V5C, Tax, MOT and SORN After Buying a Vehicle at Auction in the UK (2026)

When you buy a vehicle at a UK auction, the seller or auctioneer tells the DVLA about the change of keeper and gives you the green new keeper slip (V5C/2). Your new V5C logbook should arrive within 5 to 7 working days if the change was made online, or within 4 weeks otherwise. Vehicle tax does not transfer with the vehicle, so you must tax it (you can do it straight away with the reference on the new keeper slip) and insure it before you drive it anywhere. If there is no V5C at all you apply on form V62 (£25), and an ex-military vehicle that was never road-registered needs first registration on form V55/5.

This guide goes through each step in the order you will meet it, from the auction yard to your first MOT.

Before you bid: check the paperwork status

Auction catalogues say what paperwork comes with a vehicle. Look for:

• "V5C present" or "with V5C": the logbook is available and the change of keeper can be done normally.
• "V5C applied for" or "no V5C": the vehicle is registered but the logbook is missing. You will have to apply for one yourself (see below), which takes time and costs £25.
• "No documents" or "non-registered": common on ex-MoD vehicles, plant and some ex-fleet lots. The vehicle may never have been registered for UK roads.
• "Trade only": some vehicle auctions sell to motor traders only. Check you are eligible to bid.

Also run two free checks before you bid, both on gov.uk using the registration number:

1. Vehicle enquiry: tax status, MOT expiry, date of first registration, colour and engine size. Check they match the listing. 2. MOT history: every test result since 2005 with recorded mileages and advisories. A mileage that drops between tests, or a long list of repeated advisories, tells you more than the auction description.

Neither check shows outstanding finance or write-off status. For that you need a paid private history check.

Step 1: The change of keeper

At a normal auction the seller (or the auctioneer, as a motor trader) tells the DVLA that the vehicle has a new keeper, usually online. You get the green new keeper slip (V5C/2). Keep it: it is your proof of keepership until the new logbook arrives, and it carries the reference you need to tax the vehicle.

When does the new V5C arrive? Gov.uk says 5 to 7 working days if the change was made online, or within 4 weeks if it was done by post. If it has not arrived, contact the DVLA before 6 weeks have passed: after that you may have to pay £25 for a replacement.

If the auction gives you the whole V5C instead (it happens at smaller sales), fill in the new keeper section with the seller, and make sure the seller sends it to the DVLA or completes it online. Do not drive off with an unsent V5C and no slip.

Step 2: Tax the vehicle

Tax does not transfer. Gov.uk is explicit: the tax is not transferred to you when you buy the vehicle, and any full months left on the previous keeper's tax are refunded to them. You must tax it before you drive it, even for the journey home from the auction.

How: online at gov.uk or by phone, using the 12-digit reference number on the V5C/2 new keeper slip. You can do it as soon as you have the slip, including on your phone at the auction yard.

Keeping it off the road? If you will not drive the vehicle and it is kept off public roads (on a trailer, in a garage or on private land), declare SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification) instead. Tax or SORN is required from the moment you become the keeper.

Step 3: Insurance

You need insurance in your name before driving on a public road, including from the auction yard. Most insurers can cover you from the moment you buy using the registration number. If the vehicle is going on a transporter, you still need to tax or SORN it.

Step 4: MOT

Check the expiry. In Great Britain, vehicles over three years old need a valid MOT to be driven on the road. The vehicle enquiry service shows the expiry date.

No MOT? You may drive the vehicle to a pre-arranged MOT test (and to a garage for repairs needed to pass the test) without a current MOT certificate. The DVLA also says you can drive a SORN vehicle to a pre-booked MOT. You still need insurance for that journey, and the vehicle must be roadworthy: an unroadworthy vehicle can invalidate your insurance and leave you open to prosecution.

Budget for it. Fleet and ex-government vehicles often go to auction with a short MOT or none. Plan the test before you plan the drive home.

If the V5C is missing: form V62

If a registered vehicle is sold without its logbook, the new keeper applies for one on form V62, "Application for a vehicle registration certificate", which costs £25. You send it with the green new keeper slip if you have one. Until the V5C arrives you cannot easily sell the vehicle on, so factor the wait into any resale plan.

Ex-MoD and never-registered vehicles: form V55/5

Many ex-military vehicles were run on military registrations and never held a UK civilian number plate. To use one on the road:

1. Apply for first registration on form V55/5, "Application for first registration of a used vehicle", with evidence of the vehicle's identity and age. 2. Prove the vehicle's age. For ex-MoD vehicles, the MoD's date-into-service certificate is the standard evidence (it replaced the older MoD Form 654). Without it, the DVLA may issue an age-related plate based on the evidence it has, or a Q plate if age cannot be proven. 3. Get an MOT (unless the vehicle is exempt) and insurance, and pay the first registration fee and tax. 4. Expect an inspection. The DVLA can ask to inspect the vehicle to confirm its identity.

Before bidding on an ex-MoD vehicle, ask Witham or the auctioneer exactly what paperwork comes with it, including the date-into-service certificate. Our ex-MoD vehicle guide covers which vehicles are straightforward to register and which are not.

Plant, mowers and trailers

Most plant (mini diggers, dumpers, ride-on mowers) is never registered, so there is no V5C to transfer. If you intend to use plant on a public road, it needs to be registered, taxed in the right class and insured. Our ex-council vans and machinery guide covers what comes with council fleet lots. Trailers under 3,500 kg do not need registering in the UK for domestic use.

Your rights after an auction purchase

Under section 2(5) of the Consumer Rights Act 2015, you are not treated as a "consumer" when you buy second-hand goods at a public auction that individuals can attend in person. The auction's conditions of sale decide what you can do if a vehicle is not as described. That exemption does not cover online-only auctions, but auction terms usually still say "sold as seen". Read the conditions, and ask about the V5C status before you bid.

Checklist

1. Before bidding: vehicle enquiry, MOT history, V5C status, VAT status. 2. On winning: pay, collect the V5C/2 new keeper slip (or complete the V5C with the seller). 3. Before moving it: tax (or SORN) and insure it. 4. MOT if needed, booked in advance if you are driving there. 5. Wait for the new V5C: 5 to 7 working days online, up to 4 weeks by post. 6. No V5C? Form V62 (£25). Never registered? Form V55/5.

For the auction costs themselves (buyer's premium and VAT), see our VAT and buyer's premium guide, and for where public-sector vehicles are sold, ex-police cars and how UK government surplus auctions work.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to get a V5C after buying a car at auction?

Gov.uk says the new V5C should arrive within 5 to 7 working days if the change of keeper was made online, or within 4 weeks if it was done by post. Keep the green new keeper slip (V5C/2) until it arrives, and contact the DVLA before 6 weeks have passed if nothing has come, or you may have to pay £25 for a replacement.

Does vehicle tax transfer when you buy at auction?

No. Vehicle tax is never transferred to a new keeper. You must tax the vehicle before driving it, including the drive home from the auction. You can tax it straight away online using the 12-digit reference on the V5C/2 new keeper slip.

Can I drive a car without an MOT to an MOT test?

Yes, if the test is pre-arranged. You can drive to a pre-booked MOT, and to a garage for repairs needed to pass it, without a current MOT certificate. The vehicle must still be taxed (or on SORN for that journey, which the DVLA allows for a pre-booked MOT), insured and roadworthy.

What if the auction car has no V5C logbook?

Apply for a replacement on form V62, which costs £25, sending the new keeper slip if you have it. Until it arrives you have limited proof of keepership, which makes resale harder, so treat "no V5C" as a cost and a delay when you bid.

How do I register an ex-MoD vehicle?

Apply for first registration on form V55/5 with evidence of identity and age. For ex-MoD vehicles, the MoD's date-into-service certificate (which replaced Form 654) is the usual proof of age. You also need an MOT (unless exempt), insurance, and to pay the registration fee and tax. The DVLA may inspect the vehicle.

Do I need to declare SORN on an auction vehicle I will not drive?

Yes. From the moment you become the keeper you must either tax the vehicle or declare it off the road with a SORN. A SORN vehicle must be kept off public roads, except for a journey to a pre-booked MOT.