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Yes, it is possible for you to get guarantor car finance with Carplus, if you and your guarantor pass all basic eligibility requirements. A guarantor agrees to make payments if you cannot meet the terms of your finance agreement. Lenders may be more willing to approve applications because this arrangement can reduce their risk.
Guarantor car finance mostly suits people with bad credit or a limited borrowing history who need someone to back their application. If you're not sure which option fits you, Carplus can help you compare car finance lenders and point you toward the ones most likely to consider your guarantor application.
Lenders assess your credit score to judge how reliably you'll repay, then weigh up your guarantor's credit rating as extra security. If you can't pay, your guarantor becomes legally responsible for the repayments, which gives lenders the confidence to approve you.
Tell us what car you’re looking for, how much you want to borrow, and what monthly payment suits your budget. You can apply with a guarantor who agrees to support your application, and we’ll search our panel of lenders to find a suitable guarantor car finance option.
Once accepted, choose a car from any reputable UK dealer, or part exchange your current vehicle. From paperwork to lender checks, guarantor details, and vehicle checks, we’ll support you at every step and take care of the process from start to finish.
After everything is approved and signed, arrange collection or delivery, often on the same day where available. Then pick up your keys and enjoy your new car.
A car finance guarantor is another person, usually a family member (parent, aunt, uncle, brother etc) or close friend, who legally agrees to cover your repayments if you can't or don't pay them. That gives lenders enough confidence to approve you even if your credit history shows problems or your income is limited. Your guarantor only becomes liable once you miss a payment, and they carry no financial responsibility as long as you keep up with your repayments and maintain good credit.
That's different from a joint application, where you and someone else finance the car together. A guarantor acts as a kind of safety net instead, not a co-owner equally responsible for the car. Make sure you and your guarantor both understand the risks before you agree to the arrangement.
Don't confuse guarantor finance with 'guaranteed car finance'. No responsible lender can promise approval just because you add another person to the application.
Guarantor car finance follows the standard UK application process, with you and your guarantor applying together. Lenders assess your credit score, history, income and employment status, then look at your guarantor's credit rating, income and their ability to cover repayments if needed.
Approval comes down to your combined financial strength. The finance agreement names you both, which makes your guarantor legally responsible for any payments you miss.
You receive the funds to buy the car and make your monthly repayments directly to the lender, following standard Hire Purchase or PCP terms.
No, not always. You don't need a guarantor if your credit score meets a lender's requirements, since strong credit history lets lenders approve you on your own financial strength.
A guarantor can help more the weaker your credit picture is. One matters most if you have bad credit, irregular income, or no borrowing history at all. Their strong credit rating reassures lenders and can improve your chances of approval, though it's never a guarantee.
A guarantor could help if any of the following sound like you:
Yes, you can, and guarantor car finance exists specifically to help people with bad credit access funding, since your guarantor's strong credit rating can help offset your own in a lender's eyes.
Bad credit means missed payments, defaults or a County Court Judgement (CCJ) on your file, not the same thing as having no credit history at all. Lenders worry about future missed repayments based on your past behaviour, and a guarantor's track record reassures them that the money will still arrive if you can't pay it yourself.
A guarantor can improve your chances of approval, but it's never a guarantee.
No, not in the way 'no credit check' suggests, since no FCA-regulated lender can skip that step for you or your guarantor. UK finance regulations require both checks to ensure responsible lending.
Getting a quote typically starts with a soft credit search instead, which won't affect your credit score. Lenders use this to understand your financial situation and match you with suitable deals, and your guarantor undergoes the same soft check to confirm they can cover repayments if needed. A hard credit check only comes later, once you formally apply and accept a finance agreement, and that's the one that appears on your credit report.
These checks exist to protect you from unaffordable borrowing, not to slow you down. Lenders verify your income, existing debts and ability to keep up with monthly payments, so the outcome fits what you can actually afford.
To apply with a guarantor to finance your car, you must meet basic lending criteria. We verify these details to match you with specialist lenders from our panel.
Your requirements:
Car requirements:
Lenders set specific requirements to ensure your guarantor can cover monthly payments if needed. Your guarantor must meet these criteria before lenders will approve your guarantor car finance application.
Your guarantor must:
Meeting these requirements gives lenders confidence in your guarantor's ability to support your application. Car finance with a guarantor becomes accessible when your guarantor satisfies these eligibility criteria.
Guarantor car finance approval usually takes 24-48 hours. That covers submitting your documents, running credit checks on both you and your guarantor, and finalising the agreement with the lender.
If a lender needs more information, such as proof of income or clarification on your credit history, the timeline can stretch a little. Keeping your documents accurate and complete from the start is the easiest way to avoid that, and staying in regular contact with your broker or lender helps too if anything does come up.
Guarantor car finance offers specific advantages and carries certain risks you should understand before applying. Weighing these factors helps you make an informed decision about whether this finance option suits your circumstances.
If you miss a payment, the finance provider will contact you first to discuss it. They'll usually give you a reasonable chance to explain and work out a solution before anything else happens. If the issue stays unresolved, your guarantor becomes responsible for covering the missed payment.
Here's what typically happens, in order:
These estimates are subject to credit checks and may change when you apply for finance. this is for example purposes only
Maximum borrowable amount
Rates from 9.9% APR: the exact rate you will be offered will be based on your circumstances, subject to status. Representative Hire purchase (HP) example: borrowing £7,000 over 5 years with a representative APR of 21.9%, the annual interest rate of 21.9% (Fixed) and a deposit of £0, the amount payable would be £185.33 per month, with a total cost of credit of £4,119.81 and a total amount payable of £11,119.81. We look to find the best rate from our panel of lenders and will offer you the best deal that you're eligible for. We receive a fixed fee commission per finance agreement, or we receive a commission based on a percentage of the total amount of finance taken. This will not affect the interest rate offered or the total amount repayable. Our service is free.
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Joint car finance makes both applicants equally responsible for repayments from day one, since it's a shared obligation. Guarantor car finance works differently: your guarantor only steps in to pay if you can't. That gives you the backing of a guarantor's financial security without sharing ownership of the car or day-to-day responsibility for the payments.
You can't change your guarantor easily once the agreement is active. Contact your lender directly, since they'll decide whether to allow it based on their own policy. Your new guarantor will need to meet the same eligibility criteria and pass the same credit checks as the original, and most lenders will ask for a fresh application with updated terms.
No, not without your lender's consent, once you've signed. You can usually only step down if the borrower finds a replacement guarantor who meets the lender's criteria. Your obligation continues until the loan is repaid in full, refinanced without you, or taken over by another guarantor.
You become liable for the full debt if the borrower misses payments. Any default damages your credit score and appears on your credit report, and lenders may take legal action against you to recover what's owed. Your own ability to borrow can shrink while you're backing someone else's loan, since future lenders may factor that in, and money issues between you and the borrower can put a strain on the relationship too.
Guarantors go through a soft credit check at the quote stage, which won't affect your score, and a full hard check once the application goes ahead, which does appear on your report. Lenders look at your credit history, income, employment status and existing commitments to confirm you could cover the repayments if the borrower defaults.
Signing on as a guarantor triggers a hard credit check, which leaves a mark on your report. Beyond that, your score stays unaffected as long as the borrower keeps up with every payment. Miss or late payments change that, since you're now financially linked to the agreement, and future lenders will see that link when you apply for credit yourself.
Anyone financially linked to you through a joint bank account, mortgage or shared loan can't act as your guarantor. Anyone under 18 or over 75 won't meet the age requirement, and lenders will also turn down candidates with poor credit, insufficient income or unstable employment. In short, a lender needs proof your guarantor can actually cover your repayments if it comes to that.
No, because the name describes the loan structure, not a promise of approval, so don't confuse it with 'guaranteed car finance'. Lenders still assess your income and credit alongside your guarantor's financial position, and either of you falling short of their criteria can lead to a decline. Approval comes down to your combined affordability and credit strength, not your guarantor's presence alone.
No, because lenders need a guarantor with a strong credit history, free of defaults or missed payments, since that history is the security they're relying on. Bad credit means you can't demonstrate the reliable repayment behaviour a guarantor is meant to provide, so most lenders set a minimum credit score that rules out applicants with poor credit.
A guarantor with a good credit score could help bring your interest rate down. Lenders see less risk in the deal with a guarantor backing it, and that can translate into more favourable terms overall.
No, not necessarily. Being a homeowner can strengthen your guarantor's application, but it's rarely a strict requirement for guarantor finance.
Yes, as long as they meet a lender's usual creditworthiness and affordability criteria. Lenders will often count pension income when working out whether they could cover the repayments if needed.
Yes, often it is. A guarantor's financial backing can make lenders more willing to approve you, especially where your own credit history or income wouldn't quite get you there alone. That said, it's not guaranteed: lenders still weigh up both your and your guarantor's full financial picture before deciding.
Not having a guarantor doesn't rule out car finance. Specialist lenders work with bad credit and thin files without needing one, a larger deposit can lower both the amount you're borrowing and the lender's risk, and building up your credit score first, even gradually, tends to widen your options over time.
Yes, provided they're within the lender's usual age limit, typically up to 75, and pass the same creditworthiness and affordability checks as any other guarantor. Pension income usually counts when lenders assess whether they could cover the repayments if needed.
Yes, most guarantors are family members, usually a parent, sibling or another close relative. The one exception is anyone financially linked to you already, such as through a joint bank account or a shared mortgage, since lenders won't accept someone whose finances are already tied to yours.
