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Number plate check

Type in any UK registration, or point your phone camera at the plate, and see what the official records say about the vehicle in seconds. The free check covers MOT history, tax, mileage, emissions and more. There is no sign-up.

Free. No sign-up.

What this check shows

  • Make, model, colour, fuel type and engine size
  • Full MOT history, with the mileage at every test
  • Tax status, due date and yearly cost at 2026/27 rates
  • ULEZ and clean air zone verdict
  • Safety recall and export flags
  • How many of the same model are on UK roads
  • A Vettly Score out of 100
See it in the sample report

Look up a plate in seconds

Every UK vehicle has a registration that links to its records at the DVLA and the DVSA. Type it on our home page, or open the plate scanner on your phone and point the camera at the number plate to read it. That makes it easy to check a car on a forecourt, or one parked on a street with a for sale sign, without typing anything.

You get the full free report straight away: the details the DVLA holds, every MOT since 2005, a mileage timeline with a clocking alert, the tax position, a clean air zone verdict, a running cost estimate and a Vettly Score. It also shows how many of the same model are on UK roads, from the latest Department for Transport and DVLA licensing statistics, with licensed and SORN counts. There is no sign-up and nothing to pay.

What the plate itself tells you

Current plates follow the format AB12 CDE. The two numbers are the age identifier. A car registered between March and August shows the year, so 24 means March to August 2024. A car registered between September and February adds 50, so 74 means September 2024 to February 2025. It is a quick way to check the car's age matches the advert.

Private plates break that rule, because a personalised registration can move between cars. The DVLA does not allow a plate that makes a car look newer than it is, but a plate can make it look older. Always trust the first registration date in the report over the plate.

Plate changes and cloned plates

When a private plate moves on and off a car, the car's history goes with it. The plate change check, part of the full history check, lists every previous registration with dates, so you can match service records and old paperwork to the car.

Watch out for cloned plates: a stolen car wearing the registration of a genuine one of the same make and model. The records look clean because they belong to the real car. Check the VIN on the windscreen and door pillar against the logbook, and use the full history check to match the last five characters of the VIN. Our used car buying checklist covers the rest.

Check every car on your shortlist

The free check is quick enough to run on every car you are considering, not just your favourite. Comparing MOT histories, mileage and Vettly Scores side by side soon shows which cars deserve a viewing. When one stands out, run the full history check before you pay a deposit. A pack of 3 full checks costs £10.99 if you want to check more than one.

Questions

Number plate check: common questions

Can I check any UK number plate?
You can check any vehicle registered with the DVLA, including cars, vans and motorbikes. MOT history only appears for vehicles that have had an MOT.
Can I find the owner from a number plate?
No. Keeper names and addresses are not part of any check we offer. The full history check shows how many previous keepers a car has had and when it changed hands.
How does the plate scanner work?
Open the plate scanner on your phone, allow camera access and point it at the number plate. It reads the registration so you do not have to type it. You can always type the plate instead.
Why does the report show a different age from the plate?
The car may have a private registration, which can make it look older than it is. The first registration date in the report comes from official records, so go by that.
Is the number plate check really free?
Yes. The free check costs nothing and needs no sign-up. You only pay if you want the full history check, which adds finance, write-off, stolen and keeper checks.

Check a vehicle now