Can a car be sold with an outstanding recall?

Yes — it's legal to sell a car with an outstanding recall in the UK. There's no law preventing a private seller or dealer from transferring ownership simply because the recall repair hasn't happened yet.

However, there are some important considerations:

• Dealers have a duty of disclosure — under consumer protection law, a trade seller shouldn't misrepresent the vehicle's condition, and a known safety recall would generally be expected to be disclosed
• Private sellers should still act in good faith — legal obligations are less strict than for dealers, but failing to mention a known safety-related recall could still cause disputes later
• Buyers don't have to rely on the seller's word — recall status, like MOT history and mileage records, is independently checkable, so it's sensible to verify rather than take a listing's description at face value
• It doesn't affect MOT validity — a car can have a valid MOT and an outstanding recall at the same time, since they're assessed separately

If you're selling a car with a known recall, the simplest approach is usually to mention it upfront (or get it fixed first, since it's free) to avoid disputes about disclosure later.