Car history check by registration

Enter a registration for the free official record — MOT history, advisories, tax status and the mileage recorded at every test. If the car is still a contender, the £9.99 Full History Check adds the records that decide whether it is safe to buy: outstanding finance, insurance write-off markers, stolen status and mileage anomalies.

What you get free

The free check reads the DVLA vehicle record and the DVSA MOT record and puts them together, with no account and no card.

  • Every MOT test on record, with failures and advisories
  • Tax status — taxed, untaxed or SORN — and the tax due date
  • Mileage recorded at each test, with drops and unit switches flagged
  • Make, model, colour, fuel, engine and registration dates to compare with the advert
  • Buyer red flags and the questions worth asking the seller
  • A printable summary to take to the viewing

What the £9.99 Full History Check adds

These records are not in the free government data. They are the ones that cost money to get wrong.

  • Outstanding finance recorded against the vehicle
  • Insurance write-off markers (Categories A, B, S and N)
  • Stolen status from the police register
  • Mileage anomalies against records collected outside the MOT system
  • Number of previous keepers, and when the latest change was recorded
  • Plate and colour changes
  • A valuation, and previous sale adverts for the same vehicle where they exist
  • Ex-taxi or private-hire licensing, where a licensing authority has recorded it
  • Salvage auction detail — lot and damage description — where the vehicle is a recorded write-off

Service history, if you want it

Manufacturer service records from the franchised dealer network are sold separately: £4.99 alongside a Full History Check, or £9.99 on its own. Coverage starts from the 2012 model year and varies by manufacturer — for some brands it is the full service record, for others workshop remarks, recalls and warranty work.

You are only charged if records are actually found. If the lookup comes back empty, you are not billed.

What it costs

One check is £9.99. If you are shortlisting several cars, credit packs work out cheaper: 3 for £14.99, 5 for £17.99 or 10 for £34.99. Credits do not expire, and each report you unlock stays available for 30 days.

What a history check cannot do

A history check is a paperwork check. It cannot tell you whether the clutch is worn, whether the car has been repaired well, or whether it will start on a cold morning — that is what an inspection and a test drive are for.

It also only knows what has been reported. A crash repaired privately, without an insurance claim, leaves no write-off marker. An MOT record is not a service history. Check the V5C matches the car and the seller, and be wary of any story that depends on you not looking.

Where the data comes from

The free check uses the DVLA vehicle enquiry service and the DVSA MOT history API. The Full History Check uses UK Vehicle Data for finance, write-off, stolen and mileage records, and One Auto for taxi licensing and salvage auction detail. Every figure comes from the source record — nothing is estimated.

Frequently asked questions

Is the car check really free?
Yes. MOT history, advisories, tax status, mileage and the vehicle's details are free, with no account and no card. You only pay if you choose the Full History Check or the Service History Check.
What does the £9.99 Full History Check include?
Outstanding finance, insurance write-off markers (Cat A, B, S and N), stolen status from the police register, mileage anomalies, previous keeper count, plate and colour changes, a valuation, previous sale adverts, ex-taxi licensing where recorded, and salvage auction detail where the vehicle is a recorded write-off.
Do I need an account to run a check?
Not for the free check. A paid report is emailed to you and kept in your account.
How long can I access a report I have paid for?
Each unlocked report stays available for 30 days. Credits themselves do not expire.
Does it show outstanding finance?
Yes, in the Full History Check. Outstanding finance means the lender may still have a claim on the car, which is the single most common reason a private sale goes wrong.
What is a Cat S or Cat N car?
Both mean an insurer wrote the vehicle off. Cat S is structural damage, Cat N is non-structural. Neither proves the repair was done badly — or that it was done at all — so ask for the repair evidence and have the car inspected.
Can I check a car before I go and see it?
That is the point of it. Run the free check from the advert's registration, and buy the full check before you travel or pay a deposit.
What if no service records are found?
You are not charged for the Service History Check when the lookup finds nothing.