Documents checklist for selling your car
Every piece of paperwork you need when selling your car in the UK.
Essential — you can't sell without these
- ☐ V5C Vehicle Log Book — green/red booklet, registered keeper in your name. £25 replacement from DVLA if lost.
- ☐ Photo ID — driving licence or passport.
- ☐ Proof of address — utility bill, council tax bill or bank statement, dated within the last 3 months, matching the V5 address.
- ☐ Your bank details — sort code and account number for the BACS payment.
Strongly recommended
- ☐ Current MOT certificate — older certificates are easy to look up online but having the current one to hand helps.
- ☐ Service book / digital service record — main-dealer history is worth £500+ on most cars.
- ☐ Receipts for major work — cambelt change, clutch, new tyres, DPF replacement. Cambelt receipt alone is worth £500+ on many engines.
- ☐ All physical keys — replacement keys cost £200–£500 each from a main dealer.
- ☐ Locking wheel nut key — without it, removing wheels means a £150 specialist job.
If there's outstanding finance
- ☐ Settlement letter from your finance company — get this first; they have to provide one and it's free.
- ☐ If the settlement is more than the car's worth: have the shortfall ready to bank-transfer to the buyer.
If you're selling on behalf of someone who has died
- ☐ Death certificate (interim is OK).
- ☐ Grant of probate or Letters of Administration.
- ☐ Your ID as the executor or administrator.
- ☐ Estate bank details for payment.
Optional but useful
- ☐ Owner's manual / handbook
- ☐ Spare wheel / repair kit / tyre inflator
- ☐ Original sales invoice (if you have it)
- ☐ Insurance / tax history (rarely asked for but doesn't hurt)