Selling a Vehicle on Someone Else's Behalf and Lasting Power of Attorney: What You Need to Know

If you're selling a vehicle for someone who no longer has the capacity to manage their own affairs, this guide explains the legal requirements and what documentation you'll need.

When a Lasting Power of Attorney Is Needed

A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is required if the vehicle owner is unable to make their own decisions, typically due to:

• Loss of mental capacity (such as dementia)
• Serious ill health affecting decision-making ability

If the owner has passed away: An LPA cannot be used for a deceased person. Instead, the estate will need to go through the normal inheritance process. Learn about selling a vehicle following a bereavement.

Types of Power of Attorney Explained

There are three types of Power of Attorney in the UK. Not all of them allow you to sell a vehicle. Here's what each covers:

Property and Financial Affairs LPA

• Allows the attorney to make decisions about finances, bills, bank accounts, and the sale of the owner's belongings and property
• Can be used once registered, even if the owner still has capacity (with their permission)
• This is the type we can always accept for selling a vehicle

Health and Welfare LPA

• Allows the attorney to make decisions about health, medical care, and day-to-day care
• Can only be used when the owner has lost capacity
• Cannot be used to sell a vehicle

General Power of Attorney (also called Ordinary Power of Attorney)

• Grants authority to manage another person's financial affairs while they still have capacity
• Rarely used and typically for specific purposes or limited periods
• Only acceptable if it specifically includes the right to sell property or financial assets
• Becomes invalid if the owner loses capacity
• May be accepted if it explicitly covers property/vehicle sales

Only a Property and Financial Affairs LPA or a General Power of Attorney that specifically covers property sales will allow us to process your vehicle sale.

What You'll Need to Provide

To sell a vehicle through our platform using a Power of Attorney, you'll need to provide:

Essential Documents

• A copy of the LPA document (must be Property & Financial Affairs LPA issued by the Office of the Public Guardian, or a valid General Power of Attorney)
• Photo ID and proof of address for yourself (the person acting as attorney)

Verifying Your LPA Online

If you have a Lasting Power of Attorney, issued after 2019, you can verify it online using an access code.

To verify your LPA:

1. Generate a 13-character access code (starting with "V") through the Office of the Public Guardian
2. Use this code on the government verification site: https://view-lasting-power-of-attorney.service.gov.uk/home

Important notes about access codes:

• Valid for 30 days
• Only available for LPAs registered after 1 September 2019 
• If your code has expired or been lost, you can generate a new one through the same website
• If your LPA was registered before September 2019, we'll ask you to provide a paper copy instead