What should I do with my car's service history?

Keep every invoice and the service book together in one place, take a photo or scan of each document as soon as you get it, and keep those copies somewhere that isn't the car. When you sell, the originals go to the buyer with the car — your copies stay with you.

Should I keep old car service receipts?

Yes, for as long as you own the car. An itemised invoice is stronger evidence than a stamp in a book, and it's the only record of what was actually done — which parts, which fluids, at what mileage. Receipts for tyres, brakes, batteries and repairs are worth keeping too, not just the annual service.

Is it safe to keep the service book in the car?

It's convenient, but it means the only copy of the history can be stolen, damaged or written off along with the car. Keep the originals at home, or at least keep a full set of photos somewhere else, so losing the car doesn't also mean losing the proof of how it was looked after.

Do I need to keep the paper service book if the garage records it digitally?

Many manufacturers now record dealer servicing digitally rather than in a book. That record is held by the manufacturer's network, not by you, so it's still worth asking for a printout or emailed copy after each visit and keeping it with your other invoices — especially if you later use an independent garage that can't add to the manufacturer's system.

How to keep your car’s service history, and what to keep

Most people don’t think about their car’s service history until they come to sell it, and by then half of it has gone — an invoice in an old email account, another in the glovebox of the car before this one, the service book itself somewhere in a drawer. Keeping it properly takes a few minutes after each garage visit. Here’s what to keep, where to keep it, and what to do with it when the car changes hands.

What counts as service history

Service history is any evidence of the maintenance a car has had. In practice that means:

The service book, with a stamp for each scheduled service, or the manufacturer’s digital equivalent.
Invoices for each service — the itemised ones that list the work, the parts and the mileage, not just a card receipt.
Invoices for other work: cambelt, clutch, brakes, tyres, battery, air conditioning, bodywork, recall work.
MOT certificates. These are also held centrally and can be checked free on GOV.UK, so losing the paper copy matters less.

Of these, the invoices matter most. A stamp tells a buyer a service happened; the invoice tells them what was done, at what mileage, by whom. If you only keep one thing, keep the invoices.

How to store it so it can’t be lost

Keep the originals in one place, not in the car. A single document wallet at home, in date order, with the service book at the front. A car that’s stolen or written off takes its glovebox with it.

Photograph or scan every document the day you get it. A clear photo of each page, flat and in good light, so the garage name, date, mileage and registration are all readable. This is your backup if the paper goes missing.

Save emailed invoices as files. More garages now email invoices rather than printing them. An email account you might close or lose access to isn’t storage — download the PDF and keep it with the rest.

Keep the digital copies against the car, not just in a folder. A folder of photos on your phone is a backup; it’s not something you can easily show a buyer, and it doesn’t survive a lost phone unless it’s synced. A digital service record attached to the car’s registration does both jobs.

Keeping it digitally

A digital service record turns each invoice into a dated entry on the car’s own page, next to its MOT history. On CarKept you upload a photo or PDF of an invoice, check the details it reads back, and save it. Each record carries a verification tier — owner reported, invoice attached or garage confirmed— and records can’t be quietly edited afterwards; corrections are logged alongside the original. What you paid is visible only to you.

Doing this as you go is much easier than doing it at the point of sale. The best time to add an invoice is the day you pick the car up, while it’s still in your hand.

What happens if you don’t keep it

Nothing, until you sell. Then a buyer asks whether the car has a full service history, and without paperwork the honest answer is “it was serviced, but I can’t show you.” Most buyers treat that the same as no history. It weakens your asking price, it makes the car harder to sell, and it leaves the next owner guessing about work like a cambelt change that’s expensive to get wrong. See does service history affect a car’s value for how this plays out. If it’s already happened, the lost service history guide covers how to rebuild what you can.

How long to keep it

For as long as you own the car, and then it goes with the car. Service history belongs with the vehicle rather than the owner — the next keeper needs it for the same reasons you did. Keep your own photos or scans if you want a record of what you had done, but hand over the originals.

What to do with it when you sell

Before listing, gather everything in date order and make sure every document is readable. Share it with serious buyers before they travel to view, then hand over the book and invoices with the car and the V5C. The guide to sharing service history covers what to send and what to cover up, and documents you need to sell a car has the full checklist. A digital record on CarKept is kept against the car’s registration rather than your account, so the history doesn’t depend on a folder surviving the handover.

Keep your invoices with the car

Look up your car by registration, then add a record from a photo or PDF of any invoice. Free for owners.

Frequently asked questions

What should I do with my car's service history?: Keep every invoice and the service book together in one place, take a photo or scan of each document as soon as you get it, and keep those copies somewhere that isn't the car. When you sell, the originals go to the buyer with the car — your copies stay with you.
Should I keep old car service receipts?: Yes, for as long as you own the car. An itemised invoice is stronger evidence than a stamp in a book, and it's the only record of what was actually done — which parts, which fluids, at what mileage. Receipts for tyres, brakes, batteries and repairs are worth keeping too, not just the annual service.
Is it safe to keep the service book in the car?: It's convenient, but it means the only copy of the history can be stolen, damaged or written off along with the car. Keep the originals at home, or at least keep a full set of photos somewhere else, so losing the car doesn't also mean losing the proof of how it was looked after.
Do I need to keep the paper service book if the garage records it digitally?: Many manufacturers now record dealer servicing digitally rather than in a book. That record is held by the manufacturer's network, not by you, so it's still worth asking for a printout or emailed copy after each visit and keeping it with your other invoices — especially if you later use an independent garage that can't add to the manufacturer's system.