What paperwork do I need to sell my van?
If you are looking to sell your van in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire or Surrey, it is important to correctly process the paperwork, whether you are selling the vehicle to us at Sell the Van, a different motor trader or disposing of your van privately.
With so many documents including the V5 logbook, service history, MOT certificates and previous for maintenance it can be confusing to know the correct procedure when selling your vehicle.
In terms of paperwork, the most important part of selling your vehicle is correctly processing the V5 logbook.
This is the red, 4-page booklet that should be registered in your name. Despite the booklet suggesting you can fill in the details by pen and send it off by post, with the onset of the internet, everything can be done online. It is very important to ensure this is completed so that you can get a refund for tax you have paid for but won’t use and to ensure that the vehicle is no longer officially registered in your name.
If you do not process the V5 logbook and you sell it to someone who gets lots of speeding tickets and parking fines, your life will be made a lot harder proving it wasn’t you if you haven’t registered the vehicle out of your name.
You will need to ensure you have your V5 logbook to hand when selling your vehicle, otherwise you will find it difficult to sell. Very few people will trust if you don’t have a V5 logbook.
Lack of a logbook will also seriously affect your valuation. If you have lost your V5 logbook but you still have access to the address on the document, you can order a duplicate using this link which will cost you £25 and will take around a week to arrive. If you have lost your logbook and no longer have access to the address on the document, you can apply by post for a new logbook using this link.
This will also cost you £25 but will take around 4-6 weeks to arrive. You will need to print the second page of the form, fill it in and send a cheque alongside the form to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1DD.
If you are selling the vehicle privately, type into Google ‘sell my vehicle’ and find the government page called ‘Tell DVLA you’ve sold, transferred, or bought a vehicle’ or alternatively click this link. You will need the document reference number on the top right of the V5 logbook (same page as your name and address) and the vehicle registration plate. Once this has been processed, you can put your old logbook in the bin. It is of no use to the future owner as they will receive a new logbook in their name in around one week’s time.
If you are selling the vehicle to a motor trader, type into Google ‘sell my vehicle to a motor trader’ or you can click this link. Make sure you select the option ‘sold my vehicle to a motor trader’ on the government page. Once all the online forms have been completed, you can give the motor trader the full V5 logbook. The vehicle is now in trade: no longer in your name and registered to the trader online. They will not receive a new logbook in their name as this process would add too many owners onto vehicles. You should print off a receipt for this change of ownership when selling your vehicle to a motor trader. If the motor trader has completed this process for you, ask them for a printed receipt for your own records. It is very important for the motor trader that you ensure you have selected ‘sold vehicle to motor trader’ on the government website and that you give them the full V5 logbook.
Alongside completing the V5 transfer, you should also collate any service history you have for the vehicle and pass this onto the next owner.
As well as any stamped service book, any paperwork you can find for the vehicle including previous MOTs certificates, receipts for maintenance will be valuable to the next owner. With the onset of GDPR rules, it is very important to remove the previous owner’s details including names and addresses from any paperwork.
This can usually be done by scribbling their details out with a pen so their private information is ineligible to the next owner. If you have any more keys for your van, you should also pass this onto the next owner.
Whether you are selling your van privately or to a motor trader, processing the paperwork correctly is pivotal for both you and the buyer.
If you have been offered an unexpectedly low price for your unwanted commercial vehicle either as a private sale, part exchange or direct sale to a motor trader, visit Sell The Van who give a same-day online price with free UK collection.
