Car history check
Enter a UK registration and see what the car has been through: money owed on it, write-offs, theft records, mileage and past keepers.
- Trusted UK data sources
- Free basic check
- No account needed
- Outstanding FinanceA finance agreement requires reviewReview
- Insurance Write-offAn insurer record requires reviewReview
- Stolen RecordNo stolen record foundClear
- Mileage HistoryA reading needs reviewReview
- Up to £10,000 Experian Data GuaranteeThe finance, stolen and write-off checks are backed by the Experian Data Guarantee
- Refund promiseIf the report has no vehicle details at all
- Trusted sourcesIncluding Experian, DVLA and DVSA
- Secure paymentCard details handled by Stripe
Nothing found, nothing to pay. If the report has no information on the vehicle at all, ask within 30 days and we refund it in full. A clear result on a check is still information. Full terms.
Data provided by Experian. Taxi and private-hire checks come from CarGuide, MOT history from DVSA and vehicle details from DVLA. Optional extras come from other specialist suppliers. A free check uses DVSA and DVLA records only.
What the report reveals
See the records that matter most before you buy, and whether anything needs a closer look.
- Money owed on the carFinance agreements that are still live, so a debt that belongs to someone else does not become yours.
- Write-offs and salvageWrite-off categories on record, Cat S and Cat N repairs included, and any appearance at a salvage auction.
- Theft recordsWhether the car is listed as stolen, checked before any money changes hands.
- The mileage trailEvery mileage reading taken at an MOT, in order, so a reading that drops or leaps stands out.
- Keepers, plates and coloursThe number of past keepers on record, and each change of plate or colour.
- Taxi use and statusTaxi and private-hire licences on record, and whether the car has been scrapped, imported or exported.
What a report shows depends on the records held for that vehicle.
Not sure what you get? See a sample report
Every full report includes
- Outstanding finance*
- Insurance write-off*
- Stolen check*
- Scrapped, imported or exported*
- Mileage check
- Previous keepers*
- Plate and colour changes*
- Salvage auction records*
- Ex-taxi and private hire use
- Previous searches*
- Full MOT history and safety recall status
*Data provided by Experian
The outstanding finance, stolen vehicle and insurance write-off checks are backed by the Experian Data Guarantee. If qualifying information is inaccurate, you may be eligible to claim compensation, subject to the applicable terms. Read Guarantee Terms
What a clean car can hide
- A write-off repairedA repaired Cat S car can shine on the forecourt. Its record still shows the write-off.
- Finance left unpaidA low price and a seller in a hurry can mean money still owed. The debt follows the car, not the person selling it.
Free check or full report?
The free check confirms what the car is and how its MOTs went. The full report covers the rest of its past.
| Included | Free check£0 | Full report£10.99 |
|---|---|---|
| Make, model, MOT results and mileage readings | Included | Included |
| Money still owed on finance* | Not included | Included |
| Theft record* | Not included | Included |
| Insurance write-off records* | Not included | Included |
| Past keepers and plate or colour changes* | Not included | Included |
| Taxi and private-hire licences | Not included | Included |
| Salvage auction records* | Not included | Included |
| Experian Data Guarantee | Not included | Up to £10,000 |
*Data provided by Experian
Premium Vehicle Report Plus is £13.99: everything in Premium, plus price context from a valuation and previous adverts.
Three steps to a report
- Type the registration.
Check that the car we find matches the one you are looking at.
- Pay by card.
Add your email and pay £10.99. There is no account to set up.
- Read, download or share.
The report opens on screen as soon as it is ready, with a PDF and a private share link.
MOT pass rates by make
How each make did at its 2025 MOTs, with the faults found most often.
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Free lookups
UKAB19 CDEStart with a free check- Make, model, colour and engine
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Selling your vehicle
How to sell your car privatelySet a fair price, get the car ready, handle viewings and take payment.
Part exchange or private sale: which is better?Private sales usually pay more; part exchange is faster and simpler.
Paperwork when you sell a carWhat to give the buyer and how to tell DVLA.
Car history check FAQs
What should I check before buying a used car?
Read the car's history report and its documents, look it over in person, take it for a test drive, and get an independent inspection if you are unsure.
What does a car history check show?
Finance still owed, theft records, insurance write-offs and salvage auctions, the mileage readings from each MOT, past keepers, plate and colour changes, taxi licences, and whether the car has been scrapped, imported or exported.
How does this compare with other vehicle history checks?
It covers the main ground of any vehicle history check: money owed, theft and write-off records, with mileage, keepers, plate changes and taxi history on top. Data sources may include Experian, CarGuide, DVLA and DVSA, and the finance, stolen and write-off checks are backed by the Experian Data Guarantee. Reports from different companies include different things, so look at what each one contains.
Where does the data come from?
Experian supplies the vehicle history checks and CarGuide the taxi and private-hire checks, and we add the DVLA and DVSA records available for the vehicle. One Auto API links us to Experian and CarGuide. The optional extras (valuation, previous adverts and salvage photo links) come from other specialist suppliers.
How long does a report take?
It opens on screen as soon as your payment goes through and the checks finish. You can download a PDF or make a share link from there. We email an order confirmation, then a second email with a private link when the report is ready. If you already have a Garage, the report is saved there too.
Do I have to create an account?
No. Buy with a new email address as a guest and we send your order and report link to that address, with an invitation to set up My Garage. If the address already has a Garage, checkout asks for a one-time code instead of a password.
Is my report kept?
Yes. With a Garage, it is there whenever you sign in. Without one, use the link in your email, or set up My Garage from that email to keep the report for later.
Can I share the report?
Yes. In My Garage, make a private link for anyone who needs to see it, and switch the link off whenever you like. The PDF opens without a password and is locked against editing.
What if the report flags something?
The check in question is marked and the details shown. You can ask the seller to explain it, have the car inspected, or walk away.
Will it find mechanical faults?
It can turn up finance, theft, write-off or mileage records that a test drive will not show. It cannot tell you about every mechanical fault the car has today.
How long can I see salvage photos?
Salvage photo links are an optional extra. When a report includes them, they work for 30 days from the day you bought it, after which the supplier's links expire, so look at them in that time.
Does the report cost anything?
Yes, £10.99 for one report. The free vehicle check costs nothing.
Who supplies the report
Supplier: Motoring Insider is a trading name of Multimedia Projects Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales under number 05508063, ICO registration ZA522168. Each result reflects the records held on the vehicle when the check ran, so a clear result means nothing was found then. Records from other organisations can be wrong, incomplete or late. See the report terms and limitations.
Run a site that could recommend this report? Join the Motoring Insider Affiliate Programme.
Seen a car you like?
£10.99 for the full report.