Recording a used car's delivery or collection handover

A handover record is a written note, made at the moment you take a used car, of what you actually received compared with what you agreed to buy. This applies whether the car is delivered to you or you collect it from a seller. To make one, you write down the agreed details before the handover. At the handover, you check the car's identity, the documents and the included items against that list. You mark anything missing or different, note who said what, and ask for written follow-up on anything left unresolved. The record shows what was observed and supplied. It does not decide whether you have legally accepted the car, and it does not certify that the car is safe.

Prepare a sheet before the handover

Fill in a preparation sheet in advance, while you have time and your purchase paperwork in front of you. At the handover, you then only need to compare and tick, rather than remember.

• Agreed date, time and location of delivery or collection
• Name and phone number of the person handing over the car, plus a backup contact at the seller
• Vehicle identity as written in your purchase documents: make, model, model year, color, plate (if any), and the vehicle identification number (VIN), the unique code assigned to each vehicle
• Reference numbers of the purchase documents, such as the bill of sale, invoice, order or deposit receipt
• Documents you expect to receive, such as title paperwork, registration documents, service records, owner's manual and any warranty or service-contract paperwork
• Equipment you expect to receive, such as number of keys or fobs, spare wheel or inflator kit, jack, locking wheel nut key, charging cable, floor mats, cargo cover or roof bars
• Each written promise the seller made, in its exact wording, for example a repair to be completed, new tires to be fitted, a scratch to be repaired or a second key to be supplied
• Who at the seller will deal with any discrepancy, and how to reach them

Copy promises word for word from emails, messages or the sales paperwork. An exact quote is easier to check than a paraphrase. Only record what was agreed in writing as a promise. If something was said but never put in writing, list it separately as a verbal statement.

What to check and record at the handover

Work through the sheet in order. Give each line one of three marks: received, missing, or different. Write the details next to any line marked missing or different.

• Identity first: compare the VIN on the car with the VIN on your documents. The VIN usually appears on a plate visible through the windshield on the driver's side and on a label in the driver's door frame. Also check the make, model, color and plate. If the identity does not match, stop and resolve that before anything else.
• Documents: tick each document you are handed. Note any that are missing, incomplete, or carry different details from the purchase paperwork.
• Included items: count the keys and fobs, and check each listed accessory is present.
• Promised work: compare each written promise with what you can see. For example, a promise reads "two new front tires" and the car has new tires on the rear axle. Record what you saw, not your conclusion.
• Visible condition: note any damage, warning lights, or differences from the listing photos or description. Give each note the date and a short description, and take photographs where useful, including a wide shot showing where on the car the issue is and a close-up.
• Odometer: write down the reading shown at handover.

Write every observation as a fact, such as "rear bumper: scratch about the length of a hand, left corner, not in listing photos." Avoid judgments such as "badly damaged." When the person handing over the car says something relevant, record it under their name. For example: "J. Smith (delivery driver) said the second key will be posted by the dealer." Then ask the seller to confirm that statement in writing. A driver or a junior staff member may not be able to commit the seller to anything.

Delivery versus collection

When you collect a car, the seller is usually present, so you can raise discrepancies directly and ask for a written note on the spot. When a car is delivered, the person handing it over is often a driver or transport contractor. They may only be able to record your remarks on their delivery paperwork. In that case, write your observations on their paperwork as well as your own sheet, and keep a copy of what you sign. Send your record to your named seller contact the same day. Deliveries also tend to happen in poor light or on a busy street. If that stops you inspecting part of the car, write that down too, for example "underside and roof not inspected: dark, roadside."

Track outstanding items in one table

Put anything not settled at handover into a single outstanding-items table. Update it as the seller responds. When the seller acknowledges an item, keep their reply alongside your original entry. Do not overwrite the original.

Item or promise	Agreed wording	Observed at handover	Seller response	Named contact	Proposed completion date	Evidence of resolution
Second key	"Supplied with two keys"	One key received	To be posted	Sales contact	Within the agreed week	Key received, photo and date noted
Tires	"Two new front tires"	New tires on rear axle only	Awaiting reply	Sales contact	Not yet given	Open

The rows above are an illustrative example of how entries might look, not a standard form.

An example handover record layout

This illustrative plain-text layout can be printed or kept on a phone. Adapt the lines to match your own purchase.

HANDOVER RECORD
Date / time / place: ____________   Delivery [ ]  Collection [ ]
Handed over by (name, role): ____________

IDENTITY                     Agreed        Presented     Match?
VIN                          ________      ________      Y / N
Make / model / year          ________      ________      Y / N
Color / plate                ________      ________      Y / N
Odometer reading at handover: ________

DOCUMENTS                    Received / Missing / Different   Notes
Title paperwork              [ ] [ ] [ ]                      ____
Registration documents       [ ] [ ] [ ]                      ____
Service records              [ ] [ ] [ ]                      ____
Owner's manual               [ ] [ ] [ ]                      ____

ITEMS                        Received / Missing / Different   Notes
Keys/fobs (agreed: __)       [ ] [ ] [ ]                      ____
Spare wheel or kit           [ ] [ ] [ ]                      ____
Other: ________              [ ] [ ] [ ]                      ____

WRITTEN PROMISES             Done / Not done / Different      Notes
1. "________"                [ ] [ ] [ ]                      ____

CONDITION NOTES (location, description, photo ref)
____________________________________________

STATEMENTS (who said what)
____________________________________________

Copy of this record sent to: ________  on: ________

Close out the record

• Keep the handover record, your photos, and all related messages together. Store copies somewhere other than your phone.
• Send the record to your named seller contact. Ask them to reply in writing about each outstanding item.
• Check your state's title and registration requirements with the relevant state authority. These rules differ between states, and a handover record does not replace them.
• Do key programming checks, and transfer any connected-car app or online account, using their own dedicated checklists. They need more detail than a handover record can hold.
• Mark each outstanding item as closed only once you have evidence it was resolved, such as a received part or a receipt for completed work.

If something matters to your decision to proceed, raise it before you sign anything presented as an acceptance or delivery receipt, and add your notes to that document. Examples include a VIN mismatch, missing title paperwork, or promised work not done. What signing means for your rights depends on your contract and state law. If a significant problem is disputed, check those terms or get local advice.