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Check a Used Car Before You Buy

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Enter the reg from the advert. We'll show you whether the car matches its DVLA record, every red flag in its MOT and mileage history, and what free records can't tell you.

  • Does the car match the advert? Spot clones before you travel
  • Mileage rollbacks, MOT failures and advisories that keep coming back
  • A viewing-day checklist built for this model

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100% free, alwaysNo email or signupWe never sell your dataOfficial DVLA & DVSA data

4 steps

from advert to handshake

Since 2005

MOT mileage on record

£0

for every free check

How the buyer's check works

  1. Match the advert. We show what DVLA holds for the plate. You tick off each detail against the car — a mismatch is the classic sign of a clone.
  2. Read the red flags. Mileage that goes backwards, a failed or expiring MOT, advisories nobody fixed, a logbook issued last month, recalls on the model.
  3. Know the blind spots. Finance, write-offs and stolen markers aren't in any free record. We tell you plainly, and what it costs to find out.
  4. View it properly. A checklist for the day, including where this model most often fails its MOT.

What a free check can and can't tell you

Government data covers a lot: the vehicle's identity, tax, every MOT result since 2005 and the mileage at each one. That's enough to catch clocking, neglected repairs and a car that doesn't match its plate.

It can't tell you if the seller still owes money on it, whether an insurer wrote it off, or if it's been reported stolen. Those are the expensive mistakes — a finance company can repossess a car from its new owner. Our used car buying guide covers each one.

Buying this car? Get the full history

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Outstanding finance, write-offs, stolen markers & mileage anomalies your free check can't show.

£39.99 for one report — £31.99 with your code. Cheaper per car in a pack (£20.99 each for three).

20% off with codefreeplatecheck— applied automatically via our link

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Frequently asked questions

What should I check before buying a used car?
Start with the reg from the advert: make sure DVLA's record (make, model, colour, year, engine) matches the car, then read the MOT history for failures, recurring advisories and mileage that goes backwards. Then check what free records can't show — outstanding finance, write-offs and stolen markers — and finish with a proper viewing and test drive.
Is this buyer's check really free?
Yes. Everything on the buyer's check comes from official DVLA and DVSA MOT data and costs nothing. We point to a paid history report only for the things free government data doesn't hold.
Can a free check tell me if a car has outstanding finance?
No. Finance agreements, insurance write-offs and police stolen markers aren't in the public DVLA or MOT data, so no free check can show them. You need a paid vehicle history report for those.
What does it mean if the details don't match the advert?
Sometimes it's a mistake in the advert. But a colour, model or engine size that doesn't match the plate's record is also the classic sign of a cloned car — one wearing another vehicle's plates. Check the VIN on the car against the logbook before you go any further.
How can I tell if a car has been clocked?
Every MOT since 2005 records the mileage. If a later reading is lower than an earlier one, the buyer's check flags it. A drop can be a recording error or a clocked car — ask the seller and check service records before you buy.

Related guides

How to Check if a Car Has Finance

Why outstanding finance follows the car, not the seller.

How to Spot a Clocked Car

The signs a mileage reading has been wound back.

Should I Buy a Car With MOT Advisories?

Which advisories matter and which are routine.

How to Check if a Car is Stolen

Cloning, VIN checks and what to do if you're suspicious.