Logbook check. V5C dates by reg.
EVERY REPORT INCLUDES:
*Data provided by Experian
V5C issue dates and keeper history, not names.
How do I check a car's logbook?
Check the document the way GOV.UK says: the 'DVL' watermark, a serial number outside the stolen ranges, and details that match the car. Then enter the registration above. The report lists every V5C issue date, the keeper count and any plate changes, so you can see whether the logbook in your hand matches the record.
Last updated
What the report shows
Compare the logbook with the record.
The Vehicle History section lists the dates a V5C logbook was issued for the car, the number of previous keepers, when the current keeper took it on and any plate changes. Put the seller's V5C next to it: the issue date, the keeper count and the registration should all match.
- Every V5C issue date on record, so you can match the logbook in your hand
- Keeper count and current keeper since, to compare with the V5C
- Plate changes, in case the logbook shows a different registration
V5C issue dates
- Issued 9 June 2024
- Issued 21 February 2022
- Issued 15 August 2018
- Previous keepers
- 2
- Current keeper since
- 9 June 2024
- Keeper changes on record
- 2
- Plate changes
- None recorded
The newest issue date should match the V5C the seller shows you. The free check also shows the date DVLA last issued a V5C.
How do I know if a V5C is genuine?
The checks GOV.UK lists for the document itself, plus the one the report adds.
| Check | What to look for | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Watermark | What to look for: Hold the V5C to the light. GOV.UK says to make sure it has a 'DVL' watermark. | Source: GOV.UK: Checks when buying a used car |
| Serial number | What to look for: It must not fall between BG8229501 and BG9999030, or between BI2305501 and BI2800000. If it does, GOV.UK says the V5C might be stolen: call the police as soon as it is safe to. | Source: GOV.UK: Checks when buying a used car |
| Details match | What to look for: The make, model, colour, VIN and engine number on the car must match the logbook, and the logbook must match what the seller told you. | Source: GOV.UK: Checks when buying a used car |
| Colour of the document | What to look for: A current V5C is red. DVLA replaced the old blue certificate and asked keepers to swap a blue one for a red one free of charge. | Source: GOV.UK news: DVLA encourages motorists to get a red vehicle registration certificate |
| Issue date | What to look for: Compare the date on the V5C with the issue dates in the report and the date DVLA last issued a V5C in the free check. A logbook issued days before the sale deserves a question. | Source: Carhealth report, Vehicle History section |
A replacement V5C from DVLA costs £25 and usually arrives by post within 5 to 7 working days (GOV.UK, checked 11 November 2026). A seller who says one is on its way can show you the application.
What a Logbook Check Shows
The record behind the document. Names and addresses stay private with the DVLA.
Every V5C Issue Date
The Vehicle History section lists each date a V5C logbook was issued for the car, so the one in the seller's hand can be matched to the record
Keeper Count and Dates
The number of previous keepers, when the current keeper took the car on and the number of keeper changes on record, to compare with the V5C
Plate Changes
If the logbook shows a different registration from the one on the car, the report lists each plate change with the old plate, the new plate and the date
Finance, Write-Off and Stolen
A genuine V5C says nothing about money owed on the car or its insurer and police records. The same report covers them, where records exist
What's Included in Your Logbook Check
How Carhealth compares to traditional vehicle check services.
Carhealth Report
from
£14.99
Standard checks
- Vehicle Tax Check
- MOT History (Full)
- Stolen Vehicle Check (data provided by Experian)
- Insurance Write-off Check (data provided by Experian)
- Mileage Verification
- Scrapped/Imported Status (data provided by Experian)
- Outstanding Finance Check (data provided by Experian)
Only with Carhealth
- AI Analysis
- Buyers Guide
- Maintenance due
- Common Problems
Also in every report
- Salvage & auction records (data provided by Experian)
- Previous damage
- Market value & 5-year forecast
- Safety recalls & NCAP rating
- Tax & ULEZ status
- Life expectancy estimate
- Previous adverts
- Services required
- Cost to own
- Negotiation brief
- Advert check
- Inspection checklist
- Ask the report
- Specification & options
Typical basic check
Standard checks
- Vehicle Tax Check
- MOT History (Full)
- Stolen Vehicle Check
- Insurance Write-off Check
- Mileage Verification
- Scrapped/Imported Status
- Outstanding Finance Check
Not included
- AI Analysis
- Buyers Guide
- Maintenance due
- Common Problems
*Data provided by Experian
How it works
From registration plate to full report, instantly.
Step 1: Enter your registration
Every UK car has a unique registration on its number plate or V5C logbook. Takes seconds to type in.
Step 2: We search multiple sources
We pull from DVLA, DVSA, Experian, salvage auction records, and more, all at once.
Step 3: Your report is ready
Your history report is ready instantly, covering finance, theft, mileage, accidents, and more.
Step 4: Buy with confidence
Use your report to negotiate a better price, avoid hidden problems, and make a safe, informed purchase.
View sample report →
Everything inside a Carhealth report.
Our checks go far beyond the basics: the full picture, before you hand over any money.
Red flags
Sample report- Outstanding finance (data provided by Experian)Hire purchase
- Insurance write-off (data provided by Experian)Cat N, June 2025
- Stolen records (data provided by Experian)Closed record
- Salvage auction (data provided by Experian)Sold July 2025
- Mileage1 reading out of line
- Taxi or private hirePossible, TfL licence
Finance, theft, write-offs and clocking.
Outstanding finance (data provided by Experian)
Any finance agreement still recorded against the car, with the lender and agreement type.
Write-offs and theft (data provided by Experian)
Insurance write-off categories, police stolen records and the car's DVLA status.
Salvage and auction records (data provided by Experian)
Salvage auction history, with links to the auction photos where available.
Mileage checks
Every recorded reading over time, so you can see whether the mileage adds up.
Taxi and private hire
Whether the car has been licensed as a taxi or private hire vehicle.
See this for your car.
Enter the registration and your report is ready instantly.
Check my carView a sample report
*Data provided by Experian
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about logbook check on Carhealth
Two ways, and you need both. Check the document itself the way GOV.UK says: hold it to the light for the 'DVL' watermark, check the serial number is not in the stolen ranges (BG8229501 to BG9999030, or BI2305501 to BI2800000) and make sure the details match the car and what you were told. Then enter the registration on Carhealth: the report lists every V5C issue date, the keeper count and any plate changes, so you can see whether the logbook in your hand matches the record.
The Vehicle History section lists the dates a V5C was issued for the car, the number of previous keepers, the date the current keeper took it on, the number of keeper changes on record and any plate changes with their dates. It does not show names or addresses. The Carhealth Free Report also shows the date DVLA last issued a V5C, from the DVLA record.
A V5C is issued when the keeper changes, when a plate changes and when a replacement is requested. The newest issue date in the report should match the document the seller shows you. A logbook issued very recently can mean a new keeper, a plate change or a replacement; ask which. A seller who has owned the car for years but holds a V5C issued last week needs to explain why.
The V5C records the registered keeper, the person DVLA holds as responsible for the vehicle. That is not always the owner: a car on hire purchase or PCP belongs to the finance company until the last payment, and a company or lease car is kept by one person and owned by another. Check the seller's name matches the V5C, and run the outstanding finance check that is part of the same report.
GOV.UK says to see the V5C before you buy. The green new keeper slip (V5C/2) on its own is not the logbook. There can be honest reasons for a missing V5C, such as a replacement in the post, but it is also how cars with finance owing or a stolen identity get sold. Ask why, ask for proof that a replacement has been applied for, and run the report: the V5C issue dates and keeper changes show what has happened to the record recently.
Walk away, and if the serial number is in the GOV.UK stolen ranges, GOV.UK says to call the police as soon as it is safe to. Do not pay a deposit on the strength of a photographed or scanned V5C; a photo hides the watermark and the print quality. Check the VIN on the car against the V5C and the report, because a genuine-looking document can still belong to a different car.
Checking the rest of the paperwork? See the car owner check, the VIN check and the plate change check.
Related guides
Plain-English reading on this check, from the Carhealth blog.