3 min read · Updated
Moving abroad comes with a long list, and the car is often near the bottom until the last week. Leave it too late and you're stuck with a car you can't sell, can't leave on the street and can't easily take with you.
This guide covers how to plan the sale, what to sort with the DVLA and your lender, and the separate process if you decide to take the car with you.
Decide early: sell or take it
Taking a UK car abroad permanently means registering it in the new country, which can involve import taxes and inspections. For most people moving overseas, selling in the UK is simpler. Make the decision at least a few weeks before you go, because some steps, such as replacing a lost V5C or transferring a private plate, take time.
Timing the sale
Most people want to keep using the car until the last few days. That's fine, as long as the buyer and collection are booked in advance. Agree the price early, then fix a collection date close to your departure. Leave a few days spare in case anything moves.
If you're leaving the car with someone else to sell after you've gone, they'll need your written authority, and buyers will still want to deal with the registered keeper. It's much easier to finish the sale yourself.
Step by step
- Find the V5C. If it's lost, apply for a replacement now. GOV.UK says it usually takes 5 to 7 working days by post.
- If you want to keep a private number plate, take it off the car before the sale. GOV.UK says this costs £80 and that you must have the V778 retention document and new log book before you sell.
- If there's finance, get a settlement figure and plan for it to be paid off as part of the sale.
- Get a valuation and agree a collection date.
- On the day, complete the V5C and tell the DVLA online.
- Cancel your insurance, breakdown cover, TfL Auto Pay and parking permits.
- Keep the DVLA confirmation and the sale paperwork, and make sure the DVLA has an address where you can still receive post or a tax refund.
Vehicle tax refunds
Once the DVLA knows you've sold the car, any full calendar months of vehicle tax left are refunded automatically. If you're moving soon, check the DVLA has an address where the refund can reach you.
If you take the car with you
GOV.UK has a separate process for taking a vehicle out of the UK permanently, meaning for 12 months or more. You fill in the 'permanent export' section of your V5C, detach it, send it to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BD, and keep the rest of the log book because you'll need it to register the car abroad. GOV.UK says that if you're due a tax refund, you'll usually get it within 4 to 6 weeks (source: gov.uk, Taking a vehicle out of the UK).
GOV.UK also says you need a V5C before you leave the UK, and that if you want to keep a personalised registration you should transfer or retain it before exporting, otherwise you lose the right to it.
Selling quickly in London
If you're short of time, a buyer who comes to you saves a lot of hassle. We agree a price before we travel and collect from your home or work anywhere in London. See how it works, find your area on areas we cover, and if the car has finance, read selling a car on finance.
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Rules and fees change, so check GOV.UK for the latest.