The short answer
A stolen vehicle check looks up whether the car is recorded as stolen, using records held by licensed data providers. Our Premium report (£7.99) also shows whether the car is recorded as scrapped or exported, and gives the full VIN so you can compare it with the number on the car and in the V5C. A stolen car still belongs to its owner or their insurer, so a buyer can lose both the car and the money paid for it.
What happens if you buy a car that is recorded as stolen?
Paying for a stolen car does not make it yours. The police can recover it and return it to its owner, or to the insurer that paid out for it, and the money you paid can usually only be claimed back from the seller, if they can be found.
That is why a car check for stolen records belongs before the deposit, not after the handover.
What is a cloned car, and how does the VIN help?
Some stolen cars are given the identity of a similar, legitimate car: the same make, model and colour, with copied number plates. A registration check alone then describes the real car, not the one in front of you.
The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) settles it. The Premium report gives the full VIN on record for the registration: compare it with the VIN at the base of the windscreen, on the door pillar or under the bonnet, and with the one printed in the V5C. If any of them differ, walk away.
What else does the report say about the car's identity?
- Whether the car is recorded as stolen
- Whether it is recorded as scrapped
- Whether it is recorded as exported
- The full VIN on record for the registration
- Its previous registration numbers, so a plate change cannot hide its past
What are the warning signs of a stolen car?
- The seller wants to meet somewhere other than the address printed in the V5C.
- The V5C is missing or a photocopy, or the seller says it is "in the post".
- The VIN on the car looks tampered with, is covered up or does not match the logbook.
- There is only one key with no good explanation, or the locks look new.
- The price is far below similar cars, with pressure to pay cash quickly.
How do you run a stolen car check?
- Type the registration and your email address into the form at the top of the page.
- Check the make, model and colour shown against the car you are viewing.
- Pay for the Premium report (£7.99) by card or PayPal: it opens straight away and is emailed to you. Then compare its VIN with the car.
Questions buyers ask
Is a stolen car check free?
No. Theft records come from a licensed data provider, so the stolen check is part of the Premium report (£7.99), with the finance and write-off checks.
What should I do if the car shows as stolen?
Do not buy it and do not pay anything. Leave, then call the police on 101 with the registration and where you saw the car.
What does "recorded as exported" mean?
The car is on record as having been taken out of the UK. One offered for sale here with that record needs a clear explanation and the paperwork to match.
Can I check a car's history by its vehicle identification number?
Our reports are found by registration, not by VIN. The Premium report then shows the full VIN on record, so you can confirm that the car, its logbook and its history belong together.
Where is the VIN on a car?
Usually at the base of the windscreen on the driver's side, on a label on a door pillar, and stamped into the body under the bonnet. It is also printed in the V5C logbook.