If you move to a new address, don’t forget to change your address on several important documents. One of them is on your V5C. What will happen if we do not tell DVLA when you change address? If you do not tell DVLA that you change your address, you can be fined up to £1,000. Did you know how to change your address on V5C? If you do not know how to do that, you are able to read the explanation below about changing your address on V5C according to the Gov UK.
Methods to Change Your Address on V5C
Changing Address Online
Changing your address on V5C is easy. The thing that you have to do is just to access GOV UK and go to the Change Address V5C page or you can click on this link to go to the page directly: https://www.gov.uk/change-address-v5c. Make sure that you access the page between 7 am to 8 pm because the service is available within these hours. On that page, you just need to click on the Start Now button and then do the things based on the instructions on the screen.
However, before you start, there are several things that you have to prepare. Those are:
- Your log book reference number
- The registration number of your vehicle
- A UK address
- Checking whether your vehicle needs taxing in the next 4 weeks or not
What should we do if our vehicle needs taxing in the next 4 weeks? If so, you will have to tax your vehicle online by using your current V5C before you change your address. It is important for you to note that this service to change your address is only able to be used by you if you are the vehicle’s ‘registered keeper’.
Changing Address by Post
If you do not want to do it online on the website, you are able to change your address on your V5C by post. To do this, it depends on which style log book that you have. Is your log book the new style log book with multi-coloured numbered blocks on the front cover? If so, here are the things that you need to do.
- You need to write the new address in section 3 and do not use a PO Box address.
- You need to send the whole log book to the DVLA address in section 3.
However, if your log book is the older style one, here are the things that you have to do.
- You need to write the new address in section 6 and do not use a PO Box address.
- You need to sign and send the whole log book to the DVLA address in section 8.
Make sure that you do not tick the ‘new keeper’ box or fill in your name on the older style form.
If your vehicle needs taxing in the next 4 weeks, you can either:
- Tax your vehicle online before you send your log book to DVLA
- Take your log book to a Post Office that deals with vehicle tax for changing your details and taxing your vehicle at the same time
You need to take your latest MOT test certificate if your vehicle has to have an MOT every year where the certificate needs to be valid when the vehicle tax begins.
You Cannot Use the Methods Above If These Things Happen
You are not able to use the online method or by-post method above to change your address on V5C if these things happen:
- if you want to change not only your address, but also your name on your log book at the same time
- if you just have to change your name on your log book
- if you have sold, transferred or bought the vehicle
- if you have sent your log book to the DVLA
- if you have lost your log book
- if your vehicle is registered as part of the DVLA fleet scheme
- if your new address is abroad, including the channel islands (Jersey and Guernsey), Isle of Man or Ireland
Changing Address on V5C If Moving to an Address Outside of the UK
What should we do if we move outside of the UK? Do we still have to use one of the ways above to change our address on V5C? If you are taking your vehicle to your new address outside of the UK, you have to take the log book and register the vehicle in the country where you live now. However, if you have a trailer, you may have to register it to take it abroad.
A bookworm and researcher especially related to law and citizenship education. I spend time every day in front of the internet and the campus library.
