No V5c and travelling to France

King85 · 19 Jul 2016 at 18:51

I'm going on holiday to France next Tuesday and I've looked at what I'll need to take and one of the required documents is the V5c. I purchased my car in Jan and as I can't find the V5c I assumed I'd misplaced it and rang the DVLA and they said I wasn't down as a registered owner so it would take 4-6 weeks to sort it all out.

Is my insurance technically invalid at the moment?

Does anyone know what the penalty would be for being stopped in France without it?

I'm gutted

On Holiday · 19 Jul 2016 at 18:53

Are you still able to get a temporary V379 in its place? - perhaps somebody else can confirm.

geekman · 19 Jul 2016 at 18:58

Doesn't make any difference to your insurance - you'll be OK in that regard. In the very unlikely event of you getting stopped, provided you're polite I suspect if you hand them your insurance certificate and MOT it'll be fine. The insurance is the main thing they're bothered about, they have very little knowledge of the V5s etc.

I'm not sure what the penalty is, but I've been stopped on several occasions for various different offences and it always seems to be €90, so I'm going to go with €90

King85 · 19 Jul 2016 at 21:05

I think were going to have to take my gfs car instead as I don't see it being worth the risk.

I'm really gutted as I was looking forward to driving mine through France.

I don't think they do a temp one any more when I called up they said I could get a replacement v5 in 5 days but as i'm not on their system its 4-6 weeks.
.

geekman · 19 Jul 2016 at 21:26

King85 said:
I think were going to have to take my gfs car instead as I don't see it being worth the risk.

I'm really gutted as I was looking forward to driving mine through France.

I don't think they do a temp one any more when I called up they said I could get a replacement v5 in 5 days but as i'm not on their system its 4-6 weeks.
.

It's up to you, but there really isn't much risk. Provided you have the insurance certificate and ID, the worst you'll get is a fine, and you'd have to be unlucky enough to encounter a really strict gendarme.

Janesy B · 19 Jul 2016 at 21:37

Just do it, the chances of you being stopped are slim to none (unless you have a car that sticks out or you drive like a tit). Take proof of insurance, ID, proof of ownership of the car (receipt or invoice) and you'll be fine. Probably.

King85 · 19 Jul 2016 at 21:41

The risk is more if I have a crash either the insurance saying I'm not the registered keep and voiding it or me breaking down and the rac refusing to help as I can't produce a valid v5c. The police impounding it would be less likely but still an issue too.

It's really annoying that there's no short notice service like with a passport. I'd happily pay me to get it done quick.

geekman · 19 Jul 2016 at 21:57

King85 said:
The risk is more if I have a crash either the insurance saying I'm not the registered keep and voiding it or me breaking down and the rac refusing to help as I can't produce a valid v5c. The police impounding it would be less likely but still an issue too.

It's really annoying that there's no short notice service like with a passport. I'd happily pay me to get it done quick.

Your insurance will not be void: that's a fact. As for the RAC, I've used them several times and they've never asked for anything beyond my membership card. The police will not impound your car. The absolute worst case scenario is a fine, and even that is vanishingly unlikely.

Rainagul · 19 Jul 2016 at 23:16

Been pulled in France and Switzerland, both times without my V5. They asked, but I explained I never drive with a V5 in the car for security reasons. They looked at insurance documents instead, confirmed my identify and sent me on my way

Nothing to get worried about, just make sure you insurance is valid and you are good to go.

King85 · 20 Jul 2016 at 05:55

How can I be sure the insurance isn't invalid? Isn't one of the first questions they ask "are you the registered keeper?"

King85 · 20 Jul 2016 at 05:56

King85 said:
How can I be sure the insurance isn't invalid? Isn't one of the first questions they ask "are you the registered keeper?"

Also as I'm not the registered keeper surely I won't show up on any systems that may check this so it may look like the car isn't mine.

snapdragon69 · 20 Jul 2016 at 07:48

So have you filed a V62 ?
Did you keep a copy of it?
Do you have letters from DVLA about the problem?

Insurers do ask if you are the owner and registered keeper but they can't cancel or invalidate the third-party cover for such administrative irregularities but there could be a problem if it were written off as the first thing they ask for is the V5.

The other risk if if the car is seized in the UK, you need to bring the V5 to get it released.

Freefaller · 20 Jul 2016 at 07:57

I've never taken any documentation to France and I drive there a lot, you'll be fine. Just make sure you're insured.

geekman · 20 Jul 2016 at 08:53

King85 said:
How can I be sure the insurance isn't invalid? Isn't one of the first questions they ask "are you the registered keeper?"

Just because you don't have the V5 in your possession, doesn't mean you suddenly aren't the registered keeper. In England, most people don't keep the V5 in the car, does that mean none of them own their cars?

King85 said:
Also as I'm not the registered keeper surely I won't show up on any systems that may check this so it may look like the car isn't mine.

There are no such systems in France.

Rainagul · 20 Jul 2016 at 09:18

The guys in foreign countries don't have access to our systems. stop worrying and just go jeez

tom_e · 20 Jul 2016 at 09:24

geekman said:
Just because you don't have the V5 in your possession, doesn't mean you suddenly aren't the registered keeper. In England, most people don't keep the V5 in the car, does that mean none of them own their cars?

The fact he isn't the registered keeper on the DVLA computers does mean this though

Also V5 is not proof of ownership.

King85 · 20 Jul 2016 at 09:45

tom_e said:
The fact he isn't the registered keeper on the DVLA computers does mean this though

Also V5 is not proof of ownership.

And this is exactly my issue. If something did happen it's not like I could just get it posted out to me as I don't have it and won't for the next few weeks.

geekman · 20 Jul 2016 at 10:37

King85 said:
And this is exactly my issue. If something did happen it's not like I could just get it posted out to me as I don't have it and won't for the next few weeks.

What could happen which would require your V5?

Skeeter · 20 Jul 2016 at 11:36

King85 said:
How can I be sure the insurance isn't invalid? Isn't one of the first questions they ask "are you the registered keeper?"

Because, as with undeclared mods and the other things people always ask about, this sort of thing doesn't "make the insurance invalid".

Big Spender · 20 Jul 2016 at 12:17

to get a new v5 has actually been quite quick recently. my friends done it on a couple of cars recently (bought from salvage) and the V5's came back within a week. I'd get the form sent off asap and hope for the best.