should be in it.
If the logbook describes a red, two-door, four-cylinder car, but you see a blue four-door, something’s not right. Thus, the logbook helps to protect buyers and sellers alike. The logbook offers assurances that the seller is authorised to sell the car and that what they say they are selling you is exactly the vehicle you’ll receive.
I Can’t Find My V5C, How Do I Replace It?
While many other DVLA documents are online, the logbook remains available only in a physical form. When you update, sell, or dispose of a vehicle, you must fill out the appropriate forms in the V5C, and send that information to the DVLA. There’s no need to replace the logbook. At the sale, you’ll record the details of the transaction and remove the “V5C/2, New Keeper’s Details” form. The old logbook stays with you, while the new owner updates the tax information and records the sale. They will be issued with a new V5C from the DVLA. You can send the old V5C form to the DVLA, or use their online form to notify them about the transfer.
If you have misplaced your V5C, you can apply for a new document with the DVLA. You can apply for a new V5C here. Be aware that there is a £25 fee for V5C replacements.
What Does The Vehicle Logbook Look Like?
Here’s the moment you’ve been waiting for, here’s what the front of a vehicle logbook actually looks like:
How Long Should I Keep My Vehicle Logbook?
As covered previously, you should keep the V5C as long as you have a particular vehicle. Once you’ve sold or scrapped the vehicle and notified the DVLA, you are then free to discard the old logbook.
Do I Need My V5C To Donate?
It is preferable that you submit the vehicle V5C document when you donate it. However, if you are unable to do so you can still donate. For more information on what paperwork you need to donate click here.
Upon collection, you will need to provide keys for the vehicle, another proof of ownership along with a form of identification that will be copied to confirm yourself as the registered keeper.
My Car Is Being Collected – What Do I Do With My V5C?
On your chosen day of collection, it is important that you carry out the following steps;
- Remove Section 9 (The Yellow Section) of the V5C – Section 4 in newer versions of the logbook
- Submit your signature and the date within the Registered Keeper section
- Fill out the collection agents Business Name and Business Address
- Pass the rest of your vehicle’s V5C documents to the Collection Agent
- Post Section 9, or Section 4 depending on which version you have, to the DVLA to inform them you are no longer the Registered Keeper
This is the most important process throughout the donation of your vehicle as you might still be liable for the vehicle’s associated expenses including tax, speeding fines,and parking tickets.
You can also choose to notify the DVLA online by following a similar process. You will still require the collection agent’s business name and business address as well as your V5C’s 11-digit Document Reference Number.
Tips And Tricks
Keep it someplace safe with other critical personal documents, to prevent needing to make that extra £25 donation to the DVLA. Remember, while the form is still physical, many of the extra steps (such as demonstrating the sale of a vehicle) can now be done online.
Current V5C forms are red; they used to be blue. If you still have an old blue form, the DVLA encourages you to update it to a red one for free.
The DVLA maintains an informative webpage with further details on the V5C and how to contact the DVLA with any questions. You can reach them here.