Every used car comes with a story. Some are heart-warming tales of one careful owner and a Sunday runabout that lived in a garage. Others involve a finance company, an insurance assessor and a set of number plates that have seen more of the country than a touring band. A vehicle history check is how you find out which story you are buying before your money leaves the building.
The good news is that a fair chunk of the checking is free. The bit that is not free costs a lot less than buying a right lemon. Here is what each check tells you, and where the gaps are.
Start with the free GOV.UK checks
GOV.UK's Check a used vehicle you're buying page sets out what to do before you even see the car: ask the seller for the registration number, make, model and MOT test number, check the details match DVLA's records, check the MOT status and history, and check whether the vehicle has been recalled for a serious safety issue.
The DVLA vehicle enquiry
DVLA's free vehicle enquiry service needs nothing more than the number plate. According to GOV.UK, it shows details including the vehicle tax rate and expiry date, SORN status, when the MOT expires, the date the car was first registered, the date the last log book (V5C) was issued, the year of manufacture, engine size, fuel type and emissions. If the advert says 2018 diesel and DVLA says 2014 petrol, you have just saved yourself the bus fare.
The MOT history check
Next, the free GOV.UK MOT history check at https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history. It shows whether each MOT was passed or failed, the mileage recorded at each test and when the next one is due. For tests done in England, Scotland and Wales it also shows what failed and any minor problems. For cars, results go back to tests done since 2005. In Northern Ireland, they go back to tests done since 2017.
From the trade: glance at the last V5C issue date. A recently issued log book is not a crime, but it is worth a friendly question about why.
A neat line of mileages climbing steadily is what you want to see. A reading that goes backwards deserves a proper chat, and our guide to spotting a clocked car explains what to look for. For the full method, see how to check a used car's MOT history.
What the free checks will not tell you
Here is the catch. Neither GOV.UK check searches finance records, insurance write-off records or stolen vehicle records. A car can sail through both with flying colours and still belong to a finance company, or have been written off and patched up.
Citizens Advice recommends a private history check, sometimes called a data check, and says it will cost up to £20. It says the check will tell you if:
- the car has been reported stolen
- the seller still owes money on the car
- the car has previously been in a serious accident
- the car is showing the correct mileage
- the car has been written off, repaired and then returned to the road
Free checks versus a paid car report
| What you want to know | Free GOV.UK checks | Paid car report |
|---|---|---|
| Tax and MOT expiry, first registration date | ✓ Yes | Included in some reports |
| MOT results and recorded mileage | ✓ Yes | Included in some reports |
| Outstanding finance | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Insurance write-off records | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Recorded as stolen | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Mileage discrepancies | Mileage at each MOT only | ✓ Yes |
| Earlier number plates | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Cost | Free | Citizens Advice says up to £20 |
Paid report contents depend on the provider and the level of report, so read the list before you pay.
What a paid car report covers
Exactly what you get depends on the provider and the level of report, so read the list before you pay. The headline checks to look for are:
Outstanding finance
A car bought on the never-never can belong to the finance company until the last payment is made, and the log book will not tell you. Our outstanding finance guide explains why, and what your rights are if you get caught out.
Write-off category
Whether the car has been recorded as an insurance write-off, and in which category. Our guide to Cat N and Cat S write-offs explains what each one means.
Stolen
Whether the car is recorded as stolen. Buying one is an expensive way to meet your local police.
Mileage discrepancies
Whether recorded mileage readings disagree with each other, which can be a sign the car has been clocked.
Plate changes
Earlier registration numbers. Private plates move about all the time, so a change is not automatically dodgy, but you want the full story and a sensible answer from the seller.
As an example, the full vehicle history checkAd from MotorCheck lists finance, mileage, write-off, scrapped, stolen, taxi, keeper change, plate change, colour change and MOT history checks among its contents, according to the report options MotorCheck showed us on 17 October 2026.
MotorCheck's free check takes a registration number and shows basic details such as make, model, body type, fuel, transmission and colour, so you can confirm it is the right car before deciding whether to buy a full car reportAd.
Back to the reg check ↑When to run it
Run your history check as close as you can to the day you pay. A report from a fortnight ago cannot show finance taken out last Tuesday. Check that the make, model, colour and VIN in the report match the car in front of you and the log book. If anything does not line up, put the kettle on, have a think, and walk away if the answers do not add up. There is always another car.
The trade view
Free checks first, paid check second, then go and look at the car with your eyes open. It costs a few quid and a few minutes, which is a great deal cheaper than finding out the hard way. Next, read our guide to V5C log book checks, or see what is inside Buy It Right.
Frequently asked questions
Is a vehicle history check free?
The GOV.UK MOT history check and the DVLA vehicle enquiry are free. Checks for outstanding finance, write-offs and stolen records come from private providers and are paid. Citizens Advice says a private history check costs up to £20.
Does the MOT history show if a car has been written off?
No. The MOT history shows test results, the mileage recorded at each test and when the next MOT is due. Write-off records are covered by a paid history check.
Facts in this guide are taken from GOV.UK, Citizens Advice and MotorCheck, linked above, and were checked on 17 October 2026. Rules and report contents change, so always check the official source before you buy. This is general information, not legal advice.