Free Car Valuation

How much is my car worth?

“How much is my car worth?” is one of the most common questions asked by UK car owners. Whether you are thinking about selling, part-exchanging, or just curious, knowing your vehicle's current market value gives you a stronger negotiating position and helps you make informed decisions.

Most free valuation tools online require you to hand over personal details — email address, phone number, postcode — before they show you a figure. Free Plate Check is different. Enter a registration number and get an instant estimated value with no signup, no email, and no personal data collected.

Our valuation combines a depreciation model calibrated for UK vehicles with live market data from similar cars currently for sale. As more users look up vehicles, our estimates improve through an accumulating dataset of comparable values.

What affects a car's value?

Several factors determine what a used car is worth on the UK market. Our valuation model accounts for the main ones automatically, and you can refine further using our condition questionnaire:

• Age and depreciation — New cars lose roughly 15-35% of their value in the first year alone. Depreciation slows with age but never fully stops.
• Mileage — Lower-than-average mileage adds value; higher-than-average reduces it. The UK average is around 8,000 miles per year. Use our mileage check to verify consistent mileage progression.
• Make and model — Some brands hold their value better than others. Porsche, Toyota, and Tesla tend to retain value well, while some volume brands depreciate faster.
• Service history — A full service history (especially from main dealers) adds significant value. Missing records raise questions for buyers.
• Condition — Bodywork, interior wear, tyre condition, and general upkeep all affect what a buyer will pay.
• MOT history — Frequent failures and long advisory lists can reduce value. A clean MOT history is a selling point.
• Previous owners — Fewer owners generally means better value retention. One-owner cars command a premium.

Our valuation tool pulls mileage and MOT data automatically from DVLA and MOT records, giving you an adjusted estimate without any manual input. Use the condition questionnaire to further refine the figure based on factors we cannot see from the data alone.

How our valuation works

Our valuation estimate is built from multiple data layers. The base layer is a depreciation model that factors in vehicle age, make, and recorded mileage. This is combined with live market data from similar vehicles currently listed for sale, plus an accumulating cache of recent valuations for the same make, model, and year.

When we have strong market data, the estimate narrows to a tighter range with higher confidence. When market data is limited, the estimate relies more on the depreciation model and shows a wider range. We always display the confidence level so you know how strong the estimate is.

This is not a formal valuation. For insurance, finance, or legal purposes, always obtain a professional valuation. Our figure is a useful starting point for understanding roughly what your car is worth on the open market.

Frequently asked questions