A car lookup by registration turns a UK number plate into the records held on that car: its make, model, colour, fuel and engine size from the DVLA, every MOT test and mileage reading from the DVSA, and, in a paid report, its previous keepers, plate changes, valuation and the finance, write-off and stolen checks. The Premium report (£7.99) puts all of it on one page, on screen and by email.
What can a UK car reg lookup show?
A registration number is the key to three groups of records. Each group comes from a different source, and together they describe the car better than any advert can.
- From the DVLA: make, model, colour, fuel type, engine size, year of manufacture, month of first registration, CO2 emissions, and the tax status with its expiry date (or SORN).
- From the DVSA: every MOT test with its result, the advisories and failure items, the mileage recorded at each test, the MOT expiry date and the recall status.
- From licensed data providers: the number of previous keepers and the date of the last change, past number plates, a valuation, outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, stolen records, whether the car is recorded as scrapped or exported, and the full VIN.
Which records are free and which are in a report?
- Free on the car's page: the vehicle details, tax and MOT status, the full MOT history with mileage, and the recall status. Look up a car's details to see them.
- Basic report (£3.99): a mileage verdict, the keeper history, plate changes and a valuation, with the MOT history.
- Premium report (£7.99): everything in Basic, plus the outstanding finance, write-off and stolen checks, scrapped or exported status and the full VIN.
Why look a car up before you buy it?
The advert tells you what the seller wants you to know. The records tell you what was written down about the car over its life: a mileage that went backwards between two MOTs, the same advisory repeated year after year, a plate swapped shortly before the sale, or a finance agreement that was never paid off.
Finance, write-off and stolen records cannot be seen on the car or in the MOT history, which is why they are only in the Premium report. If one of them is found, you know before any money changes hands.
How do you look up a car from its reg?
- Type the registration and your email address in the form above.
- Check the make, model and colour shown on the payment page match the car you are looking at.
- Pay for the Premium report (£7.99) by card or PayPal. It opens on screen straight away and a copy is emailed to you.
What should you compare with the car itself?
- The VIN in the report against the VIN on the windscreen, the door pillar and the V5C logbook.
- The colour and engine size in the records against the car in front of you.
- The last MOT mileage against the odometer: it should be higher, by a sensible amount for the time since.
- The number of keepers in the report against what the seller told you. A car reg owner check explains what the keeper history can and cannot show.
What else do people ask?
Is a car lookup by registration free?
The vehicle details, tax and MOT status, MOT history and recall status are free on the car's page. Keepers, plate changes, valuation and the finance, write-off and stolen checks are in the Basic (£3.99) or Premium (£7.99) report.
What do I need to look up a car from its reg?
Only the registration number. We ask for your email address so the report can be sent to you.
Does a car lookup by registration show the VIN?
The full VIN is in the Premium report. Compare it with the VIN stamped on the car and printed on the V5C logbook: they must match.
Can I look up a van or a motorbike?
Yes, any vehicle with a UK registration. Some records, such as a valuation, may not be available for every vehicle.
How long does it take?
A few seconds. The report opens on screen as soon as the payment is confirmed and is emailed to you at the same time.
