Yes, but it covers only part of the picture. GOV.UK runs free services that show a vehicle's registered details, its tax, its MOT history and any unfixed safety recall. None of them shows whether a car has outstanding finance, has been written off by an insurer or is recorded as stolen. Those are the records that cost buyers the most money, and no government service checks them for you, free or paid.
What GOV.UK checks for free
Each of these needs only the registration number.
| Free service | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Get vehicle information from DVLA | Tax status and when it runs out, SORN, when the MOT expires, the date of first registration, when the latest logbook was issued, year of manufacture, engine size, fuel type, emissions and whether it is marked for export |
| Check the MOT history of a vehicle | Each MOT result, the mileage at each test, what failed or had minor problems, and when the next MOT is due. Tests since 2005 in England, Scotland and Wales, and since 2017 in Northern Ireland |
| Check if a vehicle has been recalled | Unfixed safety recalls, through the MOT history service for cars, or by make, model and year for other vehicles |
| Clean air zones and TfL's vehicle checker | Whether a vehicle pays to drive in a clean air zone or the London ULEZ |
GOV.UK also links to askMID, run by the Motor Insurers' Bureau, for checking insurance. Its free check is only for vehicles you own or have the legal right to drive, so you cannot use it on a car you are thinking of buying.
What no government service shows
- Outstanding finance. The DVLA does not record finance. The V5C logbook names the registered keeper, who is not necessarily the owner, so a car on hire purchase or PCP has a normal-looking logbook. There is no free DVLA outstanding finance check, online or by post.
- Insurance write-offs. Write-off categories are recorded by insurers. GOV.UK's free vehicle and MOT services do not show whether a car is a Category S or N write-off.
- A police stolen record. There is no free police check that the public can use. GOV.UK's advice is to check the logbook instead (see below).
- Keepers and plate changes. The free DVLA service does not list previous keepers or number plate changes. The logbook says how many keepers there have been, but not when each one changed.
- Mileage outside MOT tests. The MOT history records the mileage at each test, so a car too young for its first MOT has no readings at all.
What GOV.UK says to check before you buy
GOV.UK's own checklist for buying a used vehicle is short:
- 1Before you see itAsk the seller for the registration, make, model and MOT test number, then check them against the DVLA record and the MOT history, and check for recalls.
- 2When you see itAsk to see the V5C logbook. It should have a 'DVL' watermark, and its serial number must not be between BG8229501 and BG9999030, or between BI2305501 and BI2800000. If it is, GOV.UK says the logbook might be stolen and to call the police when it is safe to.
- 3Check the identityMake sure the VIN and engine number on the car match the logbook. Our VIN guide shows where to find them.
- 4If you buy itTax it straight away, using the green new keeper slip from the logbook.
It does not mention finance or write-offs, because GOV.UK holds no records of either. That is the gap a history check fills.
The free Vettly check: the free records in one report
Our free check brings the free records together from one registration: the full MOT history with every advisory and failure, the mileage at every test with an alert if it ever went down, tax status, MOT status, the ULEZ and clean air zone verdict, a running cost estimate and how many of the same model are left on the road. There is no sign-up, and it works for cars, motorbikes, vans and motorhomes. For safety recalls, use GOV.UK's recall checker.
Covering the rest: the full history check
The full history check adds the records no government service shows: outstanding finance with the lender's details, insurance write-offs with the category and date, the stolen check against the police record, scrapped and high-risk markers, previous keepers with the dates they changed, plate and colour changes, the last five characters of the VIN and a valuation where available. It costs £7.99, or £19.99 for 3 checks and £59.99 for 10.
Free first, then pay once
Use the free check to rule out cars with obvious problems, then run the full check on the car you are about to buy. Run it as close to the sale as you can: finance taken out after your check will not show on it.
Reading a 'free HPI check' offer
Finance, write-off and theft records are sold by commercial data suppliers for every lookup, which is why no government service gives them away. Before you rely on any free check, read what it actually lists. If outstanding finance, write-offs and the stolen check are not named, they are not included. Our price comparison shows what a full check costs from each provider.