Changing A Car's Colour In The UK
In the UK, if you are the legal owner and registered keeper of a vehicle, you can legally change the colour of your car to anything that you desire. As you need to be the legal owner, this does not apply to any vehicle that is leased as you do not own the car. If you have a car on PCP or HP, it is important that you check with the finance company before changing the colour, as they are the legal owner until the final payment is made despite the fact you have the log book/V5C.
There are several ways to change the colour of your car, but the two most popular are wrapping or spraying. Spraying is the conventional way of painting a car and is the exact same process that cars go through when they come out of the factory. Whilst it is possible to do this method yourself, it does require a particular skill, the right equipment and adequate fumigation. As such, most people opt to pay an expert body sprayer to it. The alternative is wrapping. Unlike painting, this is not permanent and be removed with relative ease. This allows you to chop and change the colour as and when you feel like it. In Layman's Terms, it is a giant stick that actually serves to protect the original paint underneath from stones. It offers a lot more colour choices than painting as wraps come in a wide variety of colours and finishes, such as matte. Wrapping is a lot easier to do yourself as it only requires some space and heat. If you make a mistake, it is simple to restart. That being said, again, most people opt for a professional wrapper to carry out the work.
Costs for both methods can vary hugely, so one is not necessarily cheaper than the other.
Legal Requirements - Changing a Car's Colour
This is the most important part to bear in mind if you have changed your car's colour, or are considering it.
Notifying the DVLA
It is a legal requirement to notify the DVLA of any colour change to your vehicle. The colour listed on the V5C must match the actual colour of the colour. This includes non-permanent methods, such as wrapping. In order to do this, you must obtain and complete a V5C registration certificate amendment form. This can be found on the DVLA's website, or by searching online. Once the DVLA have reviewed your submission, they will issue you with a new updated V5C for your car that shows the new colour.
Notifying your insurer
Just like the V5C, your insurance documentation must also match to the colour of the car. Be sure to contact your insurer and notify them of the colour change. Depending on your insurer, this may be classified as a modification. Failure to update your insurance documents could result in issues if you have to make a claim. With vehicle wrapping, your insurer may also be able to provide additional cover for the wrap itself.
Other things to be aware of
There are a few other things that are important to consider when changing the colour of your car, or if you are considering buying a car that has had its colour changed. For example, a car up for sale that has had a colour change may be hiding paint damage or rust, so be sure to give it a thorough going over or seek expert advice before committing to the sale.
Similarly, changing the car of your car may impact the resale value of it, should you decide to part ways later down the line. This does not necessarily mean it will impact it in a bad way; a jazzy and uncommon wrap of a desirable car could help to increase its resale value.
