Yes, you can tax a car without the log book. If you have the V11 reminder letter or the green V5C/2 new keeper slip, the reference number on either one is enough to tax the vehicle online. If you have neither, you can apply for a replacement V5C and pay the tax in the same online session, so there is no gap in the vehicle’s legal status while the new document is printed and posted.
Using a V11 Reminder or V5C/2 New Keeper Slip
The V11 vehicle tax reminder carries a 16-digit reference number. That number is all you need to tax the car online or by phone, no log book required. DVLA sends V11 reminders before the current tax period expires, although you will not receive one if you pay by direct debit.1GOV.UK. Vehicle Tax Direct Debit Payments – Renewing Your Vehicle Tax
Just bought the car? The green V5C/2 new keeper supplement, torn from section 10 of the seller’s log book and handed over at the point of sale, has a 12-digit reference number that works the same way. You can tax the vehicle online with it straight away while DVLA processes the new V5C in your name.2GOV.UK. Tax Your Vehicle Without a Vehicle Tax Reminder
Neither slip? You will need a replacement log book.
Apply for a Replacement V5C and Tax the Car in One Online Journey
This is the option most people miss. If you are already the registered keeper and none of your details are changing, DVLA lets you apply for a duplicate V5C online and pay the tax in the same transaction.3GOV.UK. Get a Vehicle Log Book (V5C) The replacement costs £25 on a debit or credit card, and you choose your tax period as soon as the log book application goes through.4DVLA Digital Blog. Apply for a New Log Book and Tax Your Vehicle in One Easy, Online Journey
Have these to hand before you start:
- The vehicle’s registration number.
- Its Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) or chassis number. The VIN is usually stamped on a plate inside the driver’s door frame or visible through the base of the windscreen.
- The name and postcode currently held on your V5C record.
Your tax status updates on DVLA’s system as soon as the application is accepted, so you are legal to drive immediately.
The online service will not work in every case. You cannot use it if you need to change your name or address, if you are not yet the registered keeper, if you have already sent the V5C to DVLA for other changes, or if the vehicle is registered abroad.3GOV.UK. Get a Vehicle Log Book (V5C) Those situations fall to the postal route.
Applying by Post With Form V62
Form V62 is the fallback when the online service does not cover you. Download it from GOV.UK or pick a copy up at a Post Office. It asks for the vehicle’s registration number, make, model, VIN, and your full name and current address.5GOV.UK. Apply for a Vehicle Registration Certificate (Form V62)
Post the completed V62 to DVLA with the £25 replacement fee. It cannot be submitted electronically.5GOV.UK. Apply for a Vehicle Registration Certificate (Form V62) Check every digit of the VIN and registration before sealing the envelope; a single wrong character can bounce the application and force you to start again. Some Post Office branches that handle DVLA services will take the application over the counter if you prefer help in person.4DVLA Digital Blog. Apply for a New Log Book and Tax Your Vehicle in One Easy, Online Journey
The postal route is slower, and the vehicle will not appear as taxed on DVLA’s system until the application is worked through. Enforcement cameras read the database, not the postbag, so this delay is what makes the online option the better choice whenever it is available.
You Still Need a Valid MOT
DVLA will not let you tax any vehicle unless it has a valid MOT that covers the date the tax starts. If the MOT has lapsed while you have been chasing paperwork, book the test first. Cars under three years old are MOT-exempt and this will not apply. In Northern Ireland, you also need to bring a paper insurance certificate or cover note and the original MOT certificate when taxing at a Post Office.6GOV.UK. Tax Your Vehicle
How Long the New Log Book Takes
Applied online? DVLA says the replacement V5C typically arrives within about five days.4DVLA Digital Blog. Apply for a New Log Book and Tax Your Vehicle in One Easy, Online Journey Applied by post? Expect around four weeks. Contact DVLA if it has not turned up in that time. Leave it longer than six weeks without getting in touch and you will have to pay another £25 for a second replacement.7GOV.UK. Get a Vehicle Log Book (V5C) – If You Cannot Apply Online
While you wait, the tax you paid is recorded centrally, so police and roadside cameras will see the vehicle as taxed. When the new V5C arrives, check the name, address, and vehicle details straight away. Corrections are far easier the day the document lands than months down the line.
If You Can’t Tax the Car Yet, Declare a SORN
Driving untaxed is not something DVLA lets slide. Automatic number plate recognition cameras and dedicated wheelclamping teams run enforcement across the UK, with over 360,000 enforcement actions in a single recent year.8Inside DVLA Blog. Tax It, Don’t Risk It – DVLA Hits the Road to Highlight the Risks of Vehicle Tax Evasion Penalties escalate from fines to the car being clamped or impounded.
If the car is off the road while you sort the paperwork, make a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN). A SORN is required any time a vehicle is untaxed or uninsured, even briefly. Without valid tax or a SORN in place, DVLA will automatically fine you £80.9GOV.UK. When You Need to Make a SORN – Overview Declaring one is free, takes minutes online, and keeps you clear of enforcement while the replacement V5C works its way through the system.