Can i sell my car without the V5 document

[N 5 0 VRS]

Hi guys, after some advice here.

I have provisionally sold my car but do not have the v5 document back from the DVLA yet. Is it still ok to sell and then send the v5 off with the new owners details on it when it arrives?

Reason i sent it off in the first place was to get my private plate put on retention and the cars previous plate re-assigned to the vehicle.

Have received the MOT certificate and Tax Disc with the old registration on them but the letter states that the v5 could take upto 4 weeks!

New owner is waiting to pick the car up.

Any advice???

[Gizmo]

Yes it is possible to sell without the V5 in your possession, personally i would not buy a car without the V5 being present - but that's his choice.

[Wardy]

Yes, as said - it's not a problem. But it does require more trust on behalf of your seller. Have you a photocopy of the V5 you could produce perhaps? I also copy paperwork before sending to the DVLA anyway, in case they loose it!

[N 5 0 VRS]

Yes it is possible to sell without the V5 in your possession, personally i would not buy a car without the V5 being present - but that's his choice.

Well he seems happy to take the car without it as he has seen the car with the private plates on and knows the only reason i don't have it is because i've sent it to the DVLA.

Just making sure it is legal to sell without the v5 to hand?

I will obviously do a receipt and keep a copy with the time and date i sold the car to him, don't want any speeding tickets through the door!

Also has anyone else had this problem and how long after the revised MOT and Tax Disc arriving did the v5 take to arrive?

[N 5 0 VRS]

Yes, as said - it's not a problem. But it does require more trust on behalf of your seller. Have you a photocopy of the V5 you could produce perhaps? I also copy paperwork before sending to the DVLA anyway, in case they loose it!

Photocopying is a great idea for the future but unfortunately i didn't think of that one, cheers for the advice though.

[cheezemonkhai]

I for one wouldn't hand over a penny without seeing a V5 with your name and the car reg and VIN on it.

[VWD]

Get him to check out insurance angle . Daughter bought a car for me and sent off log book with her name in it .My company and all but the short term ones won't touch it .It's not a case of fronting -I've only ever said me driving on my policy and she's old enough to have a good few years NCB .But as long as her name is on V5 -no go

[Soot1e]

If you kept the Green tear off part of the Log Book the buyer will be happy with that and he could tax the car. As for your original question, it is legal to transfer ownership without the V5, ownership is established by the purchase/invoice docs. The V5 only proves the Registered Keeper.

[VWD]

If you kept the Green tear off part of the Log Book the buyer will be happy with that and he could tax the car. As for your original question, it is legal to transfer ownership without the V5, ownership is established by the purchase/invoice docs. The V5 only proves the Registered Keeper.

See my post above -insurance asks if you are both the RK and legal owner .If the V5 is not in your name at date of insure -I've found most will not go any further .

[Soot1e]

The insurer and DVLA will accept that you are the legal owner and keeper from the date you purchase the car, which you have to write on the takeover green slip of the V5. You cant physically have a V5 with your name and in your hand all the time.

[Wardy]

The DVLA won't be impressed if you try to transfer the plate off this car and you don't have the full V5.

Not recommended to tear the new keeper part of the V5 off.

[VWD]

The insurer and DVLA will accept that you are the legal owner and keeper from the date you purchase the car, which you have to write on the takeover green slip of the V5. You cant physically have a V5 with your name and in your hand all the time.

Quote from above "I have provisionally sold my car but do not have the v5 document back from the DVLA yet" - so he don't have V5- SO WHO'S NAME IS VEHICLE IN . Insure ,and have an accident ,and insurance co will have a fry up - if you can't PROVE vehicle is RK'd in our name ,at time of accident .Don't forget ,Ins companies are looking to minimise payouts -so any discrepancies =hold up in payout at least . That's the advice I've had from brokers in the past few days .So cross the t's and dot the i's .Because buyer might face driving without insurance ,and you might face allowing to charges .

Personally, I'd pay a visit to PH(WWW.PISTONHEADS.COM AND POST UP IN THE sp&l section - and ask for advice - you might have to register ,but there's legal eagles and friendly BIB posting on there.

Better safe than sorry .

[gadgetman]

Do you have a local DVLA office?

[VWD]

Do you have a local DVLA office?

Be suspicious of their advice . My reasons - my daughter has a car she bought ,and registered in her name , knowing I'd be getting rid of mine on financial grounds( sort of present for dad). It needs VED -but I can't insure it ,as it will be in her name ( insurance companies don't like that )-even though at her age and her NCB ,there's no question of fronting .DVLA (Swansea )did suggest that if I had insurance on the car ,I could tax it as green slip didn't have name bit - but from my V5 -it asks for name etc .Go to PO with insurance on one name and V5 in another on insurance - and get fingers rampant .

[gadgetman]

But they could sort the v5 and plate transfer issues out.

[TeflonTom]

i've bought cars from auctions without a v5 document before, it costs £40 to get a replacement v5, but i guess the you could just pass on the v5 to the new owner when it arrives

[Soot1e]

but i guess the you could just pass on the v5 to the new owner when it arrives

That's not an uncommon thing to do and I have have done this method before. There is the odd case of the buyer wanting to keep a private reg. no. and not allowing the vendor to retain it, happened to someone on Briskoda. The whole point of the Green tear off slip is so the buyer can Tax his newly purchased car straight away as long as he can show his insurance certificate and MOT for the said car, a V? ( Unable to produce V5) form has to be filled in as well.

If you are really concerned about not having a V5 in your hand with your name on it, then take a temp insurance policy for a week/month whatever. There are a few on line websites that provide instant insurance and you print off the certificate.

Edited 21 August, 2010 by Soot1e

[Soot1e]

i've bought cars from auctions without a v5 document before, it costs £40 to get a replacement v5, but i guess the you could just pass on the v5 to the new owner when it arrives

It's still free for transferring registered keeper details, you only pay if you loose the V5 yourself and it has your name on it.

[ricardo_smooth]

I did this 2 weeks ago with my old car as the buyer was keen to get the car asap.

The green new owner section will be back within 7 working days so you can give them that part until you get the V5 back (usually within 2 weeks). it's just if you are happy to sign the new owner section on their behalf for the car. but tbh you are fine and I would have no problems from your part.

If i was a buyer I wouldn't buy a car without a V5 but that's just me.

[Scott Howie]

im in the same dilema here, guy is very keen to get car but tax and mot only same through yesterday with my plate retention documents, was homing v5 would be in today but the guy is planning on coming on saturday to collect, should i sell without the V5? or wait? he seems happy enough for me to post it away when it comes in, but could i be liable to anything if he crashes the car or something becuase it would still be in my name?

[Wardy]

If he's happy with that, and you get the sale confirmed in writing - signed and dated then I would deem that sufficient.

Remember, the V5 is only a document confirming ownership of the vehicle, so if something were to happen while he's driving it and you haven't transferred ownership yet, he will still be liable for points, fines etc etc. And the 'receipt' you have will help back this up.

I would proceed, with care and make sure you document the sale.

Steve