Independent UK guide · prices checked 27 October 2026
VIN check UK: a car’s history from its VIN or number plate
Type the reg or the 17-character VIN to see what carVertical holds on the car: mileage readings, damage, theft records and photos from old adverts. Our link knocks a further 20% off each package: from £16.79 a report.With the 3-report package (£50.38 in total); a single report is £31.99.
carVertical affiliate link: CheckByVIN earns a commission, your price stays the same.
- Mileage records
- Damage history
- Stolen check
- MOT history
- Old advert photos
Reports for the makes UK buyers check most
What the report answers
Questions to settle before you view the car
A test drive will not tell you what happened to a car in previous years. Its records can.
Has the mileage been wound back?
Has it been in an accident?
Is it recorded as stolen?
Was it damaged and repaired?
What did it look like in old adverts?
Has it been on UK roads all its life?
Illustrative example
What clocking looks like on a mileage chart
A 2013 diesel estate sold at auction in 2022 with 112,000 miles. A few months later a dealer advertised it with 79,000. Each reading on its own looks normal; side by side, the drop is obvious.
Among UK cars checked on carVertical, 3.98% had a wound-back odometer, with 21,839 miles removed on average (carVertical Market Transparency Index 2026, United Kingdom).
Why CheckByVIN
Check first, then decide whether to view
A short guide for UK buyers, with carVertical’s discount already applied to our link.
Open it on your phone at the viewing
The report is ready seconds after payment and works in any browser, so you can go through it with the seller.
Records from more than one source
carVertical searches registers and databases in the UK and across Europe, which matters for a car that was once registered abroad.
Negotiate with facts
Mileage gaps, damage records or a theft entry give you a reason to ask for a lower price, or to walk away.
Report prices
What a report costs through CheckByVIN
Through our link, carVertical deducts a further 20% from each package, with no code to type. Prices in pounds, checked on 27 October 2026; you pay and read the report on carvertical.com.
One car in mind
Extra −20%1 report
£31.99 / report
£31.99 in total £39.99
You save £8.00 (−20%)
- Mileage readings from MOTs, services and adverts
- Recorded damage and accidents
- Stolen vehicle checks
- Photos from earlier adverts
- Specification decoded from the VIN
Choosing between two
Extra −20%2 reports
£20.79 / report
£41.58 in total £79.98
You save £38.40 (−48%)
- Mileage readings from MOTs, services and adverts
- Recorded damage and accidents
- Stolen vehicle checks
- Photos from earlier adverts
- Specification decoded from the VIN
Still shopping around
Extra −20%3 reports
£16.79 / report
£50.38 in total £119.97
You save £69.59 (−58%)
- Mileage readings from MOTs, services and adverts
- Recorded damage and accidents
- Stolen vehicle checks
- Photos from earlier adverts
- Specification decoded from the VIN
Shortlisted more than one car? A bigger package lowers the price of every report. You pay on carvertical.com; prices include VAT.
Before you pay a deposit
Find out whether:
- Has the mileage been wound back?
- Has it been in an accident?
- Is it recorded as stolen?
- Was it damaged and repaired?
- What did it look like in old adverts?
- Has it been on UK roads all its life?
With CheckByVIN£16.79 / report£20.99Extra −20%3-report package · £50.38 in total
carVertical affiliate link: CheckByVIN earns a commission, your price stays the same.
Free checks first
Three official checks that cost nothing
Run these on GOV.UK with the number plate before you pay for anything; they catch the obvious problems.
MOT history
Pass or fail, the mileage at every test and the reasons for failure, free on GOV.UK with just the number plate.
DVLA vehicle details
Tax status, MOT expiry, first registration date and the date of the latest V5C, so you can match the seller’s story.
Safety recalls
Whether the make and model has an open safety recall that should have been fixed.
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
Can I check a car’s history with just the number plate?
Yes. Choose the Reg plate tab, type the registration and press Check now. carVertical finds the car from the plate and shows whether it holds records before you pay. If you have the VIN, use the VIN tab: a private plate can move between cars, the VIN never does.
What does a carVertical report show for a UK car?
Whatever has been recorded for that vehicle: mileage readings from MOTs, services and adverts, damage records with dates and estimated repair costs, theft records, photos from earlier adverts, ownership changes and the technical specification. If nothing was recorded for a section, the section stays empty.
Is there a completely free VIN check in the UK?
The official checks are free: MOT history and DVLA vehicle details on GOV.UK, both by number plate. They do not show damage records, theft records or history from abroad. Our free vehicle checks guide explains what each one covers.
How much is a report through CheckByVIN?
One report costs £31.99, two cost £41.58 and three cost £50.38, which is £16.79 per report (prices checked on 27 October 2026). Our link adds a further 20% discount to each package without a code.
How accurate is a VIN check?
A report is only as complete as the records behind it. A repair paid in cash or a reading never written down will not appear, and any register can contain typing errors. Use the report to decide which cars are worth viewing, then compare it with the service book, the V5C and the car itself.
Is CheckByVIN part of carVertical?
No. CheckByVIN is an independent guide run by carVIN. carVertical sells the reports and pays us a commission when you buy through our links; it does not change your price.
