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I sold a car in 2017 but the DVLA say I am still the owner, what can I do?

Car was sold 2017. No documentation / proof of sale now available. DVLA say still registered to me and now faced with £1000 plus of penalty fines over 2 weeks! (bus lane, emissions, speeding). Can police help? DVLA contacted awaiting response but fines accumulating.

Asked on 25 March 2024 by Helen P Currie

Answered by David Ross
When selling a car, it is the responsibility of the seller to notify the DVLA of a change in ownership as soon as the sale has taken place. Failure to do so can result in a fine of £1,000. If you notified the DVLA at the time of the sale and you believe this is an error, we would suggest writing to the DVLA to request confirmation.

If you did not notify the DVLA of the change of registered keeper, you will need to prove that you were not the driver of the vehicle at the time in order to attempt to challenge the fines. However, in the event that the driver of the vehicle cannot be identified the responsibility typically then lies with the registered keeper. We would suggest seeking independent legal advice.
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