Find Information About a Car by Registration Number (UK)

Are you looking for information about a specific vehicle in the UK? Unsure about how to use a car’s registration plates to find that information, or want to know more about when you may need to check the DVLA for information about a vehicle using the registration plates? 

This blog post will cover all you need to know about finding information about a vehicle using car registration plates in the UK. You will discover what information you may need to look up, when you need to check a vehicle’s registration number, and how to use this information to check the safety of the vehicle.

Want to know what a car registration is? Need to know if you need a new registration for your vehicle when moving to a new country in Europe? Looking for examples of registration plates in the EU or in the UK? Click these links to find out more!

Where to Find Information About a Vehicle in the UK

If you are looking for information about a specific vehicle in the United Kingdom, you can use the GOV.UK website to see what information the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) hold about that vehicle. 

You will need to know the vehicle’s registration number in order to be able to access this information. 

What Information Can I Find?

You can use the GOV.UK website to find information about a specific vehicle including the:

• Year of manufacture,
• Weight of a vehicle,
• Engine size of a vehicle, 
• Fuel type of the vehicle,
• Vehicle tax information (including the current rate and when the tax on the vehicle expires),
• SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification) status.

You can also discover key information and dates about the papers and status of your vehicle, including:

• When the MOT expires,
• The date the vehicle was first registered,
• The V5C Log Book issue date,
• The Type Approval Category of the vehicle,
• Any emissions information including CO2, Real Driving Emissions Level and European Status,
• The Export Status of your vehicle.

Why Might I Need This Information?

It is important to know all of the above information before you purchase a vehicle as it may have an impact on the insurance and tax that you pay. You may also wish to view this information to check that the information the seller is providing to you is accurate, and that the vehicle you are purchasing is correct and in good condition. You can use the GOV.UK service to check that information you have been given about a vehicle is correct.  

Using just the car registration number, you can see important MOT information about the vehicle such as:

• If the vehicle has passed or failed the MOT,
• The mileage of the vehicle,
• Where each MOT was carried out,
• What parts of the car failed the MOT,
• What parts of the car had minor problems,
• When the next MOT is due.

This will help you have an understanding of the health and status of the vehicle, including parts of the vehicle which may have damage that is not visible on an initial inspection.

You can also check to see if the vehicle in question has been recalled, or any part or accessory for the specific vehicle has been recalled because of a serious safety issue. Using just the car registration number, you can view safety recalls for the vehicle that have not been checked or fixed. This is important to make sure that the car you are buying is safe and fit for purpose.

You will have to get the car repaired or have parts replaced by the manufacturer if there is a safety recall. You will not usually have to pay for repair or replacements that have to be carried out due to safety recalls. Check the status of your vehicle here.  

You can also use the GOV.UK website to make sure that the used vehicle you are buying has not been stolen, and that the information you are being provided with is correct.

Can I Find Out Information About Historic and Current Vehicle Owners?

You cannot find out information about current or historic owners of a vehicle using just the car registration number. But you can apply to the DVLA to find out this information if you have reasonable cause to do so. Such instances where you may have reasonable cause to obtain information from the DVLA about the current or historic owners of a vehicle or a vehicle registration number in the UK are: 

• To find out who was responsible for an accident,
• To trace the registered keeper of an abandoned vehicle,
• To find the registered keeper of a vehicle parked on private land,
• When giving out parking tickets,
• When giving out trespass charge notices,
• To trace people responsible for driving off without paying for goods and services,
• To trace people suspected of insurance fraud.

To request information about a vehicle or its registered keeper from DVLA, you can visit the link here. 

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