I want to buy a used car from a private seller. Car is currently on SORN. The seller can’t tax it because it is not insured. I can’t tax it because it’s not registered in my name.

I’ve had advice from DVLA but also have experience of post office staff not knowing procedure and therefore refusing to follow it.

DVLA advice is that I insure the car then take insurance certificate, registration certificate and MOT to the post office who will tax it in my name and I can then drive it away from the seller’s place.

I can see lots of potential pitfalls in this – has anyone actually had to deal with this situation and did the above procedure work?

why wouldn’t it work?

That works fine… as long as the car is as described etc… or you’ve insured a car you don’t want

I’m pretty sure you can buy car tax with the new owner slip from the V5 along with the insurance cert etc.

Have you looked at buying it online? might be an easier option once insurance is sorted. I get my car tax online most of the time now.

Buy car, tax it the next day. Worst likely outcome is you’ll get a producer and have to show docs at the police station. Insurance much more important but you should be able to do that on the phone once the deal is done

insurance certificate, registration certificate and MOT to the post office

This will work fine, you’ll not have the full v5, just the counterpart new keepers slip (v5c/2). Online with a new purchase can be a PITA as the MIB database isn’t as up-to-date as it ought to be.

buy car phone insurance company from purchasers property insurers email cert straight away. Ask seller if they have a printer !

Done it a few times, don’t buy at night as post office would be closed !

As Spiky says, you’ll need the green V5C/2 green slip and possibly need to complete a V62 Registration application form (but not sure if this has changed since all the DVLA Local Office closed this year and the PO/DVLA Swansea now doing everything) and a V10 Licence application form, along with insurance and MOT.

As you are the new owner/registered keeper I don’t think you can do this on-line.

For God’s sake, before a few things before handing over your money….

If the deal is too good to be true…it probably is!

Check the V5C for the VIN (Vehicle Identification No. 17 digits long) and then check this against the VIN plate (or sticker depending on vehicle make/model) and the ‘stamped in’ VIN located on the vehicle.

Most vehicle have different fonts and possibly security markings before and after the no.

Make sure you get both keys and that the V5C has the appropriate watermarks.

The amount of cloned vehicles I have come across and the unwitting buyers over the years losing all there money has been outstanding and in some cases really upsetting (an old couple spending what little savings they had to only find the car impounded and taken off them was the worse).

If it’s SORN does it have an MOT?

If not, or about to run out, just book one near your house, you can drive to an MOT and back whilst SORN. That does rely on you having somewhere to park it off the road. Just need the insurance then, which you can get your quote online beforehand and just ring them with card details when you pick the car up.

Whenever I’ve un-SORN’d a car it’s just been a case of logging onto the DVLA site and paying for a tax disk.

Thanks guys – I’ve had problems before where the PO would not accept an MOT certificate that was in my hand as it was fresh that day and not on the system, hence my worry about procedure. The seller is my brother so I know all is OK with the car, if not then I know where he lives!

“If not, or about to run out, just book one near your house, you can drive to an MOT and back whilst SORN.”

dodgier than a string bag of fish and will get you a nice fine once the anpr picks you up.

In principle you shouldn’t now need an insurance cert, (it will need to insured though) and I’m not all that convinced that the internal comms to post offices has been clear on e subject.

I would get a few quotes beforehand find the insurer you want to use and just accept the quote when you buy, some will some wont email a cert, take the reg and mot to the post office buy your car tax, drive.