Where our data comes from

Every record in a Vettly report comes from a named source, and every estimate is worked out from published figures. This page explains what each source provides, how up to date it is, and what to do if something looks wrong.

At a glance

DVLA Vehicle Enquiry Service

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) keeps the register of UK vehicles. Its Vehicle Enquiry Service gives us the tax status and due date, the MOT status and expiry date, and the registered details: make, colour, fuel type, engine size, year of manufacture, date of first registration, CO2 emissions, the Euro emissions standard where it is recorded, whether the vehicle is marked for export, and the date the latest V5C logbook was issued. It does not include keeper names or addresses.

DVSA MOT history

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) keeps the record of MOT tests. Its MOT history service gives us every test since 2005: the date, result, mileage and expiry date, and every advisory, failure and dangerous defect the tester recorded. It also tells us whether the vehicle has an outstanding safety recall, where that is known.

A car usually has its first MOT when it is three years old, so newer cars have no MOT history yet. We use the mileage at each test to show how far the car has travelled, and we flag any point where the reading went down by more than a small margin, which can be a sign of clocking or a recording mistake.

Our licensed vehicle data supplier

Full history checks come from a licensed vehicle data supplier. Its data draws on finance company records, the insurance industry's write-off register and police stolen vehicle records. Keeper changes, plate and colour changes, import and export markers, the last 5 characters of the VIN, the engine number, mileage records, valuations and specifications also come through the supplier.

We only show a check as clear when the supplier's record says so. If the supplier gives no definite answer, we tell you, rather than marking it clear. Some details, such as a valuation or specification, are not available for every vehicle. The supplier receives the registration number only, never information about you.

Fuel prices

Running cost estimates use the weekly road fuel prices published by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero: the UK average pump prices for petrol and diesel. We convert the vehicle's official CO2 figure into miles per gallon, or use the combined economy figure from a full history check, and assume about 7,000 miles a year, based on the Department for Transport's National Travel Survey. Real-world economy is usually a little lower than the official figure. We do not estimate charging costs for electric cars, because they depend on your tariff and where you charge.

Vehicle tax

The vehicle tax estimate uses the GOV.UK vehicle tax rate tables for 2026/27, which apply from 1 April 2026. Which rate applies depends on when the car was first registered, and can depend on its engine size, CO2 emissions or list price. We cannot see a car's list price, so where the expensive car supplement might apply, we show both possible rates. We estimate tax for cars only: vans, motorbikes and other vehicles have their own rates on GOV.UK.

Clean air zones and the ULEZ

Our clean air zone check follows TfL and GOV.UK guidance on emission standards. To drive in London's ULEZ, the Birmingham and Bristol clean air zones or Scotland's low emission zones without a charge or penalty, a petrol car generally needs to meet Euro 4 and a diesel car Euro 6. Where the DVLA records the Euro standard, we use it. Otherwise we estimate it from the date of first registration, as TfL's guidance does. Always confirm with TfL's vehicle checker or the zone's own checker before you drive into a zone.

Our own calculations

The Vettly Score, the mileage check and the tax, running cost and clean air zone estimates are worked out by us from the sources above. Every point the score takes off is listed on the report, with the reason. They are automated summaries and estimates, not advice.

How up to date the data is

• DVLA and DVSA records are fetched live when you check a vehicle. We may reuse a copy for up to 12 hours so repeat views are quick, so a change made in the last few hours may not show yet.
• When you run a full history check, we fetch everything fresh at that moment, including the DVLA and DVSA records.
• A report is a snapshot of the records on the day it was produced. If you come back to it later, the records may have changed since.
• Fuel prices are refreshed weekly, and the tax estimate shows which tax year's rates it uses.

If something looks wrong

• Registered details, such as colour, tax or export status, are held by the DVLA. The registered keeper can ask the DVLA to correct them: see contact the DVLA.
• MOT records, including mileage readings, are held by the DVSA and are usually corrected through the test centre that carried out the test, so contact that test centre first.
• Full history check data, such as finance, write-off or stolen records: tell us and we will pass it on to our supplier where we can. If finance has been paid off but still shows, ask the seller for written confirmation from the lender.
• Our estimates and the Vettly Score: tell us and we will check our working.

Email hello@vettly.co.uk or use our contact form with the registration and what looks wrong. If a report you paid for was materially wrong because of a data error, we will investigate and refund you where appropriate.