How to keep all of your car paperwork organized.

We live in the digital age. So if you’re anything like us, paperwork feels pretty cumbersome. Unless you're from the boomer generation (and there’s nothing wrong with that!), you’ve probably spent most of your life dealing with docs online. Paper forms are a thing of the past right?

Trouble is, with car records, digital doesn’t always cut it. Due to the nature of titles, maintenance, and insurance records it’s still important to keep a physical copy.

And it’s even more important to keep your paperwork organized.

paperwork, what paperwork?

We’ll talk you through it! If you own a vehicle, there’s about half a dozen pieces of paperwork you should keep track of. And keeping your paperwork organized is important to save you time (and trouble) if you want to do things like sell your car or make an insurance claim. No one wants a mad scramble when the time comes to present it. Some of the paperwork you should keep with you in the vehicle, and some is best stored at home.

documents to keep in car

There are a few documents you should keep at hand at all times when you’re on the road. Our advice: get a folder and stash them in the glove compartment. You’ll thank yourself later (and us, we hope!).

registration

All cars have to be registered to legally drive on the road. So when you did this (you did, right!?) your local vehicle agency would have given you a copy of this document. It proves that you can legally drive on the road. If you get stopped by a police officer, they’ll probably want to see it.

proof of insurance

It’s illegal to drive without insurance, so this is another important legal document to keep in your car. It’s another piece of paperwork the cops will want to see if they’re checking on you. And if you get in a fender bender, you’ll need this info handy to swap with the other driver.

owners manual

The instructions for your car…? Boring! But you never know when something is going to glitch up. You might drive like a superstar but do you know what happens if the ABS light starts flashing? The owner's manual is there to help you in the event of any technical difficulties. It also contains details about your car's maintenance schedule and factory warranty, so it can be a useful document for a mechanic to check over too. Fingers crossed you never need to read it.

documents to store safely at home

Some paperwork for your car is best left at home. These are documents that you won’t need day-to-day, and would be a real pain to lose (especially if your car gets stolen). Our advice is kinda the same though: get a folder and stash these documents somewhere safe (just don’t forget where!).

title

Your car title is a proof of ownership. This is a super important document—especially if you want to sell your car—and it’s expensive to get a new copy.

maintenance records

Another thing that’s helpful when you want to sell your car is the maintenance records. Keeping paperwork related to any services and repairs is good for a few reasons. Firstly, it helps you keep tabs on your vehicle and what might need taking care of. And secondly, potential buyers will appreciate the chance to see what work has (or hasn’t) been done. Finally, if you lease your car, the company might want proof of maintenance.

receipts of sale

Your receipt gives important legal protection to the buyer and seller. It includes important details about the car—you’ll want one of these when you buy a new car to show you’re the legal owner, and you’ll want to produce one if you’re selling your car again (otherwise you could still be liable for an accident that occurs with the vehicle).

lease agreement/loan documents

If you lease your car, be sure to keep a hold of documents related to the agreement. If you have an accident or breakdown, or need to check or change the terms of your payments, then these are what you’ll need to refer to.

If you want to avoid digging through piles of old paperwork, keep your documents organized in your car and at home. If you want to sell your car online, Peddle makes it easy as pie, but having these documents handy will help you determine the car value without any hold ups. We know, it’s boring, but you’ll thank yourself (or us!) later.