The V5C and the rest of the paperwork

The V5C — the vehicle registration certificate, universally called the log book — records who is responsible for a vehicle. It is worth being precise about what that does and does not mean, because a widespread misunderstanding here is exactly what vehicle crime relies on.

It is not proof of ownership

DVLA has said this plainly: criminals legitimise the sale of a stolen or cloned vehicle with a forged or stolen registration certificate, and get away with it because many motorists believe the V5C proves ownership. It does not. It records the registered keeper — the person responsible for taxing and insuring the vehicle — which is not the same thing as the legal owner. On a car still on finance the two are different by design.

What to check on the document itself

DVLA’s guidance for buyers is specific.

• The watermark. A genuine certificate carries a “DVL” watermark.
• The serial number. If it falls between BG8229501 and BG9999030, or between BI2305501 and BI2800000, the document may be stolen. DVLA’s advice in that case is to contact the police as soon as it is safe to do so.
• The details. Everything printed on it should match what you have been told and what you can see: make, model, colour, engine size, date of first registration.
• The numbers on the vehicle. Check the vehicle identification number and the engine number physically, and confirm they match the log book. A VIN that has been disturbed, re-riveted or is inconsistent between its locations is the end of the viewing.

Then check the whole lot against DVLA’s own records using the free vehicle enquiry service, and against the MOT history. Three sources agreeing is meaningful; two agreeing and one differing is a question that needs answering before money moves.

Do not buy a vehicle without one

DVLA’s position is unambiguous: do not buy a vehicle that has no V5C. A seller who says it is “in the post from DVLA” is asking you to take on their problem, and the replacement process exists precisely so that a legitimate keeper does not need you to.

The rest of the file

• Service records. Invoices are worth more than stamps, because an invoice names the garage, the date, the mileage and the work. See servicing and service history.
• MOT certificates, which you can cross-check against the online record.
• Receipts for major work — cambelt, clutch, gearbox service, suspension. These are the items whose absence you pay for later.
• Both keys, and the code or card if the model has one. A second key is not a courtesy; it is an expensive item on a modern car.
• Locking wheel nut key, if the wheels have them.

After you buy

The registration must be transferred. The seller tells DVLA they have sold it and you become the registered keeper; vehicle tax does not transfer with the vehicle, so the car must be taxed in your name before you drive it away.