A VIN, a registration number and a model name answer different questions. This guide separates the information available through this site from checks you need to make with a registry or manufacturer.
Sources and site coverage reviewed on . Availability can change. An empty result is not a clean-history certificate.
Start with the question
| Your question | Start with | What you can establish | What still needs checking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Does this identifier match the advertised car? | VIN decoder, then the vehicle and its documents | Available manufacturer, model-pattern and technical fields. | A plausible decode does not authenticate a VIN stamped on a car. Compare the physical identifier and registration documents. |
| Which engine or trim does this particular car have? | Manufacturer build information and vehicle documents | Our model catalogue can help compare possible variants. | A list of matching variants is not a factory build sheet. Do not choose a trim just because it appears first. |
| Is the advertised mileage consistent with past tests? | Registration number for a supported inspection service | Dated readings where the source publishes them, including UK MOT records. | Units, gaps, corrections and time spent in other countries. The latest reading is not necessarily today's mileage. |
| Does this model have a recall campaign? | Model and year, then the manufacturer's VIN recall check | Potential model-level campaigns from the sources in our results. | Whether the individual VIN is included and whether the repair is still outstanding. |
| Can this car be transferred to me? | The relevant registration authority and ownership documents | Official services may offer declaration or restriction checks for their own jurisdiction. | Our decoder does not determine legal ownership, finance status or transfer eligibility. |
Four markets, four different checks
Use the country where the car was registered for a registration or inspection search. The manufacturer prefix in a VIN does not reveal all the countries where the car has been used.
United Kingdom
Available here: a UK registration lookup can combine DVLA vehicle details with DVSA MOT results when the sources return records.
Bring: the registration number. MOT records can contain test dates, pass or fail results, odometer readings and recorded defects. Published car, van and motorcycle coverage starts in 2005 for Great Britain and 2017 for Northern Ireland.
Limit: these records do not provide a complete owner or accident history. Treat a mileage reading as an observation on its test date.
Official sources: DVLA vehicle information and MOT history coverage.
UK check steps and mileage interpretation →Netherlands
Available here: public RDW fields for a Dutch registration number, including available technical details, APK dates and an odometer assessment.
Bring: the Dutch kenteken. Keep the first admission date separate from the first registration date in the Netherlands when assessing an import.
Limit: an odometer assessment is not a full reading history. “Geen oordeel” means no judgement; it is not a confirmation of correct mileage. The owner's RDW vehicle report is a separate service.
Official sources: RDW kentekencheck and RDW vehicle report.
Dutch check steps and odometer labels →Germany
Available here: VIN decoding and matching model information. We do not connect to a German plate, keeper or HU inspection-history database.
Bring: the Fahrzeug-Identifizierungsnummer (FIN) from field E of the registration certificate. Compare it with the identifier on the vehicle.
Use separately: KBA recall information can identify campaigns to discuss with the manufacturer. Registration documents and the relevant authorities are needed for ownership and registration questions.
Official sources: Berlin registration guidance (PDF) and KBA recall database description.
German document and recall check steps →Lithuania
Available here: VIN decoding and matching model information. We do not retrieve Regitra ownership declarations, SDK records or registration restrictions.
Use separately: Regitra's SDK search and vehicle restriction check. SDK is an ownership declaration code, not the 17-character VIN. Follow the official service's requested identifiers.
For imports: ask for the earlier registration number and records from that country. A Lithuanian registration does not itself supply the vehicle's earlier mileage or accident history.
Official sources: SDK search and vehicle restriction checks.
Lithuanian document and import check steps →When two sources disagree
- Check the identifier. A mistyped plate or VIN can refer to another vehicle. An old registration number may no longer identify the same car.
- Check the date and unit. Model year, manufacture year, first registration and inspection date are different fields. Miles and kilometres cannot be compared as equal numbers.
- Check the level of the record. A model specification or recall campaign can apply to several versions. It does not override vehicle-specific manufacturer or registry evidence.
- Keep uncertainty visible. Ask the source or manufacturer to resolve a material discrepancy. You can also report a mismatched field here with a link to the supporting source.
For our matching rules, source list and cached-result handling, read how the decoder works. For other supported plate markets, see license plate lookup.