How to sell a deceased person’s car

Losing a loved one is never easy, and dealing with their assets can feel overwhelming. If you’ve inherited a car from a loved one who has passed that you wish to either sell or transfer, it’s crucial to know the proper steps while navigating the legal process of dealing with their estate.

At Motorway, we understand this can be a difficult time. Our dedicated bereavement team is here to guide you through the process, and with our partner Empathy, you’ll have access to care and support for you and your family even after the sale is complete.

How to sell a deceased person's car — At Motorway, we understand that dealing with the administrative aspects of selling a deceased person’s car can feel daunting. We’re committed to providing comprehensive support to anyone facing these circumstances.

To ensure the process is as simple as possible for you, Motorway offers a dedicated service for our bereaved sellers. Our specialist Bereavement Sales Team will support you in getting the car for sale, and once you accept an offer, we’ll also provide you with a single point of contact and support for the remainder of your sale within our Dedicated Care Team.

You can find our page for selling cars or vans following a bereavement, and start selling by valuing the vehicle here.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the essentials, such as explaining the simplest way of notifying the DVLA of your intentions, providing an understanding of what is meant by the legal term ‘probate’, and assessing the easiest methods for selling or transferring ownership of an inherited vehicle.

Considerations when dealing with an inherited car
Notifying the DVLA of the car owner’s death
Selling a car on probate
Do I need a probate grant to sell a dead person’s car?
Transferring the car’s V5C logbook
Selling a deceased person’s car without a V5C logbook
Transferring a deceased person’s car without a V5C logbook
Selling a deceased person’s car to a private buyer
Selling a loved one’s car with Motorway

Considerations when dealing with an inherited car

Legal entitlement: To transfer or sell the vehicle, you’ll need a copy of the Death Certificate and legal proof of your entitlement to handle the car on behalf of the estate. This proof could be part of their Last Will and Testament, a solicitor’s letter, or other legal document that demonstrates your authority. For guidance on what documents you’ll need and how Motorway can support you during bereavement, find more info here.

Insurance coverage: If the car was insured in the name of the person who passed away, and you wish to use the vehicle, contact the insurance company to determine if you can be covered. Even if you were previously a named driver on their policy, most insurance policies automatically terminate when the main policyholder passes away.

Relationship to the deceased: Your relationship with the person only affects your legal entitlement if there is no will. If they didn’t leave a will, this is known as ‘intestacy’. In cases of intestacy, a spouse, child, or other next of kin may have different rights than a friend. If you’re unsure of your position, it’s always wise to contact a legal professional – such as the solicitor handling the estate – who can advise on your specific situation. You can also find out more info about probate eligibility without a will on the UK government website. The Motorway team is also on hand to help guide you through an intestate sale. By asking a few simple questions over the phone, they can help you understand whether you’re able to sell the vehicle and what the next steps might be.

Notifying the DVLA of the car owner’s death

If you’ve been left a car or van by a friend or relative who has passed, you’ll need to inform the DVLA of their passing. This will allow them to cancel the driving licence, remove the deceased as the registered owner of the vehicle, and cancel the car’s road tax.

To do this, you can notify the DVLA directly or use the government’s ‘Tell Us Once’ service, which also informs other relevant organisations – such as the Passport Office, HM Revenue and Customs, and the deceased’s local council.

Once you’ve sold the car, you’ll also need to tell the DVLA that it’s been sold. You can find out how to do this in ‘Transferring or selling the car using the car’s V5C logbook’.

What is probate, confirmation, or administration?

To transfer or sell a car, you’ll need a copy of the deceased’s Death Certificate and legal proof of your entitlement to handle the car on behalf of their estate.

In England and Wales, ‘probate’ is the term used to describe the legal and financial procedures associated with managing the assets, finances, and possessions of a deceased individual, in the event they left a will.

Probate encompasses the process of verifying the Last Will and Testament of the person who has passed – if one exists – and establishing the rightful authority of another person to oversee their estate.

In Scotland, this is known as ‘confirmation’ – though there are some differences in legal process and documentation, this is effectively the same as ‘probate’.

In cases of intestacy, inheritance is determined by intestate laws, which outline entitlement on a hereditary basis, in a set order of next of kin. In these circumstances, the process of handing the estate is instead called ‘administration’ rather than ‘probate’, and you’ll usually obtain Grant Letters of Administration instead.

Depending on the circumstances and the total value of the estate, you may or may not need to apply and wait for a Grant of Probate, Confirmation, or Administration to sell or pass on certain significant assets such as housing, money and financial investments, or business assets.

Before selling or transferring a car or van inherited by a loved one, you’ll need to legally prove that you have the right to do so.

Do I need a grant of probate, confirmation, or administration to sell a loved one’s car?

No, you can sell the car without a grant, unless it has already been awarded – in which case you will need to present a copy when selling. Legally speaking, a car of a deceased person is described as a ‘personal chattel’, i.e. petty personal property which can be sold by an executor or administrator before, or without a grant being awarded.

A grant of probate, confirmation, or administration is required for an executor or administrator to be allowed to sell or distribute more significant assets such as houses, land, cash, investments, or businesses. In some cases, where the estate is below a certain value or bereft of relevant assets, however, a grant may not be required at all.

In cases where the individual left a will, and the estate is of sufficient value, you would apply for a grant of probate (England and Wales) or confirmation (Scotland). In cases where no will exists (or can be found), a document known as a ‘Grant of Letters of Administration’ is required instead.

If a will is in place, it will officially outline the distribution of the person who has passed assets. If there is no will, intestacy laws will determine who should receive the deceased person’s goods and chattels, including any vehicles, based on a hierarchy of hereditary entitlement.

If you have established your legal right to sell or transfer a car or van inherited from a loved one, there are several options available to you.

Transferring or selling the car using the car’s V5C logbook

The car’s V5C logbook – commonly known as ‘the logbook’ – can be used to change the registered keeper of the car, or to notify the DVLA that the car has been sold to a motor trader.

If you’re selling to a motor trader:

When selling your car through Motorway, you’re selling to a motor trader, not making a private transfer. It’s important this is recorded correctly with the DVLA.

You can notify the DVLA online here. Be sure to select ‘Sold it to a motor trader’ – this is different from a private transfer. Choosing the wrong option can cause issues for the dealer buying the car and may affect the vehicle’s value.

If you prefer to make the change by post, you’ll need to fill in section 4 of the V5C logbook (or section 9 if it’s an old-style V5C issued before April 2019). Tear off the yellow ‘selling, transferring, or part exchanging to a motor trader’ slip – keep this for your records –and hand the remainder of the V5C to the motor trader.

You’ll also need to write a letter to the DVLA, including:

Your relationship to the deceased
The date of their passing
Details for any road tax refund

Send this letter, along with the yellow slip, to the DVLA’s Sensitive Casework Team.

For step-by-step guidance, you can also follow Motorway’s help article on completing the DVLA ownership transfer.

If you’re transferring to yourself or another private individual:

You can notify the DVLA online here. It is important to select either ‘Sold it privately to a person or business’, or ‘put it into someone else’s name, including transferring it to a family member or friend’. This is different to a trade transfer.

If you prefer to make the change by post, you’ll need to fill in section 2 of the V5C logbook (or section 6 if it is the old-style V5C logbook, issued before April 2019). Tear off the green ‘New Keeper’ slip – the person the V5C is being transferred to should retain this.

Write a letter to the DVLA, including details of your relationship to the person who has passed, the date of their passing, and the details for any road tax refund. Send this letter together with the V5C logbook – excluding the ‘New Keeper’ slip – to the DVLA’s Sensitive Casework Team.

Selling a deceased person’s car without a V5C logbook

If you intend to sell the inherited car or van and lack a V5C logbook, you’ll need to send a letter to the DVLA’s Sensitive Casework Team and must incorporate a V62 form, in addition to the subsequent details:

The date of the car sale
Your relationship with the deceased individual
The date of their death
The name of the recipient for any road tax reimbursement
The full name and address of the buyer

Transferring a car without a V5C logbook after someone has passed

If you’re in the process of transferring ownership of a loved one’s car and don’t have – or can’t find – the V5C logbook, then you’ll need to complete the DVLA’s V62 form to get a replacement.

A fee of £25 is associated with this service, and you can either request a V62 form from your local Post Office or download one electronically.

You’ll need to send a letter to the DVLA’s Sensitive Casework Team and let them know:

Your association with the deceased individual
The date of their death
The name of the recipient of any road tax reimbursement
The full name and address of the person you wish to transfer ownership to

Selling a loved one’s car on Motorway

At Motorway, we understand that dealing with the administrative aspects of selling a deceased person’s car can feel daunting. We’re committed to providing comprehensive support to anyone facing these circumstances and offer a dedicated service to our bereaved sellers. Our Bereavement Sales Team consists of specialists trained in the nuances of bereavement sales. They’ll help you understand which documents you’ll need after receiving an offer, and guide you through preparing the car for auction.

Once you accept an offer, you’ll be assigned a member of our Dedicated Care Team who will act as your single point of contact for the remainder of your sale, offering one-to-one support every step of the way. They’ll help you with documents, logistics, and everything in between.

We also recognise that grief doesn’t end when the sale is complete. That’s why Motorway has partnered with Empathy, a platform supporting millions of people through loss, to provide free ongoing care and guidance for you and your family for up to two years. This means you have access to additional support whenever you need it, beyond the practicalities of selling the car. You can learn more about our partnership and the support you could get here.

When selling a vehicle on behalf of an individual who has passed, document requirements will vary depending on your circumstances. However, whether they left a will or not, and whether a grant has been awarded or not, Motorway can usually help you sell the car, and has specialist teams on hand to support you.

You can view our requirements according to your circumstances here:

Can I sell the car of someone who has passed away, and what documents do I need?

You can also find a wider range of guidance on other aspects of a bereavement sale in our Bereavement Help Centre.

Please reach out to us and let us know the status of the vehicle before we seek to add it to our auction, and our team will transfer you to our dedicated specialists. We’re available to offer guidance and assistance throughout this process.To ensure the process is as simple as possible for you, Motorway has a dedicated sign-up page for selling cars and vans following a bereavement.

Is it time to sell your car?

Want to learn more about owning, maintaining, and selling your car? Check out more of our guides here, covering everything from finding buyers, to negotiating a good price, and completing payment safely.

The information provided on this page is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice.