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Telling DVLA about a death — licence, V5C and plates

There is no DVLA form called D40 — the process is a short cover letter returning the physical driving licence by post, or via Tell Us Once if used at death registration.

This walkthrough covers both routes, the V5C vehicle log book actions for keeping or selling any vehicle, and the separate procedure for a personalised registration plate.

Pre-filled cover letter text from your Civil Dossier if the driver number and address were captured.

✓ Official source checked 23 August 2026 · GOV.UK last updated that page 30 September 2016Telling DVLA after someone dies on GOV.UK
Executor's First Hour — £179
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United KingdomInformational, not legal or financial adviceOfficial source: GOV.UK
There is no form to download

There is no form to download. DVLA is told about a death online or by post using the licence itself — there is no printable DVLA death-notification form.

Tell DVLA online →

This walkthrough takes the DVLA death notification step by step, in plain English. There is no DVLA form to fill in — it is a short cover letter, or Tell Us Once; the hard part is that the licence return and the vehicle log book (V5C) are two separate jobs going to two different addresses, and a personalised plate is easily lost if the car is sold before the plate is separated.

Tell Us Once does not transfer the vehicle
Tell Us Once notifies DVLA about the licence and removes keeper status on up to 5 vehicles — but it does NOT transfer ownership.

If anyone is keeping or selling a vehicle, the V5C log book must be sent separately to DVLA's Sensitive Casework Team (SA99 1ZZ) — a different address from the licence return (SA99 1AB).

Families who assume Tell Us Once handles everything often discover months later that vehicles are still registered to the deceased.
The service, in summary
Valoren
D40
With Valoren8 minutes
Without Valoren30–45 minutes
including V5C if keeping a vehicle
Deadline
As soon aspracticable after
death registration
Who uses it
Executornext of kin, or
anyone for the estate
£
Fee
Free*£80 personalised
plate transfer
Filed with DVLA
Draws from your Estate File
the records this form is built from
PersonalAsset Inventory·Personal Record·Civil Dossier·Digital Access Map·Financial Accounts·Income & Outgoings·Policy Index·Legal Instruments·Medical Abstract·Property Folio·Succession Plan·Digital Legacy Registry·Business Interests & Directorships·Funeral & Committal Wishes·Dependent Care & Handoff·RegistryMaster Registry·Renewal Register·People, Authority & Contacts·Designated Places·Kinship & Succession Map·SecureAccess Controls·Recovery Routes·Custody & Contingency·EventsDeath & Estate Activation·Incapacity & Medical Proxy·Absence & Continuity Cover·Access Loss & Identity Recovery·Legal Dispute & Evidence Protocol·Theft & Asset Compromise·Property Damage & Incident Response·Relocation & Address Update Protocol·Separation & Custody Documentation·Business Interruption & Continuity·PersonalAsset Inventory·Personal Record·Civil Dossier·Digital Access Map·Financial Accounts·Income & Outgoings·Policy Index·Legal Instruments·Medical Abstract·Property Folio·Succession Plan·Digital Legacy Registry·Business Interests & Directorships·Funeral & Committal Wishes·Dependent Care & Handoff·RegistryMaster Registry·Renewal Register·People, Authority & Contacts·Designated Places·Kinship & Succession Map·SecureAccess Controls·Recovery Routes·Custody & Contingency·EventsDeath & Estate Activation·Incapacity & Medical Proxy·Absence & Continuity Cover·Access Loss & Identity Recovery·Legal Dispute & Evidence Protocol·Theft & Asset Compromise·Property Damage & Incident Response·Relocation & Address Update Protocol·Separation & Custody Documentation·Business Interruption & Continuity·
Legal basisStatute

There is no DVLA form 'D40' — the process is governed by administrative guidance under the Road Traffic Act 1988 (which requires a driving licence to be held only by an entitled person) and the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999.

On death, the licence ceases to be valid and should be returned to DVLA (SA99 1AB).

Vehicle registration transfer is governed by the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994 and associated DVLA guidance — Tell Us Once notifies DVLA but does not transfer ownership, which requires a separate V5C submission.

Screen by screen

Tell Us Once, screen by screen.

Before you start, you’ll need:
  • Who uses it — Executor, next of kin, or anyone acting on behalf of the estate
  • Draws from your Estate File — Asset Inventory, Personal Record, Civil Dossier
Section 1

Before you start — two routes, different coverage

There is no DVLA form to fill in.

The death notification reaches DVLA either automatically via Tell Us Once (used at the death registration appointment) or by a cover letter you post yourself. Choose one — do not do both, or DVLA receives duplicate notifications.

Route A: Tell Us Once (preferred if available)

If the registrar offered Tell Us Once — or if you used the online service at gov.uk/after-a-death — DVLA will automatically cancel the driving licence, remove the deceased as vehicle keeper (for up to 5 vehicles), and cancel vehicle tax.

You receive a reference number.

Keep it: it is your proof of notification.

No letter or physical licence posting is required under this route, but you must still handle the V5C log book separately if someone is keeping or selling a vehicle (see Section 3).

Route B: Cover letter by post

If Tell Us Once was not available in your area, was not used, or if there were more than 5 vehicles registered to the deceased, post a cover letter to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1AB.

Include the physical driving licence.

No stamp required — the address includes a Royal Mail Freepost arrangement for DVLA returns.

Gov.uk confirms: you do not need to send a death certificate with the licence return letter.

What the cover letter must contain

Your full name and relationship to the deceased (e.g. 'executor', 'spouse', 'son').

The deceased's full name, address, and date of birth.

The deceased's driver number (the 16-character code on the front of the licence — starts with the first five letters of the surname).

Date of death.

Keep a photocopy of the licence front and back before posting — driver number and categories are useful references for the rest of the estate process.

What you do NOT need to send

Death certificate — gov.uk explicitly states this is not required for the licence return letter.

Medical reports, probate documents, or court orders are not needed at this stage.

The one exception is a personalised registration plate: DVLA requires a death certificate copy for plate transfer (see Section 5).

If the licence is lost or was never held

If you cannot find the physical licence, the letter alone is sufficient.

Include the driver number (from any stored document, the photocard, or from DVLA's own records via the bereavement helpline: contact.dvla.gov.uk/bereavement) or the full name and date of birth if the number is unavailable.

DVLA will locate the record and cancel it.

There is no DVLA form to fill in.

DVLA · D40
Section 2

What DVLA does after notification

Understanding what DVLA's cancellation covers — and what it does not — prevents the most common executor error: assuming the job is done when it isn't.

Driving licence cancelled

Once notified, DVLA cancels the licence record.

The deceased's name is removed from the licensed-driver database.

Any medical or vision conditions held on the record are closed.

This happens automatically and you will not normally receive written confirmation unless you request it.

Vehicle tax (road tax) cancelled

DVLA cancels the vehicle tax on any vehicle registered to the deceased.

A pro-rata refund of any unexpired whole months will be posted to the registered keeper address.

Note: if the vehicle is kept by a family member even temporarily, they must re-tax it in their own name before driving on public roads — the cancelled tax cannot simply be 'taken over'.

Use the green new-keeper slip from the V5C to do this immediately.

Keeper status updated — 5-vehicle limit for Tell Us Once

Tell Us Once removes keeper status for up to 5 vehicles.

If the deceased had 6 or more vehicles registered in their name, each additional vehicle must be handled separately via the V5C route (Section 3).

There is no equivalent limit when notifying by letter — the letter covers all vehicles, but you must then send each V5C separately.

What cancellation does NOT do

Cancelling the licence does not transfer vehicle ownership — the vehicle remains legally part of the estate until a new keeper is registered with DVLA.

It does not cancel insurance: contact each insurer directly.

It does not notify the MOT or finance provider.

It has no effect on any personalised registration plate retained on a certificate rather than assigned to a vehicle — that requires a separate action (Section 5).

Understanding what DVLA's cancellation covers — and what it does not — prevents the most common executor error: assuming the job is done when it isn't.

DVLA · D40
Section 3

Keeping or selling a vehicle (V5C log book)

The driving licence return and the V5C vehicle log book are separate DVLA processes sent to different addresses.

Handling the V5C is required whether the vehicle is being kept by a family member, sold to a private buyer, or sold via a motor trader.

If you are keeping the vehicle

Complete section 2 of the new-style V5C (or section 6 if it's an older-style logbook).

Write a covering letter giving: your relationship to the deceased, date of death, and who should receive any vehicle-tax refund.

Post the V5C and letter to DVLA Sensitive Casework Team, Swansea, SA99 1ZZ.

Keep the green new-keeper slip — use it to tax the vehicle in your own name immediately; you do not need to wait for the new V5C to arrive.

If you do not have the V5C

Apply for a replacement using form V62 (available at the Post Office or online at gov.uk/get-vehicle-log-book).

The replacement fee is £25.

Post the V62 with a covering letter (same details as above) to the Sensitive Casework Team, SA99 1ZZ.

The replacement V5C will be issued to the estate; you can then complete the keeper-transfer section.

If you are selling the vehicle privately

Complete section 2 (new-style) or section 6 (old-style) of the V5C, giving the buyer's details.

Hand the buyer the green new-keeper slip — they use it to tax the vehicle immediately.

Post the perforated V5C section to SA99 1ZZ with a letter confirming your relationship to the deceased and date of death.

DVLA will issue a new V5C to the buyer.

If selling via a motor trader (dealer or auction)

Have the trader complete the yellow 'sell, transfer or part-exchange' section.

The trader retains their portion; you post the remainder to SA99 1ZZ with the covering letter.

The trader handles the new V5C when the vehicle is resold.

Registering the vehicle as off-road (SORN)

If the vehicle will not be driven or kept on a public road, register a Statutory Off Road Notification using form V890 (available online at gov.uk) or by phoning DVLA.

SORN cancels the vehicle tax requirement and stops DVLA chasing for renewal.

Useful if the estate is not immediately ready to sell.

The driving licence return and the V5C vehicle log book are separate DVLA processes sent to different addresses.

DVLA · D40
Section 4

Common pitfalls and timing issues

These are the mistakes families most commonly make — each has a practical cost, whether a fine, a delayed estate, or a lost asset.

Driving the vehicle before re-taxing it

The moment DVLA cancels the deceased's vehicle tax, that vehicle is untaxed.

Any family member who drives it on a public road — even to the garage — is committing an offence under the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994.

Use the green new-keeper slip to apply for tax immediately, before driving.

Fine for untaxed vehicle: up to £1,000 or 5x the unpaid tax, whichever is greater.

Assuming Tell Us Once covers all vehicles

Tell Us Once handles up to 5 vehicles.

If the deceased had 6 or more registered in their name, each extra must be dealt with separately by posting the relevant V5C to SA99 1ZZ.

The estate is legally responsible for all registered vehicles until keeper records are updated.

Confusing the two postal addresses

Licence return letter goes to: DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1AB.

V5C log book (keeping/selling vehicle) goes to: Sensitive Casework Team, DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1ZZ.

Personalised plate (if assigned to a vehicle) goes to: DVLA Personalised Registrations, Swansea, SA99 1DS.

Sending to the wrong address causes processing delays of several weeks.

Not acting on a personalised registration plate before selling the vehicle

If the deceased held a personalised ('cherished') registration plate and it was assigned to a vehicle, you cannot transfer the plate once the vehicle has been sold with the number on it.

The transfer or retention of the plate must be applied for before or at the same time as the sale.

Once the sale is complete with the number on the vehicle, the plate passes with it unless previously separated.

See Section 5.

Waiting for probate before notifying DVLA

There is no requirement to wait for probate before notifying DVLA about the driving licence or returning the V5C.

Grant of probate is required before selling assets from the estate, but telling DVLA about the death and updating keeper records are administrative notifications that can — and should — be done immediately.

Delays leave vehicles legally registered to a deceased person, which complicates insurance and any roadside checks.

These are the mistakes families most commonly make — each has a practical cost, whether a fine, a delayed estate, or a lost asset.

DVLA · D40
Section 5

Personalised (cherished) registration plates

A personalised plate is a separate asset from the vehicle it sits on.

If the deceased held one — either assigned to a vehicle or held on a retention certificate — it needs its own DVLA action. This is time-sensitive if the vehicle is being sold.

Check whether a plate exists

Look at the V5C and the driving licence.

If the registration number is not a standard age-identifier plate (e.g. AB12 CDE), it may be a personalised number.

Check the V5C for any note of a retention document number (V778).

Also check correspondence — DVLA sends annual renewal reminders for retention certificates.

If uncertain, phone DVLA Personalised Registrations on 0300 790 6802.

If the plate is assigned to a vehicle

Complete form V317 (Application to transfer or retain a vehicle registration number — available at gov.uk/government/publications/application-to-transfer-or-retain-a-vehicle-registration-number).

Include a certified copy of probate or the will, and a copy of the death certificate.

A covering letter signed by all executors is required.

Fee: £80.

Post to: DVLA Personalised Registrations, Swansea, SA99 1DS.

If the plate is on a retention certificate (V778 or V750)

Complete section 6 of the V778 or V750 document, signed by the executors.

Include a death certificate copy and proof of executor status (probate copy or solicitor's letter).

Post to: Cherished Transfers, DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BW.

If the retention certificate has already expired, contact DVLA — late renewal may still be possible in bereavement circumstances.

£80 fee and possible refund

The £80 assignment fee applies whether transferring the plate to another vehicle or to another person's name.

A refund is possible if the fee was paid but the plate was never assigned — contact DVLA Personalised Registrations with the payment reference.

Documents issued before 9 March 2015 qualify for a refund only on expiry, not on death.

Deadline: act before the vehicle is sold

Once a vehicle is sold with a personalised plate still on it, the plate transfers with the vehicle unless the transfer/retention was applied for first.

There is no statutory deadline for the plate action in isolation, but it must be done before — or simultaneously with — any vehicle sale.

Rushing a vehicle sale without separating the plate is the most common way families inadvertently lose a personalised plate permanently.

A personalised plate is a separate asset from the vehicle it sits on.

DVLA · D40
Section 6

Northern Ireland, further help, and what this walkthrough does not cover

The DVLA process described in this walkthrough applies to England, Scotland, and Wales only.

Separate rules apply in Northern Ireland. Several related actions — insurance, MOT, finance — fall outside DVLA's remit entirely.

Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, driving licences and vehicle registration are handled by the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA), not DVLA.

The DVA has its own bereavement process via nidirect.gov.uk/articles/telling-dva-about-bereavement.

The Tell Us Once service in Northern Ireland also routes to DVA, not DVLA.

Vehicle insurance

DVLA does not contact insurers.

Contact each insurer directly to cancel or transfer cover.

An untaxed or SORN'd vehicle should still hold statutory cover unless the policy is explicitly cancelled — check each policy's conditions.

Failing to notify an insurer of a death can void a claim.

No-claims discount arrangements vary by insurer and are not transferable as a matter of law — check the specific policy terms.

MOT certificate

A valid MOT is a property of the vehicle, not the driver.

It remains valid until its expiry date regardless of the owner's death.

No MOT notification to DVLA is required.

However, if the vehicle sits unused for more than 12 months the MOT will expire and must be renewed before the vehicle can be taxed and driven.

Outstanding finance or lease

DVLA has no role in vehicle finance.

If the vehicle was subject to a hire-purchase agreement, PCP, or lease, the finance company must be notified separately — the vehicle may not legally be sold without their consent, as they may hold title.

Check the V5C: the registered keeper is not necessarily the legal owner.

If in doubt, run a free HPI check.

DVLA bereavement helpline

For queries that this walkthrough does not resolve: contact.dvla.gov.uk/bereavement.

The helpline can confirm whether Tell Us Once was received, advise on missing V5Cs, and handle unusual cases (e.g. vehicles in the estate of the deceased but registered in another person's name).

Gov.uk source: gov.uk/tell-dvla-about-bereavement.

The DVLA process described in this walkthrough applies to England, Scotland, and Wales only.

DVLA · D40

Many people file D40 themselves — that is what this walkthrough is for. If the estate behind it has stopped being simple — inheritance tax to pay, a trust, foreign assets, a dispute — Signum, Valoren’s own specialist desk, can take it on, and we say so plainly: it starts with a free intake, and if you do not need us, we will tell you. Prefer an independent adviser? STEP and the Chartered Institute of Taxation both keep public member directories, and neither pays Valoren a referral fee.

FAQ

Tell Us Once questions, answered.

No.

"D40" is an internal Valoren reference, not a DVLA form.

Telling DVLA about a death is done either automatically through Tell Us Once at the death registration, or by posting a short cover letter to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1AB, returning the physical driving licence.
The executor, the next of kin, or anyone acting on behalf of the estate.

If Tell Us Once was used at registration, DVLA is notified automatically and you receive a reference number to keep as proof.

Otherwise, post the cover letter and the licence yourself.
As soon as practicable after the death is registered.

There is no statutory deadline for the licence return itself, but the notification should be done promptly so vehicles are not left registered to a deceased person.

One timing trap: a personalised plate must be transferred or retained before — or at the same time as — any vehicle sale, or it passes with the car.
Returning the driving licence is free, and the DVLA return address includes a Freepost arrangement, so no stamp is needed.

A replacement V5C log book (form V62) is £25 and a personalised-plate transfer is £80.

These figures change over time, so confirm the current amounts on gov.uk before paying.
The deceased's driver number (the 16-character code on the front of the licence), the registration and V5C log book for any vehicle being kept or sold, and the deceased's full name, address and date of birth.

For a personalised plate you also need a death-certificate copy and proof of executor status — a probate copy or solicitor's letter.
Assuming Tell Us Once does everything.

It cancels the licence and removes keeper status on up to 5 vehicles, but it does not transfer ownership.

For anyone keeping or selling a vehicle, the V5C log book must be sent separately to DVLA's Sensitive Casework Team at SA99 1ZZ — a different address from the licence return.

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Where this fits

Tell Us Once is one step. The file behind it is the rest.

Forms are easier when the records are ready.

For the DVLA notification, that means the deceased's driver number and the registration details of each vehicle being kept or sold, the V5C log book for those vehicles, and the deceased's full name, address and date of birth — and, if a personalised plate is involved, a death-certificate copy and proof of executor status.

When you're ready — not before — our £179 Executor's First Hour walks you through registering the death, notifying banks and pensions, and getting probate started, in the right order. The free checklist above covers the essentials; this is for when you'd rather have a hand to hold. Executor's First Hour — £179

DVLAGuidedFree (licence return); £80 if transferring a personalised plate8 minutes with Valoren
Where this fits

This is one piece of a longer sequence. The Executor's Companion lays out probate step by step, in the order it actually unfolds.

Probate, step by step
Plate R · Related

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