Start a free car check with the registration number. Use the official services below to compare vehicle details, MOT history and tax or SORN status before arranging a viewing.
Choose your free check
Vehicle details → MOT history → Tax & SORN →
These links open the official GOV.UK services. Our own registration lookup is not live yet. You can read every guide on this site without buying a report.
What can you check about a car for free?
A registration gives you a useful starting point for researching the car. Compare what you find with the advert, the paperwork and the vehicle itself.
| Free check | What to review | Your next step |
|---|---|---|
| DVLA vehicle details | Registration dates, fuel type, engine size and other available vehicle information. | Investigate details that do not match the advert. Read our registration check guide. |
| MOT history | Past results, recorded mileage and defects noted at tests. | Read the timeline, then ask about repairs. See the MOT history guide. |
| Tax status | Whether the vehicle is recorded as taxed. | Confirm your own arrangements if buying. Read the car tax guide. |
| SORN status | Whether it is declared off the road. | Ask about storage and collection. Use our SORN check guide. |
How to run a free car check before viewing
1. Get the current registration
Ask for a clear number plate photograph if the advert hides it. Confirm that any earlier photograph shows the same registration. Record the exact car you are researching so you do not mix up results from several listings.
2. Compare the vehicle details
Open the official vehicle information service and compare the available details with the seller’s description. A mismatch needs an explanation. Do not pay a deposit while you are still unsure which vehicle the advert describes.
3. Read the MOT timeline
Look at more than the latest pass. Note the dates, mileage readings and recurring issues. Ask for invoices for repairs the seller says have been completed. For a missing result, read what to check when no MOT history is found.
4. Check the tax or SORN position
Use the current official result rather than an old screenshot. If you need both records, our tax and MOT check guide puts the two tasks in order.
5. Take your questions to the viewing
Turn the results into a short list: a mileage reading to explain, a repair invoice to see or a document detail to compare. The value of the check is in what you do with the information.
Free checks versus a fuller vehicle history report
Do not assume every service called a “free car check” includes the same information. Read the coverage before relying on a result. The public services linked above do not provide a complete check for finance, theft markers or insurance write-off history.
Before choosing any paid report, check which records it includes, how a problem is reported and what its terms cover. Our car history guide explains the wider checks, and the HPI check guide explains that branded service and how to compare coverage.
What to check in person
Match the vehicle identification number with the V5C and the car. Read service and repair invoices, inspect in daylight and arrange a properly insured test drive where appropriate. Use an independent mechanic if you need help assessing condition or repairs.
A free record check cannot assess an oil leak, verify every repair or tell you how the car drives today. Take the used-car buying checklist and our car check guide to the viewing.
Common questions about free car checks
Can I check a car using just its number plate?
You can start the public vehicle, MOT and tax checks using its registration. Some additional details or services require other documents.
Will a free check tell me the owner’s name?
The public DVLA vehicle enquiry is not an owner-name lookup. A registration result should not be treated as proof of the seller’s identity or authority to sell.
Does a clean result mean the car is safe to buy?
No single record establishes that. Compare the documents, investigate gaps and inspect the car’s current condition before deciding.
Can I check MOT mileage for free?
The official MOT history includes mileage readings recorded at tests. Compare them with invoices and the current odometer. See our mileage check guide.
Keep researching the car
Registration check · MOT history · Outstanding finance · Write-off checks
Official references: DVLA vehicle information, MOT history and checks when buying a used vehicle. Reviewed 30 October 2026. Check My Vehicle is independent of DVLA and DVSA.