How to Notify DVLA of a Death in the UK: Complete Guide 2026

Who Needs to Notify DVLA of a Death?

The responsibility for notifying DVLA typically falls to the executor of the estate (the person named in the will to administer the estate) or the next of kin if there's no will. In practice, any close family member who has access to the deceased's driving licence and vehicle documents can handle DVLA notifications.

If you're dealing with other aspects of the estate, you'll likely also be responsible for DVLA notifications. For a complete overview of all notifications required after a death, see our UK Death Notification Process guide.

When Multiple People Are Involved

If there are multiple executors or family members, only one person needs to notify DVLA about the driving licence and each vehicle. However, coordinate to ensure someone takes responsibility and that DVLA isn't notified multiple times (which can cause confusion).

Step 1: Tell DVLA About the Driving Licence

If you used Tell Us Once when you registered the death, DVLA has already been told and the licence is cancelled — you do not need to send it in. If you could not use Tell Us Once (for example because the person was living in Northern Ireland, where the DVA handles licences instead, or living abroad permanently), write to DVLA yourself.

How to Tell DVLA Directly

GOV.UK asks for a letter giving:

• Your relationship to the person who died
• The date they died
• Their name, address and date of birth
• The driving licence itself, if you have it — including the paper counterpart if there is one (counterparts were abolished in 2015)
• Post to: DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1AB. You do not need to send a death certificate, and there is no fee

Old paper licence (issued before 1998): the same process and the same address. DVLA updates its records to show the licence holder has died.

Why Return the Licence Promptly?

• Prevent identity fraud: Driving licences are valuable identity documents and should be secured
• Update DVLA records: Ensures DVLA systems are updated and no renewal reminders are sent
• Stops renewal reminders and Blue Badge letters arriving addressed to the person who has died

Step 2: Decide What to Do with the Vehicle(s)

Tell Us Once removes the person as keeper of up to 5 vehicles and ends the vehicle tax, but it does not decide what happens to a car. That part is a separate letter to DVLA, and it goes to a different address from the driving licence.

From there, the options are: keep the vehicle, sell it, transfer it to a beneficiary, or declare it off the road. The right choice depends on the vehicle's value, the will's instructions, and the beneficiaries' wishes.

Option 1: Declare SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification)

SORN means declaring the vehicle is off the road and not being used. This is often the best immediate option while you decide what to do with the vehicle.

When to use SORN:

• You need time to decide whether to sell or keep the vehicle (can keep on SORN indefinitely)
• The vehicle is being stored and not driven while probate is sorted
• The vehicle needs repairs before it can be sold or transferred
• You want to avoid paying vehicle tax during the estate administration

How to declare SORN:

• Online (fastest): Go to gov.uk/make-a-sorn and complete the form using the vehicle's registration number and the V5C reference number (11-digit number on the V5C logbook)
• By phone: Call DVLA Vehicle Enquiries on 0300 790 6802 (Monday to Friday 8am-7pm, Saturday 8am-2pm)
• By post, as part of the bereavement letter: include form V890 with the V5C and covering letter you send to the Sensitive Casework Team at SA99 1ZZ. GOV.UK sets this out as the route where the keeper has died, rather than sending a V890 on its own to SA99 1AR
• Cost: Free

Important SORN requirements:

• Vehicle must be kept off public roads and in a private space (driveway, garage, private land)
• SORN lasts indefinitely until you tax the vehicle, sell it, or scrap it
• DVLA cancels the vehicle tax and any Direct Debit, and sends a refund cheque for any full months left. Where the keeper has died the cheque goes to whoever your letter nominates — otherwise it goes to the name and address on the log book
• Vehicle still requires valid MOT if you plan to drive it later (but doesn't need MOT while on SORN)

Option 2: Sell the Vehicle

If the will specifies selling the vehicle, or beneficiaries want to sell it and split the proceeds, you can sell the vehicle as part of administering the estate.

Before you can sell:

• You'll need the vehicle's V5C logbook (vehicle registration certificate) in the deceased's name
• Whether probate is needed depends on the estate as a whole, not on the car. There is no published value at which a vehicle by itself triggers a grant
• A car can legally be sold without an MOT, but it cannot be driven on a public road without one if it needs one
• Get the vehicle valued for the estate. Free online valuation tools and dealer quotes give you a figure; keep whatever you use on file

Selling process:

You can sell privately, to a dealer or car-buying service, or at auction. Whichever you choose, the DVLA paperwork is the same and it is not the ordinary sold-a-vehicle process.

Selling to a private buyer:

• Fill in section 2 of a new style V5C (the one with multi-coloured numbered blocks on the front), or section 6 of an older style log book
• Give the buyer the green 'new keeper' slip
• Send the rest of the V5C, with your covering letter, to the DVLA Sensitive Casework Team, Swansea, SA99 1ZZ

Selling to a motor trader: ask the trader to fill in the yellow 'selling or transferring to a motor trader' section, send that perforated part to the Sensitive Casework Team with your letter, and give the rest of the V5C to the trader.

If you do not have the V5C: tell the buyer they will need to apply for one using form V62 (£25). Write to the Sensitive Casework Team giving the date of sale, your relationship to the person who died, the date they died, who should get the tax refund, and the buyer's details.

DVLA cancels the existing vehicle tax and any Direct Debit, and sends the refund cheque to whoever your letter nominates. Vehicle tax cannot be transferred to the buyer — they must tax it in their own name before driving it.

Option 3: Transfer the Vehicle to a Beneficiary

If the will specifies that a particular person should inherit the vehicle (a specific bequest), or beneficiaries agree one person should have it, you can transfer ownership.

Transfer process:

• Fill in section 2 of a new style V5C, or section 6 of an older style log book
• Keep the green 'new keeper' slip — the person keeping the car needs it
• Send the rest of the V5C, with the covering letter, to the DVLA Sensitive Casework Team, Swansea, SA99 1ZZ. Include form V890 as well if the car is going straight onto SORN rather than being taxed
• If there is no V5C, send form V62 with the £25 fee and the letter to the same address
• DVLA cancels the existing tax and Direct Debit, sends the refund cheque, and issues a new V5C. Use the new keeper slip to tax the car in your own name before driving it — do not wait for the new V5C
• The new keeper also needs their own insurance in place first. See car insurance after a death

Transfer considerations:

• If the vehicle has significant value, it forms part of the estate and may affect inheritance tax calculations
• Get the beneficiary's written agreement to accept the vehicle (some may prefer the cash value instead, especially if the vehicle is old or requires repairs)
• Consider who pays for any repairs, MOT, or maintenance needed before transfer - typically paid from the estate

Step 3: Cancel or Transfer Vehicle Insurance

MoneyHelper, the government-backed money guidance service, says most car insurance policies end on the death of the main policyholder, which leaves you uninsured. A named driver on that policy is not automatically covered either — MoneyHelper's advice is to check with the insurer, and get your own policy if you are not covered. So nobody should drive the car until an insurer has confirmed cover.

Cancelling the Insurance Policy

If you're not keeping or driving the vehicle:

• Call the insurance company's bereavement or cancellation line (number on policy documents or website)
• Provide the policy number, deceased's name, date of death, and your relationship to them
• Ask what refund of premium is due to the estate. There is no statutory right to one — the amount, and whether an admin fee applies, comes from the policy terms
• Insurers do not publish a common turnaround for bereavement refunds, so ask when you call

Common cancellation terms:

• Many insurers waive their cancellation fee in a bereavement, but it is a concession rather than a rule — ask
• You may need to send a copy of the death certificate (some insurers accept this by email, others require postal copy)
• If monthly premiums were being paid by direct debit, ask the insurer to stop these immediately

Continuing Cover Temporarily

If you need to drive the vehicle temporarily (for example, to move it to secure storage or to get it valued), you have two options:

• Ask the existing insurer what they can do. Some will keep the vehicle covered for a period, or add you to the policy. There is no industry-wide grace period, so this varies from insurer to insurer — and you need the answer in writing before you drive
• Take out short-term cover in your own name. Short-term motor policies are sold by the day, week or month by several providers. Prices vary far too much with the car and driver to quote a figure here

Transferring Insurance to New Owner

Car insurance policies are not transferable. If you're transferring the vehicle to a beneficiary or selling it:

• Cancel the deceased's policy as described above
• The new owner must arrange their own insurance policy before driving the vehicle
• The new owner should shop around for quotes - they cannot take over the deceased's policy or premium

Step 4: Handle Vehicle Tax (Road Tax)

Vehicle tax (also called car tax or road tax) is another important consideration when dealing with a deceased person's vehicle.

What Happens to Vehicle Tax When Someone Dies

If you used Tell Us Once, DVLA ends the vehicle tax for you — GOV.UK lists ending the vehicle tax alongside cancelling the licence and removing the person as keeper of up to 5 vehicles. Otherwise, the tax runs on until DVLA is told something has changed.

To cancel vehicle tax and get a refund:

• Write to the Sensitive Casework Team: whether you are keeping, selling or SORNing the vehicle, DVLA cancels the tax and any Direct Debit when it processes your letter, and sends a cheque for any full months left. Say in the letter who should be paid it — otherwise the cheque goes to the name and address on the log book
• Refunds cover full remaining months only, calculated from the date DVLA receives your information. You do not get back credit card fees, the 5% Direct Debit surcharge or the 10% surcharge on a single six-month payment
• Timing: GOV.UK gives a processing time of about 6 weeks for a vehicle tax refund, and says to contact DVLA if the cheque has not arrived after 8 weeks

If the Vehicle Tax Has Expired

If the vehicle tax ran out before or shortly after the death, and you're not planning to drive the vehicle:

• Declare SORN immediately to avoid DVLA enforcement action and fines
• If you don't declare SORN, DVLA may send penalty notices to the deceased's address (starting at £80, increasing if unpaid)
• You can explain the vehicle owner has died and provide the death certificate to cancel any penalties issued

If You Need to Keep the Vehicle Taxed

If the vehicle needs to remain on the road temporarily (for example, you're driving it to auction or to a beneficiary):

• You cannot transfer the tax. GOV.UK is explicit: vehicle tax cannot be transferred from another person, so whoever is keeping the car has to tax it in their own name — using the green new keeper slip, without waiting for the new V5C — at gov.uk/vehicle-tax
• The vehicle must have valid MOT and insurance in place before you can tax it
• Tax can be paid by card online - you'll need the V5C reference number and the vehicle registration number
• Pay from the estate bank account if possible, or keep receipt to claim back from the estate

Step 5: Deal with Personalised Number Plates

If the deceased's vehicle has a personalised or cherished number plate, this can have significant value and requires special handling.

What Happens to Personalised Number Plates

Personalised registration numbers are valuable assets that form part of the estate. Some plates can be worth hundreds or even thousands of pounds depending on the combination.

Options for personalised plates:

• Transfer to a beneficiary: The plate can be transferred to a beneficiary's vehicle as a specific bequest or as part of their inheritance
• Retain on certificate: Remove the plate from the vehicle and put it "on retention" - this stores it on a V778 certificate that can be sold or transferred later
• Sell the plate: Sell the registration number separately from the vehicle through DVLA's online marketplace or a private plate dealer

How to Transfer or Retain a Personalised Plate

There is a specific DVLA route for this after a death, at gov.uk/personalised-vehicle-registration-numbers. Whichever option you take, you must send DVLA the death certificate (original or certified copy) plus at least one of: a certified copy of probate, a copy of the will, or a letter from the solicitor confirming who the executors or next of kin are.

If the number is still on a vehicle:

• Fill in form V317, plus section 2 of a new style log book or section 6 of an older style one
• Include a covering letter signed by all the executors confirming they agree, and the details of whoever the number is going to
• Fee: £80. Send to DVLA Personalised Registrations, Swansea, SA99 1DS
• The vehicle the plate comes off is issued a new age-related registration number

If the number is not currently on a vehicle: send the V778 retention document or V750 certificate of entitlement with the proof documents, signed by the executors.

A V778 or V750 has to be renewed every 10 years while the number is not on a vehicle, or the right to use it is lost permanently. Renewal itself is free, and DVLA sends a reminder.

Valuing personalised plates:

• Check DVLA's own auction results at gov.uk/dvla-auctions for comparable numbers
• There is no official valuation service. Private plate dealers offer free valuations, but treat them as an opinion, not a figure to put straight into an estate account
• Short plates (2-3 characters), initials, names, and words typically have highest values
• Include the plate value in the estate valuation for probate and inheritance tax purposes

Step 6: Handle MOT and Roadworthiness

If the vehicle's MOT has expired or is about to expire, your actions depend on what you plan to do with the vehicle.

If You're Declaring SORN

• No need for MOT while the vehicle is off the road on SORN
• The vehicle must have MOT before you can tax it again or sell it in the future

If You're Selling the Vehicle

• Private sale: a car can legally be sold without an MOT, though most buyers expect one. The maximum an MOT station can charge for a car is £54.85
• Dealer or car buying service: They usually accept vehicles without MOT but will reduce their offer to account for it
• You can drive the vehicle to a pre-booked MOT appointment even if the MOT has expired

If You're Transferring to a Beneficiary

• Get the MOT done before transfer so the beneficiary receives a roadworthy vehicle
• Pay for the MOT from the estate (keep receipt for estate accounts)
• If significant repairs are needed to pass MOT, discuss with the beneficiary - they may prefer to take the vehicle as-is and handle repairs themselves

Step 7: What If You Can't Find the V5C Logbook?

If you cannot locate the vehicle's V5C registration certificate (logbook), you'll need to request a replacement before you can sell or transfer the vehicle.

Applying for a Replacement V5C

The ordinary online replacement service at gov.uk/vehicle-log-book is only open to the registered keeper, so it is not the route to use after a death. Instead:

• Complete form V62, “Application for a vehicle registration certificate”
• Fee: £25
• Send the V62, the fee and your covering letter — relationship to the person who died, date of death, and who should be paid any vehicle tax refund — to the DVLA Sensitive Casework Team, Swansea, SA99 1ZZ. Include form V890 as well if the vehicle is going onto SORN
• DVLA cancels the existing tax and Direct Debit and issues a new V5C
• If you are selling the vehicle and do not have the V5C, the buyer applies for one using a V62 instead — tell DVLA about the sale by letter to the same address

Timeline: When to Complete Each DVLA Task

While there are no strict legal deadlines for most DVLA notifications, acting promptly avoids problems like untaxed vehicle penalties, insurance issues, or difficulties selling the vehicle.

Common Problems and Solutions

Problem 1: Vehicle is on Finance or Lease

If the deceased had an outstanding car loan, HP (hire purchase), or PCP (personal contract purchase) agreement:

• The vehicle does not belong to the estate - it's owned by the finance company until the loan is fully paid
• Contact the finance company immediately to inform them of the death
• Check if the deceased had payment protection insurance (PPI) on the finance - this may pay off the remaining balance
• Options: Continue payments from the estate and keep the vehicle, pay off the balance and own it outright, or return the vehicle to the finance company (you may still owe any shortfall)

Leased vehicles:

• With lease agreements, the vehicle must be returned to the leasing company
• Contact the leasing company - they'll arrange collection
• Check the contract for early termination charges - these may be waived due to death

Problem 2: Multiple Vehicles in the Estate

If the deceased owned multiple vehicles, you'll need to handle each one separately:

• Declare SORN for all vehicles immediately if they're not being driven
• Cancel or adjust the insurance on each vehicle
• Create a plan for each vehicle - some might be sold, others transferred to beneficiaries
• Get valuations for all vehicles for probate purposes
• Consider the practical aspects - do you have storage for multiple vehicles while you sort out the estate?

Problem 3: Vehicle is Jointly Owned

If the vehicle was owned jointly (uncommon with vehicles, but possible):

• Check the V5C logbook - it shows registered keepers, not owners
• If the vehicle was genuinely jointly owned (you'll need evidence like joint purchase agreement or both names on finance), ownership may pass automatically to the surviving owner
• The registered keeper listed on V5C is responsible for tax, insurance, and DVLA notifications
• If there's any doubt, seek legal advice as vehicles are typically treated as individual assets

Problem 4: Can't Access the Vehicle

If you cannot access the vehicle because you don't have keys, or it's in a locked garage:

• Finding keys: Search the deceased's home, check with family members, look in coats/bags, check key hooks
• Lost keys: Contact the vehicle manufacturer's dealer - they can cut new keys using the VIN (vehicle identification number) and proof you're the executor. The cost varies widely by make and by whether the key needs coding, so get a quote first
• Locked garage: As executor, you have authority to deal with the deceased's property. You may need to hire a locksmith if you cannot find keys
• Keep all receipts for keys and locksmith costs - these are estate administration expenses

DVLA Bereavement Contact Information

If you have questions or issues with DVLA notifications after a death:

• Driving licence enquiries: 0300 790 6801 (Monday to Friday 8am-7pm, Saturday 8am-2pm). Post: Drivers Customer Services, DVLA, Swansea, SA6 7JL
• Vehicle, tax and V5C enquiries: 0300 790 6802 (same hours). Post: Vehicle Customer Services, DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1AR
• Bereavement casework (vehicles): Sensitive Casework Team, DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1ZZ
• SORN enquiries: 0300 790 6802 or gov.uk/make-a-sorn
• V5C logbook issues: 0300 790 6802 or gov.uk/vehicle-log-book

Tips for contacting DVLA:

• Call early morning (8am-9am) for shortest wait times - afternoons and Saturdays are very busy
• Have ready: Vehicle registration number, V5C reference number (if you have it), deceased's full name and address, date of death
• DVLA cannot give advice on what to do with the vehicle - they can only process the administrative actions you choose

DVLA Costs Summary

Here's a summary of all potential costs when notifying DVLA and handling a deceased person's vehicle: