Your car’s log book is referred to as the V5C document and if you’ve just bought a car, you should expect it to arrive within 4 to 6 weeks. However, if the previous owner or dealer transferred ownership of the vehicle online, you should receive your V5C far quicker (5 days) because the DVLA doesn’t need to handle the post or manually change the details.
However, if your V5C log book hasn’t arrived yet, below we walk you through everything you need to know.
How Long Does A V5C Take To Arrive?
As mentioned above, the time it takes for your new V5C to arrive is highly dependent upon the method the log book details were changed. This is because since June 2020, the DVLA introduced their online service, which is designed to cut the time it takes for your log book to arrive and also reduce the strain on the DVLA’s workforce.
Therefore, if the previous owner used the online service to change the details upon the log book, you can expect it to arrive within 5 working days. However, if they used the postal service, it can take 4 to 6 weeks for the V5C to arrive.
Therefore, if you are buying a car or requesting a new V5C, we highly recommend using the DVLA’s online service to ensure you receive your V5C quickly.
Why Haven’t I Received My Log Book?
Unfortunately, mistakes and glitches happen, which can result in your V5C not arriving through the post. However, before you point the finger at the DVLA, you may want to check the following:
- Did you provide the previous owner with the correct details?
- Has the previous owner sent off the log book or completed the online service yet?
- Has there been a Bank Holiday? (the V5C may take an extra working day to arrive)
From our experience and research, the main reasons why a V5C hasn’t arrived can be due to delays at the DVLA, mistakes in the address or that it simply got lost in the post.
What To Do If My Log Book Hasn’t Arrived?
If your log book was posted to the DVLA and you’ve waited at least 6 weeks for it to arrive with no luck, you’ll want to complete a V62 form. With regards to the online service, although you should receive your V5C within 5 working days, we would recommend that you wait at least 10 working days before completing a V62 form.
The V62 form is designed specifically for those requiring a replacement V5C and as long as you have the green “new keeper” section of the log book, there are no fees to pay for this service. However, if you weren’t given the “new keeper” section of the log book when you bought the car, you’ll have to pay a fee of £25.
After sending off the V62 form along with either the “new keeper” section or a £25 cheque (payable to the DVLA), you should expect to receive your new V5C within 6 weeks. For peace of mind, we would recommend taking a photo or scanning your “new keeper” slip and sending it (along with the V62 form) to the DVLA via signed 1st class post.
Conclusion
Without owning a log book for your car, you may find it more difficult to tax and when you eventually come to sell your car, it may put off many potential buyers. Therefore, it’s crucial that you take the required steps to get a new log book as soon as you can to avoid any difficulties in the future. The DVLA are very helpful when it comes to issues with your V5C and we strongly recommend getting in touch with them via their online chat or by phone if you have any issues.
