Procedures checked on 22 October 2026 on GOV.UK and against DVLA guidance, for bikes registered in Great Britain.
Key takeaways
- The V5C names the keeper, not the owner: ask for proof of purchase too.
- Check the ‘DVL’ watermark and that the serial number is outside the stolen ranges GOV.UK lists.
- MOT history shows the mileage at every test since 2005: a reading that goes down needs an explanation.
- A useful invoice shows the date, the mileage, the registration or frame number, and the parts.
The paperwork
What makes a full service history on a UK motorcycle?
“Full service history” is the most common phrase in UK bike adverts, and the least precise. What matters is what the paperwork actually proves: dates, mileages and the bike’s identity that agree from one document to the next.
Sources GOV.UK: check a used vehicle you’re buying DVLA: the V5C is not proof of ownership
| Document | What it proves | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| V5C log book | The registered keeper, frame and engine numbers, first registration | The seller |
| MOT history | Results and the mileage recorded at each test | GOV.UK, with the number plate |
| DVLA vehicle details | Tax, MOT expiry, date of the last V5C, engine size | GOV.UK, with the number plate |
| Service invoices | What was done, when, at what mileage and with which parts | Dealer, independent garage or owner |
| Proof of purchase | Ownership, which the V5C does not prove | Bill of sale or invoice |
The log book
What should I check on the V5C?
DVLA advises that you should not buy a vehicle without a V5C; otherwise the buyer has to register it with form V62, which costs £25. Even with one, the V5C is not proof of ownership, which is why DVLA recommends asking for proof such as a bill of sale.
Sources GOV.UK: check a used vehicle you’re buying GOV.UK: registering a used vehicle GOV.UK: insurance write-offs
- It has a ‘DVL’ watermark.
- Its serial number is not between BG8229501 and BG9999030, or BI2305501 and BI2800000. If it is, the V5C might be stolen: call the police when it is safe to.
- The details match what the seller told you.
- The vehicle identification number (VIN) and engine number on the bike match the V5C.
- If the bike is a category S write-off (structural damage), DVLA records the category in the V5C.
MOT history
What does a bike’s MOT history reveal?
Enter the plate on Check MOT history: for England, Scotland and Wales it goes back to 2005, with each result, the mileage recorded, the next due date, the parts that failed and any minor problems. DVLA’s vehicle enquiry service adds the tax status, MOT expiry, date of first registration and the date the last V5C was issued.
Read it like a statement: mileage that goes backwards, the same defect two years running, or a year with no MOT all deserve a direct question to the seller.
Explore this topic Motorcycle MOT: due dates, checks and how to prepare
Sources GOV.UK: Check MOT history GOV.UK: get vehicle information from DVLA
Invoices
Which invoices actually count?
A pile of receipts is not a history. A useful invoice ties the work to this bike and to a date, so you can lay it against the service schedule in the owner’s handbook.
Explore this topic Motorcycle Maintenance Log: Free Template and 5 Steps
| On the invoice | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Registration or frame number | Proves it belongs to this bike |
| Date and mileage | Places the service in the manufacturer’s schedule |
| Work done, and work advised but not done | Shows what is still to come |
| Part and fluid references | Separates genuine from pattern parts |
| Dealer or garage details | Lets you check with them if needed |
Before you pay
What does a buyer check before paying?
GOV.UK publishes a checklist for any used vehicle. The Department for Transport’s guide to repaired write-offs adds a paid private history check, which tells you whether a vehicle has been stolen, has outstanding finance, has a mileage discrepancy or has been written off.
Sources GOV.UK: check a used vehicle you’re buying DfT: buying repaired written-off vehicles GOV.UK: sold or bought a vehicle
- Before the viewing: ask for the registration, make, model and latest MOT test number.
- Check those details against DVLA’s records, then read the MOT history.
- Check whether the bike has been recalled for a safety issue.
- At the viewing: check the V5C, then the VIN and engine number on the bike.
- Ask for the full service history and proof of purchase.
- After buying: tax the bike straight away using the green ‘new keeper’ slip. The seller’s tax does not transfer to you.
When you sell
What should I hand over when I sell my bike?
The seller registers the bike to the buyer online, hands over the green ‘new keeper’ slip and destroys the V5C. The buyer then gets a new V5C within 5 to 7 working days. Your vehicle tax is cancelled, with a refund for any full months left.
Add the invoices in date order and a copy of the MOT history. MotoLert’s garage, coming soon to iPhone, is designed to keep that file with the bike: mileage, services, parts and documents, in miles and with costs in pounds when you ride in the UK.
Sources GOV.UK: tell DVLA you’ve sold a vehicle GOV.UK: getting a new V5C
References
The information cited was checked on 22 October 2026. Rules and services may change after this date.
- GOV.UK: Check a used vehicle you’re buyingDVL watermark, stolen serial number ranges, VIN and engine number, green new keeper slip.
- DVLA news, 22 May 2014The V5C is not proof of ownership; check service records and the MOT certificate.
- GOV.UK: Get vehicle information from DVLATax, MOT expiry, first registration, last V5C issue date, engine size.
- GOV.UK: Check MOT historyResults and mileage since 2005 in Great Britain.
- GOV.UK: vehicle registration for new and used vehiclesNew V5C within 5 to 7 working days after an online transfer; V62 at £25.
- GOV.UK: tell DVLA you’ve sold or bought a vehicleOnline transfer, tax refund, tax not transferred.
- DfT: Buying repaired written-off vehiclesPrivate history checks and full service history.
- GOV.UK: insurance write-offsCategories N and S; category S recorded in the log book.