car registration

So we were finally able to buy a car, hooray! Everything's gone smoothly so far but I was looking at the documentation so I could pay the car tax (didn't realize I was supposed to pay it before I drove off the lot, oops) and noticed that there is nothing showing the car in my name other than the receipt from when I bought it. Do I need to apply for registration somewhere? Did the dealership forget some paperwork? It was a cheap clearance part-exchange car, if that makes a difference.

There is a form called the V5 which you are supposed to sign for the vehicle to be registered in your name. Did you sign this at the dealership? If so you will receive a new V5 through the mail in due course, and you will be shown as the registered keeper.

Did you check one of those services where you send the tag number and they check the various databases to be sure there's not a problem?  Might be worth spending a fiver to avoid problems.

This check will tell you if the car has been written off  in a wreck, or if somebody still owes money from a loan and the car is not yours.

I didn't sign it at the dealership, but I think I have it in the car. Can I just send it in myself? I didn't do a HPI check myself but the dealership did and it's clear.

They should have had a registration form, that stated the former owner, that you signed at the dealership.  They should then mail it to DVLA.  It does concern me that they didn't make you pay road tax before driving it off the lot.  Hopefully that was a simple oversight and everything else was completed as normal.

Just to update yall, the registration went fine, it turned out that the dealership sent in their part and I just had to send in my part. I got my nice new registration form in the mail not too long ago! Thanks for your help!

Congrats! Enjoy your new car!