Free check or full report?
The free check reads public government records. Finance, theft and write-off data sit on private industry databases, so no free check can show them. If you are about to buy, that is the part that protects your money.
| What you see | Free check£0 | Full report£6.99 |
|---|
| Full MOT history, defects and advisories | Yes | Yes |
| Mileage at every MOT, with drop alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Tax status and MOT expiry | Yes | Yes |
| Outstanding finance | No | Yes |
| Stolen vehicle marker | No | Yes |
| Insurance write-off category | No | Yes |
| Keeper and plate changes | No | Yes |
| Valuation and running costs | No | Yes |
| Open safety recalls | No | Yes |
| Run free check | Get full report |
At the viewing, check these against your results
Run the check on your phone while you are with the car. A record only helps if it matches the car in front of you.
- Plate, VIN and logbook matchThe registration, the VIN on the windscreen or door pillar, and the V5C logbook should all agree. Ask why if the V5C is a recent duplicate.
- Dashboard mileage makes senseIt should be higher than the last MOT reading and fit the car's usual yearly miles. A lower figure is a red flag.
- Make, model and colour agreeIf the colour or engine size on the record differs from the car, it may have been resprayed, rebuilt or cloned.
- Advisories have been fixedRepeated advisories for the same part (tyres, brakes, corrosion) mean upcoming bills. Ask for receipts.
- Finance is clearedIf the seller still owes money on a car finance deal, the lender can take the car back from you. Check this before you pay a deposit.
Car history check questions
Is this car history check really free?
Yes. The MOT history, mileage records, tax status and MOT status are free with no signup. They come from the official DVSA MOT History API and the DVLA Vehicle Enquiry Service. Only the Full Vehicle Report, which adds finance, stolen and write-off checks, costs £6.99.
Can a free check tell me if a car has outstanding finance?
No. Finance, stolen and insurance write-off markers are held on private industry databases, not on public DVLA or DVSA records. No free check can show them. The £6.99 Full Vehicle Report includes all three.
How do I spot a clocked car?
Every MOT records the mileage. If a later MOT shows a lower reading than an earlier one, the odometer may have been wound back or replaced. This check plots every recorded reading and flags any drop automatically. Also compare the dashboard reading with the last MOT figure when you view the car. Read more in our mileage check guide.
Why is there no MOT history for this car?
Cars in England, Scotland and Wales need their first MOT at three years old, so newer cars have no MOT history yet. Northern Ireland records are held separately and may not appear.
Do I need the seller's permission to check a car?
No. Checking a number plate against public MOT and tax records, or running a provenance check, is a normal part of buying a used car and does not need the seller's permission.
Is this the same as an HPI check?
The free check covers public DVSA and DVLA data. The £6.99 Full Vehicle Report covers the same core risks as an HPI-style check (outstanding finance, stolen marker, write-off category and mileage anomalies) plus valuation and full specification.
More vehicle tools and guides