Selling a car after a death — a UK probate vehicle sale guide

If you're reading this, you're probably handling the affairs of someone who's recently died, and a car is on the to-do list. We're sorry — we know it's a hard time. We'll keep this short and practical.

Who is allowed to sell the car?

The car forms part of the deceased person's estate. The legal authority to sell it sits with the executor (named in the will) or the administrator (appointed if there's no will). Until probate is granted, you generally shouldn't sell the car — though there are practical exceptions for smaller estates.

If the estate is small (typically under £5,000 of total assets) or the car was jointly owned with a surviving spouse, you may not need probate at all. Speak to a solicitor or use the gov.uk probate guidance for a quick check.

Notify the DVLA

The very first step is to let the DVLA know the registered keeper has died. You can do this via the Tell Us Once service when you register the death, or directly by post. The DVLA will:

• Cancel the road tax (and refund any unused months to the estate)
• Cancel any direct debits
• Send a new V5C in the executor's name if you ask for one

Paperwork you'll need to sell

• V5C in the deceased person's name (or the new one in the executor's name)
• Grant of probate (or Letters of Administration) — copy is fine, original may be needed
• Death certificate — interim is OK
• Your ID as the executor / administrator
• Bank account details for the estate

The buyer needs to confirm you have the legal authority to sell — the death certificate plus the grant of probate together do that.

What we do at Carmora

We handle a steady stream of estate sales every month. We try to make it as smooth as possible:

• Free valuation by email or phone — no need to drive anywhere
• Free collection from the deceased's address (the car doesn't have to be driveable)
• Payment direct to the estate account by same-day BACS
• We're patient with timelines — if probate isn't through yet, we'll quote and hold the price for you

Practical tips

• Don't insure-it-and-forget-it. The deceased's insurance will lapse on death; have the car SORN'd (off-road) if it's going to sit for more than a week or two.
• Battery. Cars left for months often have flat or dead batteries. We can collect on a flatbed if needed — just let us know.
• Private plates. If the deceased had a personalised plate, transfer it off the car first via the DVLA. Otherwise it stays with the car when you sell.

When you're ready, drop the registration on our home page for a free, no-obligation valuation. A real person will come back to you, and we'll happily walk you through the rest by phone or email.