How to Use Our Free Vehicle Check

Get started with a cheaper and more comprehensive alternative to HPI vehicle checks

Enter the registration number (number plate) to get an instant free vehicle check on the screen.

You can check the vehicle’s registration data held by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and access the full MOT history and status including its mileage history and it’s advisory and failure notices.

The car’s fuel and CO2 emissions data are also provided.

Access the vehicle’s performance data and total running cost.

Use the ‘askMID’ option to check if your car is insured.

We provide free car history checks for all vehicles registered in England and Wales and Northern Ireland.

What checks are included in the Basic Car History Report?

Our basic car history check is great for shortlisting your vehicles and making a safe choice. Not sure about going for a full check? Please go for a basic check and ensure the car you hope to buy ticks off the all-important checks. You could save some money plus it will act as a guide and help you to shortlist your next car.

Number of Previous Owners / Keepers History: Check the total number of previous owners recorded by the DVLA, which includes the date of registration. The higher the number of total previous owners the lesser value it will likely fetch.

Our report will not provide the previous owners’ contact or personal information, but you can request information about the vehicle’s registered owners from the DVLA should you need to.

Number Plate Change History: Check whether the vehicle has a history of number plate change, including the VRM it was changed to and the date it was changed.

Colour Change: Check whether the vehicle has a history of car colour change, in which case the DVLA must be notified and your V5C registration document updated.

Scrapped: To check whether the vehicle you want to purchase has been scrapped or not, we will check data from the DVLA.

Previous Northern Ireland: We check the VRM that was on the vehicle prior to it being registered with the DVLA, which is supplied by the DVLA prior to 2009.

VIC Inspected: This check is intended to ensure that a vehicle registration certificate (V5C) was not issued for a stolen or cloned vehicle taking the identity of a destroyed or scrapped vehicle.

VIN or Chassis: Check the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) of the vehicle and make sure the details you’ve been given match the information held by the DVLA. It’s a crucial check to make sure the car is legitimate.

Engine Number: Check that the engine number matches with the vehicle engine number recorded by the DVLA.

Car Valuation: We provide a true car valuation price such as a dealer forecourt value, the trade-in price and private sale price. Car valuations are provided where available on vehicles less than 15 years old.

What checks are included in the Full Car History Report?

Our full vehicle history check is the most comprehensive car check history available and will help you make an informed decision before buying your next used car.

Our full check provides everything from basic checks, important checks and critical checks, which include:

Outstanding Finance Check: This check includes finance agreement details and provides a finance company contract number (where available).

Buying a car with outstanding finance could be very risky. Please read our guide to see how to avoid buying a car with outstanding finance.

Insurance Write-Off (Total loss) Check: We check whether the vehicle has been declared a total loss or written-off, including the loss type and loss date.

Insurance companies write-off cars when the cost of repairs is too high compared to the value of the vehicle.

Police Stolen Check: Check whether the vehicle you are interested in is recorded as stolen in the Police National Computer,.read our guide to find out the risks of buying a stolen car and don’t be a victim of vehicle fraud.

Certificate of Destruction: Check whether the vehicle has been issued a Certificate of Destruction aka COD for short. It’s a legal document issued by the DVLA when the vehicle is scrapped by an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF) that has destroyed and recycled a vehicle.

High risk check: Check if the vehicle has been flagged as high risk. It is often related to the financial dispute over ownership and usually means the third party tracks it to prevent it from being sold. See our sample full reg check report for more details.

Mileage anomaly: To check whether the car is displaying the genuine mileage, our report shows if there is an inconsistency with the mileage reading held in premium mileage history sources.

Our free car check includes mileage and clocking reports from the mileage recorded when the vehicle was MOT tested.

Please read our used car buying guide and help yourself to make an informed decision before buying your next used car.