V5C logbook walkthrough: every box and what it should match

What the V5C looks like

The official document the DVLA issues for every UK-registered vehicle. It records the keeper, the vehicle's key details, and the markers that affect future ownership.

• A blue-and-pink A4 documentPrinted on watermarked paper, with DVLA branding at the top.
• Section 1: the main documentThe part the registered keeper holds.
• Section 2: the New Keeper slipThe tear-off bottom strip used when ownership changes hands.
• 32 numbered sectionsMost are administrative. Seven matter when you are buying.

The colour changed in 2010 from red to blue/pink to make forgeries easier to spot. A red V5C dated after 2010 has either been replaced from an old form or is fake: always check the issue date against the colour.

The seven checks that matter

Run these seven cross-checks before you hand over any money.

• 1Registered keeper name and addressSection 2

  Match against the seller's photo ID and the address they have given. A seller acting for someone else (a parent, a friend, a deceased relative) needs written authorisation and a copy of the actual keeper's ID.

  Must match exactly

  The DVLA rule is unambiguous: the registered keeper sells, full stop. Never pay if the name does not match.

• 2Vehicle Identification NumberSection 11

  The 17-character VIN must match the VIN plate (bulkhead or door pillar), the VIN stamped on the chassis (usually the right-hand suspension turret, or under the passenger floor carpet), and the plate visible through the base of the windscreen on the driver's side.

  All three must match

  A mismatch almost always means the car was stolen and re-shelled, or two write-offs were welded into one. Walk away immediately.

• 3Make, model, colour and engine sizeSections 4–9

  Match against the actual car. A resprayed colour raises the question of accident damage. A 1.6 litre on the V5C against a car badged 2.0 means either a stale V5C or an engine swap. Body-type mismatches are rare but happen with write-offs rebuilt on a different shell.

  Everything should match

  Respray and engine swaps both affect value and insurance.

• 4Date of first registrationSection 14

  Match against the plate's age code and the age claimed in the listing. March 2018 is an “18” plate, September 2018 a “68”, March 2019 a “19”, September 2019 a “69”. A “68” plate first registered in 2020 should make you ask questions.

  Check the plate age code

  A 2020 model first registered in 2022 is pre-registered. The warranty starts at registration, not at manufacture.

• 5Number of previous keepersSection 16

  “One previous owner” means the V5C should show one previous keeper, making the seller keeper number two. Ask whether any previous keepers were dealers or finance companies.

  Does it add up?

  Trade transactions are not always formally registered, so a car sold three times through trade can still show one previous keeper. A four-year-old car on its fifth keeper is worth a question.

• 6Salvage / write-off markerSection 20

  Match against the listing description and any history check you have run. Cat S, Cat N or the legacy Cat C and Cat D markers appear here.

  Changes the price

  A marker the listing never mentions is a walk-away, but confirm with a history check first, because V5Cs can occasionally lag. A clean V5C is not proof either: run a paid check anyway.

• 7Tax class and import markersSection 5, plus the import indicator

  Tax class should match the actual fuel type. A “DISABLED” class is not a problem but must be changed when you next tax it. For imports, check the UK registration date against the manufacture date: manufactured 2018 and first UK-registered 2022 almost always means an import.

  Imports trade 10–15% lower

  Imports have different parts availability, different recall coverage and usually more difficult MOT testing. If the listing is silent and the V5C suggests one, the seller is either ignorant or hopeful.

If any of these seven fail, stop. Ask questions, get proof, or walk away. What each write-off category means

What to ask if the V5C isn't available

Three scenarios where a seller genuinely cannot produce the V5C on the day.

• DVLA processing a change of address

  Sent off three weeks ago and not yet back. The seller should have proof of postage and a tracking reference.

• Lost V5C

  A replacement costs £25 and takes five working days. The seller can apply online and you wait.

• V5C still in a previous keeper's name

  The seller bought the car without doing the registration. Sloppy, sometimes innocent, often a flag.

A serious seller of a real car can produce a V5C in their name within a week. Anyone offering to "send it later" or "do the registration once you've paid" is asking you to take a risk you don't need to take.

What the V5C does not tell you

The logbook is foundational, but it is not sufficient. Five things it cannot confirm.

• Actual mileageThe V5C records the mileage at registration date, not subsequent readings.
• Service historyThe book of stamps or the digital service record is a separate document.
• MOT historyPull it separately and free from gov.uk.
• Outstanding financeA V5C in the seller's name does not prove the car is finance-free. Outstanding finance can see the car repossessed from you even though you paid in good faith.
• Insurance claimsNot on the V5C. A history check turns up write-off and total-loss markers.

Pair the V5C with an MOT history (free), a paid history check, and a service history review.

The new-keeper slip: yours, not the seller's

On the day, the seller tears off the New Keeper section and gives it to you, then posts the main V5C to the DVLA with your details.