UK auto purchase/registration questions.
 

Ok, so I'm planning to take a little holiday and would like to purchase a vehicle in the UK, then overland through Europe, the "stans" and Russia/Mongolia. Maybe even ship the vehicle back to the USA eventually....and I've been wading through the purchase/tax/mot regs....need a bit of help deciphering the differences between the US and UK systems....

I've been doing a lot of reading on the DVLA sites, and still have some questions...

1. Is the V5 registration the same as a "title" AND "registration" in the US, or does the UK have a title document as well as the V5 registration?

In the US, we have a "title" which shows ownership of the vehicle, and a separate state by state "registration" that shows that the vehicle is licensed....

2. It is my understanding that the MOT and taxes can be transferred to the new owner of a vehicle, so if I find something that is current on both....I only need to change the registration?

3. Are number plates transferrable to a new owner, or do I have to get those made too?

4. How long...really...does it take to get the updated registration docs (and/or title) once you buy a used vehicle....and do I need a local (UK) address?

5. It's my understanding that to permanently export a vehicle, all I have to do is notify the DVLA by sending in the V5C/4 section of the V5 document....?

I know this may seem like "newbie" stuff for the UK locals, but it seems a bit complex coming from the "walk in with the title, walk out with everything in 30 min. that our Arizona, USA motor vehicle dept is like...", so thanks in advance for ya'll help!

-H-

1. Is the V5 registration the same as a "title" AND "registration" in the US, or does the UK have a title document as well as the V5 registration?
>>>It's V5 only.

2. It is my understanding that the MOT and taxes can be transferred to the new owner of a vehicle, so if I find something that is current on both....I only need to change the registration?
>>>Correct.

3. Are number plates transferrable to a new owner, or do I have to get those made too?
>>>The registration number / plate goes with the vehicle.

4. How long...really...does it take to get the updated registration docs (and/or title) once you buy a used vehicle....and do I need a local (UK) address?
>>>Takes up to a couple of weeks to get an updated V5. But you will need a local (UK) address.

5. It's my understanding that to permanently export a vehicle, all I have to do is notify the DVLA by sending in the V5C/4 section of the V5 document....?
>>>As I understand it, yes correct. I'm about to export mine to France and that's what I will be doing. Probably need to check on the country you are exporting to as in France for example grey imports would not be allowed and over 100 bhp will also be tricky to re-register there.

I've just discovered my V5 has an extra digit on it - hence the VIN number doesn't match the frame number on my bike. DVLA are sending me a new V5 to Spain. They said it will take between 2-4 weeks to issue a new one.

I had exactly that happen earlier this year when I took my bike for an MOT in the UK and the MOT man found the frame number was wrong in the log book (V5) so the bike did not exist on the DVLA computer.
I looked through the old manual MOTs taken before it was all computerised and the frame number was shown incorrectly on all of them. The frame number on the MOTs matched the frame number on the bike but didn't match the frame number in the V5 log book.
It took the best part of 6 weeks to get a new log book, sorry Dakota, but in my case I couldn't use the bike as it didn't have an MOT and I couldn't get an MOT because the V5 was incorrect.

Bike in the UK
 

Hi

I may have something to help you out. Hit me with an email to ozrockrat99 at hotmail dot com.

Sorry been lurking for too long and don't have enough posts to PM you. (but this one gets me closer :cool4:)