Free Car Check
MOT, Tax, Mileage & DVLA History
Verify a UK Vehicle Registration
An online car check confirms a vehicle’s identity and legal status using its registration number.
Access DVLA-verified data to avoid costly mistakes when buying or selling a used car.
Quickly check MOT, tax and history in seconds.
Instant Vehicle Check – MOT, Tax, Insurance & Registration History
Get instant access to DVLA and askMID records for MOT, tax, insurance, and registration checks, all in one place.
We source this data from official UK records, including DVLA and insurance compliance databases like askMID.
It’s the quickest way to confirm a vehicle’s legal status before buying or selling.
Step 1: Lookup a Car Reg
Enter any UK registration number. CarVeto uses DVLA records to confirm make, model, fuel type and registration history.
Step 2: Check Key Vehicle Details
View MOT status, tax class, engine size, fuel type and year of manufacture. All information is pulled directly from DVLA and verified instantly.
Step 3: Confrim History Before You Buy
See VIN and number plate history. Check for outstanding finance, write-off status, theft alerts, mileage issues and previous owners. These checks protect you when buying a used car.
Reg Check – Instantly Verify Tax, MOT & Insurance Status
Validate road tax, MOT status, and insurance compliance with our free reg check tool, powered by official UK databases.
CarVeto cross-references MOT, tax, and insurance data using multiple trusted sources, including the DVLA and MID.
Included in Your Free Car History Check
Enter any registration number to instantly see MOT expiry, tax status, mileage history, and registration details.
Your report is based on DVLA and verified UK databases.
🔍 Includes make, model, engine size, fuel type, emissions and more.
Buying a Used Car? Unlock Deeper Checks Before You Commit
For complete peace of mind, upgrade your report to reveal hidden risks:
🔒 Outstanding finance – check for loans or lease agreements
🚨 Theft and write-off status – avoid cars flagged as stolen or written off
🔁 Keeper and plate history – view all past owners and number plate changes
🧬 VIN and document match – detect mismatches that signal fraud
➡️ Protect your investment with a full CarVeto history report.
Free
What's Included
- Basic information
- Outstanding finance
- Stolen
- Write-off
- £30,000 data guaruntee
Check your vehicle now for FREE
Platinum
What's Included
- Outstanding finance
- Stolen
- Write-off
- Import/export
- Scrapped/unscrapped
- Plate changes
- Colour changes
- Mileage problems
- BVRLA & RMI search
- Registered near
- £30,000 data guarantee
Check your vehicle now for £12.90
Gold
What's Included
- Stolen
- Write-off
- Mileage problems
- Export
- Registered near
- Outstanding finance
- £30,000 data guarantee
Check your vehicle now for £8.90
Why You Need a Car Check Before You Buy?
Before buying a used car, knowing its full background is essential.
A check reveals hidden risks such as outstanding finance, write-offs, theft records and mileage discrepancies.
Using trusted data sources, CarVeto helps you avoid expensive mistakes and buy with confidence.
How the Free Car Check Works?
CarVeto’s free car check connects your registration number to official DVLA and insurance records.
It confirms essential details like plate history, make and model, body type, engine size, fuel type, emissions class, and MOT and tax status.
You’ll also see insurance status through the Motor Insurance Database and any export or SORN flags.
Once these checks are complete, we recommend upgrading to a full CarVeto report to uncover hidden issues like finance, theft or write-offs.
How a Premium Vehicle Check Works?
CarVeto’s Premium Check uncovers hidden legal, financial, and identity risks that basic checks miss and problems that can block a sale or cost you thousands.
It highlights critical issues such as outstanding finance, theft records, write-off status, and title problems that can stop legal transfer or resale.
You’ll also detect mileage rollbacks, cloned plates, logbook loans and VIN mismatches.
All data is pulled from trusted UK sources, including the Police National Computer, Experian, MIAFTR, MIB, BVRLA and RMI.
Instant alerts help you buy safely and avoid irreversible mistakes.
What’s Included in a Premium Vehicle Check?
CarVeto’s Premium Check cross-references police, finance, mileage, salvage, insurance and DVLA records to identify serious risks that affect legal use, resale value, and ownership clarity.
Legal & Compliance Checks
🔐 Stolen vehicle check: Confirms if the car is flagged as stolen in police or MIB records
💥 Write-off and salvage status: Identifies if it’s classified as Cat A, B, S or N (MIAFTR)
🧾 Scrappage and VIC inspection: Flags vehicles rebuilt, scrapped or needing identity checks
🔄 Q plate and re-registration: Highlights major rebuilds or status changes with the DVLA
Financial Risk Detection
💳 Outstanding finance: Finds active loans, leases or conditional ownership (Experian)
📄 Logbook loan detection: Alerts if the car is used to secure personal credit
⚠️ Title clearance: Warns if legal ownership can’t be transferred
Ownership & Identity Verification
👤 Keeper history: Lists all previous owners and change dates
🔁 Plate transfer history: Tracks private plate changes that may hide usage
🧬 VIN and engine number check: Confirms alignment with DVLA and V5C
Mileage & Lifecycle Analysis
📊 Mileage anomaly detection: Flags inconsistencies across MOT, lease and service data
🛠️ Service vs MOT mileage match: Confirms mileage accuracy across sources
Free vs Premium Vehicle Check Comparison
Feature Category | Free Car Check | Premium Car Check |
|---|---|---|
DVLA Data Access | ✅ MOT, tax, registration, engine | ✅Full DVLA and supporting data sources |
Vehicle Identity Match | 🔍 Reg, model, fuel, emissions | 🔍 Adds VIN & Engine Number matching |
Mileage History | 📄 MOT mileage only | 📊 Adds lease and service mileage verification |
Theft & Write-Off Status | ❌ Not included | 🚨 Theft, full write-off history and (Cat A/B/S/N) and salvage |
Finance & Logbook Loans | ❌ Not included | 💳 Finance status and logbook loan alerts |
Keeper & Plate History | ❌ Not included | 👤 Full ownership timeline and number plate records |
Scrappage & Export Flags | ⚠️ Basic DVLA export status | 🧾Adds scrappage, Q plate and VIC inspection flags |
What to Check Before You Buy a Used Car?
Before you buy, confirm the car’s identity, legal status and full history.
A clean-looking car can hide significant risks, like financial debt, write-offs, mileage fraud or theft.
CarVeto checks DVLA, MOT, police and finance records to uncover these issues instantly.
Use the checklist below to protect yourself from costly mistakes that are difficult to reverse.
Used Car Buyer Checklist: What to Confirm Before You Commit?
💳 Outstanding finance – Is there an active loan or lease? If so, the seller may not legally own the vehicle.
🚨 Theft record – Has it been reported stolen? If yes, it could be seized, even after purchase.
💥 Write-off or salvage status – Was it declared a total loss (Cat A, B, S or N)? It affects safety, insurance and resale.
📊 Mileage anomalies – Are MOT, service and lease records consistent? Rollbacks are a major red flag.
🧬 VIN and engine match – Do the physical numbers align with DVLA and V5C records? If not, the car may be cloned.
📄 MOT and tax status – Is the vehicle currently taxed and MOT-certified? If not, it’s not legal to drive or sell.
👤 Keeper history – Are there frequent ownership changes or registration gaps? These may signal deeper issues.
🔁 Number plate changes – Has the plate been swapped? Review all number plate changes from first registration.
🟢 Pro Tip: CarVeto checks all of this for you instantly. Just enter the reg to get a full, verified report.
Why the Free GOV.UK Car Check Falls Short?
The GOV.UK site offers a basic check covering MOT status, tax expiry, engine size and registration details.
It’s a helpful starting point but doesn’t uncover the deeper risks affecting legal ownership, safety or resale.
CarVeto goes further by combining DVLA records with police, finance, mileage and insurance data to expose issues with the GOV.UK check can’t reveal:
🚨 Theft alerts – Flags if the vehicle is reported stolen
💥 Write-off classification – Verify if declared a total loss (Cat A, B, S or N)
📊 Mileage inconsistencies – Detects rollbacks, gaps or signs of tampering
💳 Outstanding finance – Identifies any loans agreements tied to the vehicle
Unlike GOV.UK, CarVeto translates raw data into a clear risk profile, helping you avoid legal complications, financial traps and costly mistakes.
CarVeto Frequently Asked Questions
General Car Check Questions
Yes. CarVeto’s premium check compares VIN and number plate history with police and theft databases. The vehicle may be flagged as cloned if the identifiers don’t align or show duplication.
No. A car history report covers legal status, finance, and mileage records. A service history is a maintenance log, such as oil changes, repairs, and scheduled servicing.
No. Cambelt schedules are not part of public records. Always refer to the manufacturer’s guidelines or the service book.
CarVeto vs Other Checks
Both check for finance, write-offs, and theft. CarVeto also includes additional data from BVRLA, RMI, and other industry sources for deeper mileage and ownership analysis.
Electric Vehicles and Environment Zones
Yes, where available. The report may show battery size, charging type, estimated range, and electric drivetrain information.
Yes. CarVeto provides Euro emissions ratings, fuel type, and key indicators of Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) and Clean Air Zone (CAZ) compliance.
Yes, if available. These crash test ratings help assess the safety level of newer vehicles.
Ownership and Registration Checks
Yes. CarVeto reports show the number of registered keepers, the date of all changes, and the registration region (e.g., “Registered near Manchester”).
Yes. CarVeto supports checks across all parts of the UK, including Northern Ireland.
Support and Troubleshooting
CarVeto offers Free checks, Gold for £8.90 and Platinum checks for £12.90. Pricing is simple, with no hidden fees.
DVLA records can sometimes take time to update. Double-check the registration number. If the issue persists, our support team can help.
The car may have recently been registered, undergone a plate transfer, scrapped, deregistered, or imported. Also, check for typos. If it still doesn’t appear, contact our team for support.
Even a clean-looking vehicle can carry hidden risks, like financial debt, write-offs, mileage fraud, or theft. CarVeto checks reveal these issues before you buy, helping you make a safer, more informed decision.
A reg check confirms whether a car is taxed, MOT-certified, insured, and legally registered in the UK. It’s a quick and reliable way to verify a vehicle’s road-legal status before buying, selling, or driving it.
A top-rated car checker lets you instantly view MOT, tax, mileage, and insurance status using a registration number. CarVeto is one of the UK’s most trusted tools, combining DVLA and askMID data with deeper history checks like theft alerts and finance status.
