# Car Stolen? What to Do and How to Report It (UK) Published 18 October 2026. CarCheckUp guide: https://carcheckup.co.uk/blog/car-stolen-what-to-do-how-to-report-it/ > Your car has been stolen: report it to the police (999, 101 or online), tell your insurer, then the DVLA when the insurer pays out, claim the tax back and keep a private plate. If your car has been stolen, **report it to the police first**: call 999 if the theft is happening now, otherwise call 101 or report it online on your local police force's website. You'll get a crime reference number. Then tell your insurer, and once the insurer pays out, tell the DVLA and claim back any vehicle tax. Here is each step in order, with what to have ready. ## 1. Make sure it has really been stolen Before you report it, take a minute to rule out the obvious: check you haven't parked it on another street, and call your local council to ask whether it was towed or clamped for a parking or tax offence. If your car has a tracker or a connected-car app, check its location now and give it to the police; don't try to get the car back yourself. ## 2. Report your stolen car to the police - **999** if the theft is happening, someone is in danger, or you can see the car being driven away. - **101** (the police non-emergency number) or your police force's **online crime report** for a car that is already gone. Most forces in England and Wales take reports online through their website or [police.uk](https://www.police.uk/); in Scotland call 101 for Police Scotland; in Northern Ireland call 101 for the PSNI. Have these ready: the registration number, make, model and colour, the VIN if you have it (it's on your V5C log book), where and when you last saw the car, any distinguishing marks or damage, and the tracker details if there is one. The police record the car as stolen on the Police National Computer (PNC), which is what a [stolen car check](https://carcheckup.co.uk/stolen-car-check) searches, so a buyer who checks the car will see the stolen marker. Write down the **crime reference number**: your insurer and the DVLA will both ask for it. ## 3. Tell your insurance company Call your insurer as soon as you have the crime reference number. They will explain how to make a claim, and usually ask for all your keys, the V5C log book and the service history. Theft is normally covered by comprehensive and third party, fire and theft policies, but not by third party only cover. If the car is not found, usually within a few weeks, the insurer pays out its market value minus your excess and becomes the owner of the car. If the car is on finance, tell the finance company too: the insurer usually pays the lender first, and GAP insurance, if you have it, may cover the difference between the payout and what you owe. ## 4. Tell the DVLA when the insurer pays out You don't need to tell the DVLA that the car has been stolen: the police do that, and they tell the DVLA again if it is found. Once your insurer pays out, though, you must tell the DVLA that the car now belongs to the insurer. According to [GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/what-to-do-if-your-vehicle-has-been-stolen), you can do this online, or by filling in the yellow section of the V5C log book and posting it to the DVLA with a letter saying when you accepted the payment and giving the insurer's details. The rest of the log book goes to your insurer. ## 5. Get a vehicle tax refund A stolen car's tax isn't refunded automatically. Apply to the DVLA for a refund of any full months of tax left, quoting your crime reference number: GOV.UK explains how in [cancel your vehicle tax and get a refund](https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-tax-refund). ## 6. Keep a personalised number plate If the car had a private plate you want to keep, you need to get it back *before* you tell the DVLA you no longer own the car. GOV.UK says it can only be kept if the car had a valid MOT and was taxed when it was stolen, and there is a deadline and a fee, so check the details on the GOV.UK page above early. ## If your stolen car is found Tell the police you've been told about it, or the police will contact you. If the insurer hasn't paid out yet, the car is still yours: tell the insurer, and have it checked for damage before you drive it. If the insurer has already paid out, the car belongs to the insurer, though some insurers let you buy it back. A recovered car may be recorded as a write-off if it was damaged; see what a [write-off record](https://carcheckup.co.uk/written-off-vehicle-check) means. ## How to make your car harder to steal - **Keyless cars:** keep keys away from the front door and in a signal-blocking pouch or tin, and switch off keyless entry if your car allows it. Relay theft copies the key's signal from inside your home. - Use a steering wheel lock or a pedal lock: thieves look for the easiest car on the street. - Fit an approved tracker, and register the car's details with it. - Park in a garage, on a driveway or in a well-lit spot, and never leave the keys or the V5C in the car. - Have the car's software and key fobs updated at the dealer; some makers have released anti-theft updates. ## Buying a used car? Check it isn't stolen The same police record that protects you as an owner protects you as a buyer. Before you pay for a used car, run a [stolen car check](https://carcheckup.co.uk/stolen-car-check): the full report shows any police stolen marker, its status and the force that recorded it, together with the high risk register, [outstanding finance](https://carcheckup.co.uk/outstanding-finance-check) and [write-off](https://carcheckup.co.uk/written-off-vehicle-check) records. Our guide to [cloned cars](https://carcheckup.co.uk/blog/cloned-cars-uk-how-a-vin-check-protects-you/) explains why the VIN matters as much as the registration. ## Car stolen FAQs **Can I report a stolen car online?** Yes, most police forces in England and Wales take stolen vehicle reports online. Call 999 instead if the theft is happening now. **Do I need to tell the DVLA my car has been stolen?** No: the police tell the DVLA. You tell the DVLA when your insurer pays out, because the car then belongs to the insurer. **How long does the insurer take to pay out for a stolen car?** Insurers usually wait a few weeks to see if the car is found before settling. Ask your insurer for its timescale when you claim. **Will I get my car tax back?** Yes, for full months left, but you have to apply to the DVLA with your crime reference number; it isn't automatic. **How do I know if a car I'm buying was stolen?** Run a [stolen car check](https://carcheckup.co.uk/stolen-car-check) on the registration, and check the VIN on the car matches the V5C log book.