Insuring a New Car to Drive Home
27 February 2025 | 
Matt Wood
Whether you’ve just bought your first car or finally upgraded an old banger, you’ll need to make sure your new vehicle is insured before you drive it home. But what exactly do you need to arrange? Can you drive a car home on your old insurance? Do you need tax and an MOT before hitting the road?
Here’s everything you need to know about insuring a new car and getting it road-ready, including how our short-term cover makes the process easier.
Can You Drive a New Car Home Without Insurance?
No, you can’t drive a new car home without insurance.
No matter how short the journey, driving without at least third-party insurance is illegal. The fact it’s a newly purchased car makes no difference, just like when you test-drive a vehicle, you need valid cover before getting behind the wheel.
What Happens If You Drive Your New Car Without Insurance in Place?
If you’re caught driving without insurance, you could face:
- A fixed penalty fine of £300
- Six points on your licence
- In more severe cases, a court referral, an unlimited fine, or a driving ban
- Your car being impounded or destroyed
Even if you avoid the worst penalties, being caught without insurance will likely push up your future premiums—insurers view uninsured drivers as a higher risk.
This is why drive-away insurance is so useful. A short-term car insurance policy allows you to drive your new car home legally, without needing to commit to an annual policy immediately.
Can You Drive a New Car Home on Your Old Insurance?
No—your old car’s insurance doesn’t automatically transfer to your new car.
Even if you already have an active car insurance policy, it will only cover the vehicle it was originally taken out for—not your newly purchased car.
You have two options:
1. Transfer Your Existing Policy
If you want to switch your current annual insurance policy to cover your new car, contact your insurer. This process is straightforward, but:
- You may need to pay an admin fee
- Your premium could change, depending on the new car’s make, model, and risk level
- The switch must be completed before you drive the car home
2. Take Out Temporary Cover
If you don’t want to rush into an annual policy, temporary car insurance lets you drive your new car home first and sort out long-term cover later.
- No need to change your existing policy before collecting the car
- Flexible durations available – get insured for one hour or a couple of days
- Get insured in under two minutes —no waiting around
This makes short-term insurance a convenient, hassle-free solution for getting your new car home.
Can You Drive a Car Without Tax If You Just Bought It?
No—your new car must be taxed before you drive it home.
Unlike in the past, road tax no longer transfers between owners, so even if the previous owner had paid their tax, it won’t cover you. When they transfer the ownership over to you, you’ll also have to tax the car.
If you’re buying from a dealership, they may handle tax registration for you—but always double-check. If buying privately, you must tax the car yourself before driving away.
If your car is exempt from road tax (due to low emissions or disability exemption), you still need to register it as taxed—you just won’t be charged.
What Do You Need to Drive a New Car Home?
Before driving your new car home, make sure you have in place:
Vehicle Registration
- If buying from a dealership, they’ll usually handle the registration.
- If buying privately, you’ll need to register as the new owner using the V5C logbook.
- The previous owner needs to give you the green new keeper slip – don’t purchase a car without a V5C.
MOT & Service History
- Check the car’s MOT status to ensure it’s roadworthy, and when the next MOT will be due.
- Review the service history and past repairs before buying.
- If you’re buying a car with no MOT, you cannot legally drive it home—unless you’ve booked a pre-arranged MOT test, in which case you can drive directly to the appointment.
Road Tax
- Arrange vehicle tax before driving home—this doesn’t transfer from the previous owner.
Insurance
- Either transfer your existing policy or get temporary insurance before driving away.
How to Easily Insure a New Car
The easiest way to insure a new car for the drive home is to use temporary car insurance.
With our driveaway insurance options, there’s no need to commit to a long-term policy immediately, you can get instant cover from 1 hour to 28 days, and it’s quick and easy to get – you can get a quote in under two minutes – so you won’t have to delay getting your new wheels on the road.
If you’re still comparing annual insurance policies, temporary insurance buys you time while ensuring you’re legally covered. Just make sure your policy lasts long enough to account for any unexpected delays on the journey home—because if it expires before you arrive, you’ll be driving uninsured.
Drive Home with Confidence
Picking up your new car should be exciting, not stressful. Whether you’re a first-time buyer or upgrading to a newer model, the key things to remember are:
- Get insurance before you drive away
- Make sure the car is taxed
- Check the MOT status and service history
- Ensure you are the new registered owner
Drive-away insurance makes the process stress-free—allowing you to enjoy your new car without the admin hassle.
Need quick, reliable cover? Get a quote today and drive your new car home safely with GoShorty.
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