Sending the wrong V5C section to DVLA creates legal liability. Many registered keepers post Section 9 instead of Section 4. Some hand the vehicle to an unlicensed scrap dealer. Both errors leave DVLA records showing you as the legal owner. Road tax charges and penalty notices keep arriving in your name. Section 4 is the scrap section. The registered keeper signs it. The Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF) countersigns before posting to DVLA. The ATF then issues a Certificate of Destruction within 7 days. No certificate means your liability stays open under the End of Life Vehicles Regulations 2003.
What is Section 9 of the V5C Logbook
Who Fills Out Section 9
Section 9 requires 2 signatures one from the registered keeper and one from the ATF representative. The owner fills in their name, address, date of transfer, and signature on the seller’s declaration field. The ATF completes its business name, address, and licence number on the buyer’s declaration field. Never hand over a blank signed V5C the legal duty stays with the owner.
Where to Send Section 9 After Signing
Post the complete V5C logbook to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1AR after both parties sign. The registered keeper must do this the scrap company cannot post it on your behalf. Keep the green new keeper slip (V5C/2) until DVLA sends a confirmation letter. The ATF also notifies DVLA electronically within 24 to 48 hours of collection.
The 2019 V5C Redesign and What Changed for Scrap
Section 4 on the New V5C When Selling to a Scrap or Salvage Company
Section 4 covers every transfer to a commercial entity including scrap dealers, salvage companies, and charities operating through a scrap firm. Both the registered keeper and the commercial buyer complete Section 4 before the vehicle leaves. Never use Section 2 for a scrap sale that section applies to private buyers only. Filling the wrong section creates a documentation gap with DVLA.
How to Tell Which Version of the V5C You Have
Count the numbered sections on your form. A form with more than 6 numbered sections is the pre-2019 V5C and uses Section 9 to scrap it. The 2019 redesign has exactly 6 sections and includes a colour coded guidance panel on the front cover. Lost your logbook? Complete a V62 form and pay the £25 replacement fee DVLA sends the new form within 5 to 14 working days depending on postal delays.
What an Authorised Treatment Facility Does with Your V5C
An Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF) holds a licence from the Environment Agency in England and Wales, or the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in Scotland. The ATF representative signs the buyer’s declaration on Section 9 or Section 4 of your V5C logbook at collection. DVLA receives an electronic notification within 24 to 48 hours of the vehicle arriving at the facility. Once processed, the vehicle status updates on the gov uk vehicle enquiry service and exits the DVLA database.
The ATF must complete de pollution before any dismantling begins. This is a legal requirement under the End of Life Vehicles Regulations 2003. Hazardous fluids including oil, brake fluid, and coolant are extracted and disposed of through licensed waste channels. After de pollution, the facility separates ferrous metals, non ferrous metals, and plastics for material recovery. The ATF must issue your Certificate of Destruction within 7 days of processing the vehicle.
The Certificate of Destruction and Its Connection to Section 9
What a Certificate of Destruction Contains
A Certificate of Destruction confirms the vehicle has been legally scrapped by a licensed ATF. It includes the last registered keeper’s full name and address, the vehicle’s registration number, and the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). The ATF’s name, address and Environment Agency licence number also appear on the document. Cross checking that licence number against the Environment Agency public register of an unlicensed operator’s CoD carries no legal weight.
What to Do If You Do Not Receive a Certificate of Destruction
ATFs must issue a Certificate of Destruction within 7 days of processing your vehicle. Contact the ATF directly if no CoD arrives within 2 weeks of collection give them your registration number and collection date. No response from the ATF means the next step is reporting to the Environment Agency. Also check the gov uk vehicle enquiry service a not found status confirms DVLA has updated the record. A missing CoD from an unresponsive facility may mean the car was resold rather than scrapped.
How Scrapping Without a V5C Affects the Section 9 Process
No V5C logbook does not stop a legal scrap. Post a written letter to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1AR. DVLA records the transfer from that letter. Your liability closes once DVLA processes it. The letter needs 5 details to be valid. Your name, address, and registration number come first. Then add the make, model, and transfer date. Include the ATF’s full name and address. No photo ID means DVLA rejects the letter outright.
An ATF accepts a vehicle for scrap without a V5C. The facility still issues a Certificate of Destruction after collection. Bring ownership proof to the appointment insurance documents, service history, or a purchase receipt. Any one of these confirms legal ownership to the ATF. No documents at all? Apply for a replacement V5C using the V62 form. The V62 costs £25 and goes directly to DVLA. A new V5C logbook arrives within 5 working days. Postal delays can push delivery to 2 weeks. Apply before booking the collection to avoid any gap in your paperwork.
Common Mistakes When Completing Section 9 or Section 4
What Happens If You Hand Over a Signed Blank V5C
Never sign a V5C before all ATF buyer fields are completed. A signed blank V5C lets the collector write any name, address, or entity into the buyer declaration. DVLA may then process a transfer to a fraudulent or non-existent party. The registered keeper stays linked to the vehicle on the DVLA database fines and penalty notices arrive at your address. Photograph the completed Section 9 or Section 4 before handing it over as evidence.
Verifying an ATF Licence Before Handing Over the Vehicle
Check the Environment Agency public register on gov uk before any collector takes your vehicle. A general waste carrier licence is not the same as an ATF permit any van operator can hold a waste carrier licence cheaply. Only a facility with a specific ATF permit number issued by the Environment Agency can legally issue a Certificate of Destruction. An unlicensed dealer will never notify DVLA, never issue a CoD, and may resell or abandon the vehicle. Abandonment fines reach £2,500 under the Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act 1978 in England and Wales and DVLA holds the registered keeper responsible.
Scrap My Car Services and the Section 9 Process in the UK
Scrap My Car Services is a licensed Authorised Treatment Facility operating across the United Kingdom. The collection team guides every registered keeper through Section 4 completion on collection day, no paperwork confusion, no missed fields. DVLA receives an electronic notification within 24 to 48 hours of the vehicle arriving at the facility. Your Certificate of Destruction arrives within 7 days of processing, ending your legal liability as the registered keeper. Payment arrives by bank transfer or company cheque cash payment is illegal under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 and Scrap My Car Services never offers it.
FAQs
Is Section 9 the Same as Section 4 on the V5C?
Section 9 and Section 4 are functionally identical. Section 9 applies to V5C logbooks issued before April 2019. Section 4 applies to all logbooks issued from April 2019 onwards. DVLA redesigned the form the section number changed, the scrapping procedure did not.
Do I Need to Post Section 9 to the DVLA Myself or Does the Scrap Company Do It?
Posting the completed V5C to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1AR is the registered keeper’s legal duty. The ATF separately notifies DVLA electronically within 24 to 48 hours. Both obligations run in parallel neither replaces the other.
How Long Does It Take for the DVLA to Remove Me as Registered Keeper After Scrapping?
DVLA removes the registered keeper within 24 to 48 hours of receiving the ATF’s electronic notification. Written confirmation of your postal Section 9 submission takes up to 8 weeks. Check the gov uk vehicle enquiry service a not found result confirms the record has been updated.
Can I Scrap a Car If I Have Lost My V5C Logbook?
Yes, scrapping without a V5C logbook is legal. Write to DVLA with your name, address, registration number, and the ATF’s details. Alternatively, apply for a replacement using the V62 form for £25 delivered within 5 working days.
£1,000 Fine for Not Notifying the DVLA When Scrapping
DVLA issues a civil penalty of up to £1,000 under the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 2002. The fine applies when a registered keeper fails to notify DVLA that the vehicle has been scrapped. Complete Section 9 or Section 4 at the point of handover to avoid it.
