What to do if your car is stolen in the UK — a complete step-by-step guide

Your first call must be to the police. This is not optional — without a crime reference number from the police, you cannot make an insurance claim, apply for a vehicle tax refund, or complete most of the other steps that follow.

If the theft is happening now or you believe you are in danger, call 999.

For all other situations — the typical scenario where you discover the car is gone the next morning — call 101 and ask to speak to your local police station.

The officer will issue you a crime reference number. Write this down and keep it safe. You will need it for your insurer, for a vehicle tax refund application, and possibly for several other processes that follow. The police will also register the theft with the DVLA directly, though it is still advisable to contact the DVLA yourself in the steps below.

The police may not send an officer to the scene in every case, particularly for overnight thefts with no witnesses. This is not unusual. Your report will be logged, the crime reference number issued, and the DVLA notified of the stolen vehicle status. The National ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) system will flag your vehicle if it passes any camera on the network.

Contact your insurer as soon as possible after reporting to the police. Most motor insurance providers operate 24-hour claims lines — check your policy documents for the number.

Your insurer will explain the claims process. If you have comprehensive or third-party, fire and theft (TPFT) cover, vehicle theft should be covered. Third-party-only policies do not cover theft.

What your insurer will likely do next

Most insurers will wait a period — typically around 30 days, though this varies by policy — before settling a theft claim, to allow time for the vehicle to be recovered. During this period they may arrange a courtesy car depending on your policy terms. Check your policy carefully, as not all policies include courtesy car cover specifically for theft claims.

If the vehicle is not recovered within the waiting period, the insurer will typically offer to settle the claim at the vehicle’s market value at the time of the theft. This is important: insurers pay market value, not what you paid for the car. If the car has depreciated since purchase, the settlement will reflect its current value, not its original purchase price.

Tools and personal belongings inside the car

Standard motor insurance policies typically do not cover personal belongings or tools left inside the vehicle. These usually fall under home or contents insurance, or a separate tools-in-transit policy for tradespeople. Check your home insurance policy and report the lost items to that insurer separately if covered. Some motor policies have a small personal belongings allowance — check the schedule of your specific policy.

The police will notify the DVLA of the theft when you make your report. However, it is still advisable to contact the DVLA yourself to confirm the theft is recorded and to initiate any processes that require your direct involvement.

The DVLA’s vehicle enquiries line is 0300 790 6802, available Monday to Friday 8am to 7pm and Saturday 8am to 2pm.

What to do with your V5C log book

If your insurer pays out on the claim, you must notify the DVLA that the vehicle has been transferred to the insurance company. According to GOV.UK guidance, you can do this by completing section 9 of the V5C log book and sending the perforated section to the DVLA, along with a letter stating when the payment was accepted and the insurance company’s details. Send the remaining part of the V5C to your insurance company.

If your insurer asks you to send them the whole V5C, send a letter to the DVLA separately with the insurance company’s name, the claim date, and your vehicle details. Include your signature.

If your vehicle has a personalised or private registration number that you want to keep, you must take action before you tell the DVLA that the insurance company is now the registered keeper. Once you transfer ownership to the insurer, you cannot use the standard retention process.

According to GOV.UK guidance, to retain a personalised registration number from a stolen vehicle you must apply within 2 years and 6 months of telling the DVLA your vehicle has been stolen. The application must be made by post and costs £80.

If you have already applied to keep your personalised number, you can apply to put it on another vehicle straight away. You must apply before the original vehicle is sold or scrapped, and you must wait 6 months before transferring the registration to another vehicle.

Once the DVLA cancels your vehicle registration — which happens automatically when they are notified you no longer own the vehicle — your vehicle tax will also be cancelled. If you pay by Direct Debit, this will be cancelled automatically. You should receive a refund cheque for any full months of tax remaining.

For most standard plates, the DVLA calculates the refund from the date they receive your notification. The cheque is sent to the address on the log book, so ensure the DVLA has your current address on record.

For personalised registration numbers, as noted above, the refund is not automatic. You must request form V33 from the DVLA, complete it with your crime reference number, and submit it. The refund usually arrives within 4 to 6 weeks.