Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about VIN checks, reports and your order.
VIN checks & reports
What is a VIN?
A Vehicle Identification Number is a unique 17-character code assigned to every car, truck, motorcycle and trailer built for the US market since 1981. It identifies the manufacturer, model details, model year, assembly plant and serial number.
What does the free VIN check include?
Vehicle specifications decoded from NHTSA's vPIC database, safety recalls for the model year, a summary of owner complaints filed with NHTSA and NCAP crash-test star ratings.
What's in the full vehicle history report?
Title brand checks, accident and damage records, odometer readings with rollback detection, ownership and usage history, theft and total-loss records, sale listings and photos, service events and a market value estimate — where records exist. See the sample report.
Where does your data come from?
Free results come from NHTSA public data. Full reports combine records from third-party data providers such as state title data, insurance and salvage sources, auctions and service networks. Read more in our data disclaimer.
Why are recalls shown for the model rather than my exact car?
NHTSA's public recall data is organized by make, model and year. To confirm whether a recall has been repaired on a specific vehicle, ask a franchised dealer or search the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Does a clean report guarantee the car is fine?
No. Many accidents and repairs are never reported. Always combine a history report with a test drive and an inspection by an independent mechanic.
License plate lookups
Can I get a report from a license plate?
Yes. Enter the plate and the issuing state; we match it to the vehicle's VIN and build the report after checkout. If we can't match the plate, you're refunded.
Will I see who owns the car?
No. Under the federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act we never disclose owners' personal information. See our DPPA policy.
Orders, pricing & refunds
How much does a report cost?
$19.99 for one report, $34.99 for three and $79.99 for the 10-report Dealer Pack — one-time payments with no subscription.
How do I receive my report?
Reports are generated in under a minute and a secure link is emailed to the address you enter at checkout.
What is your refund policy?
Unused credits can be refunded within 30 days. A used report is refunded if it contained no history records beyond the vehicle specs, if it failed to deliver, or if you were charged twice. Details in the refund policy.
Can businesses use the reports?
Yes — the Dealer Pack allows business use for vehicles in your own inventory. Reports may not be resold. See the Terms of Service.
Still have questions? Contact support