What Happens If You Lose Your V5C?

7th Nov, 2017

If you’ve never scrapped your car before, there’s a good chance you might have a few questions. (And to be honest, even if you have, you might have them anyway!) Luckily, that’s exactly what we’re here for at Scrap Car Network. Our job is to make the whole process as quick, easy and painless as possible for you, and that’s part of why this blog is here. This week we’re answering two variants on one of the most common question, one regarding your V5C, and one to do with your keys. It’s likely that, at some point or another, you may have asked yourself…

Can I Scrap My Car Without My V5C?

We’ve all been there. Maybe you’ve lost your V5C, or it’s been damaged. Maybe you’ve just had one of those moments where you misplaced it, and couldn’t help but wonder “do I need my V5C to scrap my car?” The answer, you might be pleased to learn, is no. But hold your horses – there’s more! If you’ve lost your V5C, to scrap your car with us you’ll first need to let the DVLA know in writing, so that they know you’re no longer responsible for the vehicle.

By law, the DVLA needs to know:

• Your details
• The details of your car (registration number, make, model)
• Our details
• The date of sale (from you to us)

With that information, the DVLA will be able to update their database and make sure you’re no longer registered as the keeper of your soon-to-be scrap car. Plus, if you’re ready to scrap your car with Scrap Car Network but you don’t have the V5C, it’s also a good plan let us know. We’ll be able to arrange a collection date for you and let your local collection agents know not to expect a V5C from you.

A word of warning: while Scrap Car Network can scrap your car without the V5C, you are legally obliged to contact the DVLA in writing to declare that the car is off the road and ready to be fully de-registered. If you don’t, the DVLA could prosecute you and land you with a hefty fine.

If you’re not planning on scrapping your car, you’ll definitely need to keep track of it. V5C – otherwise known as your Vehicle Registration Document or ‘log book’ – is the document that proves your car is registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). It also shows who’s the registered keeper of the car, and it’s up to the registered keeper – namely, you – to let the DVLA know if the car has been taken off the road, written off or scrapped. Your V5C (if you’re desperately searching for it as you read this!) is usually blue and maroon on the front, and blue and pale green on the back. And, despite the name, it’s paper – not an actual book.

Can you scrap a car without a log book?

Yes. Log book, vehicle registration document, and V5C are all different names for the same thing, so you can indeed scrap your car without a log book. But as we’ve explained above, you’ll need to make sure that you officially inform the DVLA in writing, including your name and address, the registration number, make and model of your car, the date of sale, and who you’ve sold it to.

It’s also wise to tell the buyer (such as us) in advance of their arrival, so that they can make sure all the paperwork is sorted on their side.

Can I Scrap My Car Without My Car Keys?

Yes, you can. Obviously it’s not ideal, but if you’re scrapping the car it’s likely their usage would have been fairly limited anyway. However, before we scrap your car, what we will need to see is some form of proof that the vehicle is yours. This will need to be in the form of an official document (like your V5C) or vehicle insurance papers, not a text from your mate saying the car is totally yours now, honest. You can probably see what kind of trouble might arise if we went around scrapping cars without doing those sorts of checks first!

As you can see, scrapping your car is even easier than you thought! And at Scrap Car Network, ease is our middle name. (Well, we guess technically it’s ‘car’, but whatever.) You can get started immediately on scrapping your car – all you need to do is fill in our instant online quote form. How much more simple could it be?

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