Car buyer check

[RyanOPlasty]

Is a car dealer under any obligation to check that a buyer has a driving licence before handing over the keys to a car he has sold?

[zetec]

Surely they have already seen your licence if you are buying the car as you would have taken it for a test drive?

[Chozza]

Given that the owner of the car , the registered keeper and the driver , don't have to be the same person ..
Who are you expecting the seller to check ?


If someone is taking a car for a test drive .. then check them. But beyond that why would the seller be interested ?

[RyanOPlasty]

In this instance, let us suppose that the dealer has permitted the buyer to test drive the car and subsequently buy it without having seen his driving licence ( or any other photo ID ) at any point

[Davie_GLA]

I have never been asked for a driving license when buying any car, new or otherwise. That I can remember anyway.

What’s the scenario?

[Davie_GLA]

Hmm. Actually. I might’ve wrong now I think more. Ithink motor point asked me.

[Wooda80]

The finance company usually insist on copy driving licence as proof of identity, so this may be the reason that you may be required to provide it.

Even if you were a cash purchaser then I would want to be confident that I had proof of your identity when doing business with you in case there were any comebacks with regard to fraud, misuse of the vehicle etc going forward. A copy driving licence is useful in this regard.

Why do you ask?

[Butter Face]

RyanOPlasty said:

Is a car dealer under any obligation to check that a buyer has a driving licence before handing over the keys to a car he has sold?

No obligation, unless their insurance dictates they retain a copy of a license (as ours does) apart from that, no.

I have sold cars to people without licenses, they haven't test driven and the cars aren't for them, but they've bought the car.

[Adrian E]

Some might think it's an obligation (newer style v5c includes a section for new keeper driving licence number, but it's not a requirement in law to complete it), or just consider it belt and braces for fraud risk management. Particularly so for cash transactions.

ETA - can't ever remember going on a test drive without having to produce my driving licence as a form of ID. Was most embarrassing to be refused a test drive in a Golf R estate as my photo ID had expired and I was awaiting an appointment for a medical to renew my HGV entitlement at the same time! (DVLA were unconcerned by the late renewal)

[Pothole]

RyanOPlasty said:

Is a car dealer under any obligation to check that a buyer has a driving licence before handing over the keys to a car he has sold?

Why? Who's done something outrageously awful?

[A1VDY]

Pothole said:

RyanOPlasty said:

Is a car dealer under any obligation to check that a buyer has a driving licence before handing over the keys to a car he has sold?

Not to a car he has sold but.. Should take photocopy of someone's licence looking for a test drive. This way as long as checking the licence is valid any speeding tickets can be passed on to the test driver..

[KungFuPanda]

For gods sake man, tell us the whole story.

[Blue Oval84]

There was never an obligation to check driving licence when I was selling, either for a test drive or for a sale.