Check the car matches the advert
Start with the basics. Does the colour on the DVLA record match the car in the photos? Is the engine size the one the advert claims, and is the fuel type right? Check the year of manufacture and first registration date against the advert too. A mismatch is not always sinister, because adverts contain mistakes, but it can be the first sign of a car that is not what it seems.
One reason to be careful is cloning, where criminals copy the registration of a genuine car onto a stolen one of the same make and model. The DVLA record looks fine, because it belongs to the real car. That is why you should also check the VIN on the car against the logbook. Our VIN guide shows where to find it.
Two details worth a closer look
The date of the latest V5C tells you when the last logbook was issued. A new V5C is issued when the keeper changes, or when details such as the colour or plate are updated. A very recent date on a car whose seller says they have owned it for years needs an explanation. The Vettly Score takes off 2 points when the logbook was issued in the last 90 days.
The marked for export flag means someone has told the DVLA the vehicle is leaving the UK. It may be a mistake, but it is not something to ignore. A car still being sold here with that flag deserves a straight answer from the seller before you go any further, and it costs 15 points on the score.
Emissions and tax at a glance
The DVLA record also gives the car's CO2 figure and, for some cars, its Euro emissions status. We use them to work out the yearly tax at 2026/27 rates and a ULEZ and clean air zone verdict. Where the DVLA has no Euro status, we estimate it from the fuel type and first registration date and tell you we have done so. Electric cars show as zero emission, so they pay no clean air zone charges.
You also see how many of the same model are on UK roads, with licensed and SORN counts from the latest Department for Transport and DVLA vehicle licensing statistics. It is a quick way to judge how common the car is, which is handy when you think about parts, servicing and selling it on later.
What the DVLA record does not show
The DVLA record describes the vehicle, not the money or insurance history behind it. It does not show whether a lender is still owed money, whether the car was written off or whether it has been reported stolen. Those records sit with finance companies, the insurance industry and the police.
For those, run the full history check, from £4.49. Remember too that the registered keeper on the logbook is not necessarily the legal owner, which is why a finance check matters. Read our V5C logbook guide before you hand over any money.