What Is a V5C Logbook? (UK Guide 2026)

The V5C is the official paper document the DVLA issues to the registered keeper of every UK vehicle. Most people call it the "logbook". It records who is responsible for the vehicle and lists its key details. The V5C identifies the registered keeper - the person legally responsible for the vehicle (tax, MOT, fines). It is not proof of legal ownership. A financed car is legally owned by the finance company, even though the driver holds the V5C.

Is a logbook the same as a V5C?

Yes. "Logbook", "V5C" and "V5" all refer to the same document: the Vehicle Registration Certificate issued by the DVLA. "Logbook" is the everyday name, "V5C" is the official reference printed on it, and "V5" is older shorthand. It records who the registered keeper of a vehicle is, along with the vehicle's key details. It is not the same as the V5C/2 new keeper slip, which is the tear-off section handed to a buyer when a car is sold.

What the V5C contains

• Registration number, make, model, body type, colour
• Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) - a unique 17-character code
• Engine size, fuel type, CO2 output, tax class
• Date of first registration, number of previous keepers
• Current registered keeper's name and address
• Sections for notifying the DVLA when something changes

Two versions are valid

Both designs are legally valid:

• Old style (blue-green, pre-2012): 12 sections, new-keeper slip in Section 10
• New style (red-pink, 2012 onwards): 11 sections, new-keeper slip in Section 6

DVLA recommends updating to the newer style but it's not a legal requirement.

What a V5C logbook looks like

A V5C is a multi-page paper document, roughly A4 when unfolded, printed on official DVLA stationery. The current red-pink design has been issued since 2012; the older blue-green version from 2004 is still valid but increasingly rare. Each numbered section covers different details: the vehicle (make, model, VIN, engine size), the registered keeper, the date of first registration, and previous-keeper information. Down one side is the V5C/2 new keeper slip, torn off and given to a buyer when a car is sold. If a document you are handed does not look like this, or the details do not match the car, treat it as a red flag and check the vehicle before paying.

Key sections explained

Section	Purpose
Section 1	Vehicle details (make, model, VIN)
Section 2	Registered keeper name and address
Section 3	Where to record a change of address or name
Section 6 (new) / 10 (old)	The green "new keeper" slip you tear off when selling
Section 8/9 (new) / 9/10 (old)	Notifying DVLA of a sale or trader transfer

When you must update the V5C

• You change address or name
• You sell, transfer, scrap or export the vehicle
• You make a significant modification (colour change, fuel conversion, change in number of seats)
• You import a vehicle into the UK

How to update your address

Fastest way: update online at gov.uk/vehicle-log-book. A new V5C arrives within five working days.

By post: write your new address in Section 3 (Section 6 on old-style), send the whole logbook to the DVLA address shown. Allow 4-6 weeks. Both methods are free.

How to update your name

Name changes can only be done by post. Complete the relevant section and include evidence of the change (marriage certificate, deed poll, etc.). Send the whole logbook to DVLA.

Can you view your V5C online?

Not the full document. There is no DVLA service that lets you view or download a copy of your V5C online. What you can do online, free, at GOV.UK is the key tasks the logbook is used for: telling DVLA you have sold or bought a vehicle, changing your address, or applying for a replacement. For a full walkthrough of what you must tell DVLA and how to do it online, see our guide on what to tell DVLA about your V5C.

Selling your car: what to do with the V5C

Private sale:

1. Complete the new-keeper section (Section 6 on new-style)
2. Tear off the green slip and give it to the buyer
3. Send the rest of the V5C to DVLA, or do it online
4. DVLA confirms the transfer and refunds any unused tax

Selling to a motor trader: they complete Section 9 (new-style) and notify DVLA directly.

Buying a used car: what to check

1. Registered keeper's name and address match the seller
2. VIN on the V5C matches the VIN stamped on the vehicle (typically dashboard or door pillar)
3. Number of previous keepers is reasonable for the car's age
4. Document watermark: hold the V5C up to the light. You should see the DVL watermark
5. The seller hands you the green new-keeper slip

An HPI check covers what the V5C cannot: outstanding finance, theft, write-off status and mileage discrepancies. See our used car buying checklist.

Lost your V5C?

Apply for a replacement using a V62 form. £25 fee. Options:

• Online at gov.uk/vehicle-log-book - fastest, replacement in 5 working days
• By post with a V62 form and cheque to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BA - 4 to 6 weeks
• By phone on 0300 790 6802 - only if no personal details are changing

Common confusions

• V5C vs HPI: V5C confirms identity. HPI confirms finance, write-off and theft. Both needed for a safe used car purchase.
• V5C vs ownership receipt: keep your sales receipt as proof of legal ownership. The V5C alone is not enough.
• Old logbook still works: yes, blue-green V5Cs from 2004 onwards remain legally valid.