Check A Used Vehicle You're Buying - GOV.UK

Cookies on GOV.UK

We use some essential cookies to make this website work.

We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.

We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.

Accept additional cookies Reject additional cookies View cookies Hide cookie message Skip to main content Part of Buy a vehicle: step by step Check a used vehicle you’re buying

Follow these steps to check you’re not buying a stolen or unsafe vehicle.

This service is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

Before you see the vehicle

1. Ask the seller for the registration number, make and model and MOT test number.

2. Check that the details you’ve been given match the information held by DVLA.

3. Check the MOT status and history matches the details you’ve been given.

4. Check if the vehicle has been recalled because of a serious safety issue.

When you go to see the vehicle

1. Ask to see the V5C vehicle registration certificate (‘log book’). Make sure it has a ‘DVL’ watermark, and the serial number is not between BG8229501 to BG9999030, or BI2305501 to BI2800000. If it is, the V5C might be stolen - call the police as soon as it’s safe to.

2. Make sure the details in the log book match the details you’ve been given.

3. Check the vehicle identification number and engine number. Make sure these match the details on the log book.

If you buy the vehicle

Tax the vehicle immediately. You’ll need the green ‘new keeper’ slip from the vehicle’s log book.

This page is Part of Buy a vehicle: step by step

1. Step 1: Check the vehicle before you buy it

   You'll need the vehicle's registration number, make, model and MOT test number. You also need to see the V5C vehicle registration certificate (log book).

   1. Check the details you've been given match DVLA's information
   2. Check the vehicle's MOT history
   3. Check if the vehicle has been recalled because of a safety issue
   4. You are currently viewing: Check the log book is not for a stolen vehicle

2. Step 2: Buy and register the vehicle

   Once you've bought the vehicle, you have to register it. How you register it depends on whether it has a V5C registration certificate (log book).

   1. Find out how to register your vehicle
   2. Get a vehicle log book if you do not have it £25

3. and Register for MOT reminders

   You must get an MOT for your vehicle every year once it's 3 years old.

   1. Get a reminder when your MOT is due

4. Step 3: Insure the vehicle

   You must have insurance before you can use your vehicle on the road.

   1. Check if your vehicle is insured on the Motor Insurance Database
   2. Read about vehicle insurance

5. Step 4: Tax the vehicle

   You need to tax the vehicle before you can use it on the road.

   1. Check how much you’ll have to pay to tax your vehicle
   2. Check when you do not have to pay vehicle tax
   3. Tax your vehicle

Is this page useful?

• Yes this page is useful
• No this page is not useful

Thank you for your feedback Report a problem with this page

Help us improve GOV.UK

Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details.

This field is for robots only. Please leave blank What were you doing? What went wrong? Send Cancel

Help us improve GOV.UK

To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today. Please fill in this survey (opens in a new tab).

Cancel