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Vehicle history check

A full vehicle history check for £7.99

Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, stolen and scrapped markers, keepers, plate changes and mileage, in one report, in seconds. Start with the free MOT and mileage check.

Data provided by Experianfor outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, stolen and scrapped markers, previous keepers, number plate changes, colour changes, imported and exported markers, the VIN and engine number, salvage auction records and mileage readings from sources other than MOT records.

ProviderPrice
vettly.Vettly£7.99
AA£14.99
RAC£14.99
CarCheckup£11.99
MotorScan£10.99
Total Car Check£9.99
MotorCheck£9.99
MyCarCheck£8.49
Autotrader£6.95
CarCostCheck£4.99
TowMyCar£4.99

Published prices for one full history check that includes outstanding finance, insurance write-off and stolen checks, taken from each provider's own website on 26 October 2026. Prices change, so check before you buy. Some providers include a data guarantee; ours is Experian's, up to £10,000 for 12 months, as a £1.99 add-on. Names and logos belong to their owners and are shown only to identify each provider: Vettly is not connected with any of them. Full comparison and sources

What the £7.99 full check covers

Everything a buyer needs to know before handing over money, plus the specification and a valuation where available.

Outstanding finance

Hire purchase, PCP and conditional sale agreements still recorded against the vehicle, with the lender.

Insurance write-offs

Category A, B, S and N (and the old C and D), with the date and type of loss.

Stolen check

Checked against the police record.

Scrapped marker

Whether a certificate of destruction has been issued.

Keepers and plate changes

How many keepers, when it changed hands, and every previous registration.

Colour changes, imports and exports

Every recorded colour change, and whether the vehicle was imported or exported.

Salvage auction records

With the £1.99 data guarantee add-on: whether it went through a salvage auction, with the date, the lot and the damage recorded, and links to the auction photos.

Mileage

Every MOT reading from the DVSA and Experian's readings from other sources, each marked, with an alert when one goes down.

Data provided by Experianfor outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, stolen and scrapped markers, previous keepers, number plate changes, colour changes, imported and exported markers, the VIN and engine number, salvage auction records and mileage readings from sources other than MOT records.

The valuation, the specification, electric car details, model details and photos of the model come from our other licensed suppliers, not from Experian.

Add Experian's data guarantee for £1.99

If Experian's records in the check are wrong (say it misses outstanding finance, a write-off or a stolen marker) and you lose money because of it, Experian can pay you up to £10,000. It covers you for 12 months, as long as you run the check before you buy. Choose it at checkout with a single full check. Claims go straight to Experian, under its terms.

Buy a full check for £7.99View a sample report

Questions

Vehicle history checks, answered

Prices for every provider are on our comparison page.

What is a vehicle history check?
A check of the records held about a vehicle that an advert will not tell you: whether a lender is still owed money on it, whether an insurer wrote it off, whether it is recorded as stolen or scrapped, how many keepers it has had, and whether its number plate or mileage records tell a different story.
What does a full history check tell you?
Whether a lender is still owed money on the vehicle, whether an insurer wrote it off and in which category, whether it is recorded as stolen or scrapped, how many keepers it has had and when, any number plate changes, and whether the mileage records add up. Ours also gives the last five characters of the VIN, a valuation and the specification where available. See it all in the sample report.
Does a history check show accidents or damage?
Only when the damage led to an insurance write-off. Insurers record the vehicles they write off, with the category and date, and that is what a history check can show. An accident that was repaired without the vehicle being written off is not on that register, so look the bodywork over yourself. Our write-off check explains the categories.
Does a history check show service history?
No. There is no public register of servicing for any check to draw on. Ask the seller for the service book, invoices or the dealer's digital record, then check the dates and mileages against the free MOT history. Our service history guide shows how.
How much does a full history check cost?
Ours costs £7.99. Prices from other providers are side by side on our comparison page.
Is a history check worth it?
For most used vehicles, yes. It is the only practical way to see finance, write-off and theft records before you pay, and it costs a small fraction of what you could lose if a lender takes the vehicle back or you unknowingly buy a write-off. Run the free check first, then pay only for the one you are about to buy.
How accurate is a history check?
A check is as good as the records behind it, and those come from lenders, insurers and the police. Records can lag: finance taken out after your check, or a theft reported after it, will not show. Experian's data guarantee, a £1.99 add-on to a single full check, pays up to £10,000 for 12 months from the check if inaccurate Experian data in it causes you a financial loss, claimed directly from Experian under its terms. Run the check before you buy, as close to the sale as you can, and tell us if anything looks wrong.
Can I do a full history check for free?
Not a full one. GOV.UK and our free check show the MOT history, mileage and tax for free, but finance, write-off and stolen records come from commercial data suppliers who charge for every lookup. Our guide to free government car checks shows what is free and what is not.
A seller says the car is "clear". What does that mean?
They usually mean a history check found no finance, write-off or stolen record. Ask to see the report and its date, or better, run your own on the day: a check is a snapshot, and something new can appear after it.
Does a history check show the owner's name or address?
Ours does not, and the DVLA releases keeper details only to people with a reasonable cause. The full check shows how many keepers there have been and when the vehicle changed hands. See can you find a car owner from the number plate.
Where does the data come from?
Data provided by Experian: outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, stolen and scrapped markers, previous keepers, number plate changes, colour changes, imported and exported markers, the VIN and engine number and mileage readings from sources other than MOT records, and salvage auction records with the £1.99 data guarantee add-on. The valuation, the specification, electric car details, model details and photos of the model come from our other licensed suppliers, not from Experian. MOT history and tax come from the DVSA and DVLA. See our data sources.
Do I need an account?
No. Enter the registration, pay, and the report opens straight away. We email you a copy and keep it in an account we create for you.
I am checking a lot of vehicles. Is there a discount?
Yes. 3 checks cost £19.99 and 10 cost £59.99 (£6.00 a check), valid for 24 months on any vehicle.
Vehicle history check: finance, write-off and stolen for £7.99 | Vettly