CarVerified gives you a genuinely free car history check for any UK vehicle, no signup and no card details required. Enter a registration number and get instant MOT history, tax status and mileage records straight from official DVLA and DVSA data, then upgrade to a full vehicle report if you want the deeper checks that decide whether a car is actually safe to buy. Whether you call it a car history check, a vehicle history check or you just want to check car history before you buy, this is where to start.
• Current MOT status and full MOT test history
• Mileage recorded at every MOT test
• Road tax and SORN status
• Make, model, colour, engine size and fuel type
• MOT advisories and failure reasons
This is real official data, not a sample or estimate, and there’s no limit on how many vehicles you can check for free.
MOT and tax data is genuinely useful, but it says nothing about a car’s ownership history, whether it’s been written off or reported stolen, or whether there’s outstanding finance still owed on it — and if there is, that debt can follow the car, not the seller, which is exactly the kind of hidden problem that turns a cheap car into an expensive mistake. A full car history check closes that gap:
• Outstanding finance — see if there’s still money owed on the vehicle
• Write-off history — Category A, B, S and N markers
• Stolen vehicle check against police records
• Salvage history and previous insurance write-off claims
• Number plate change history
• Ex-taxi and ex-fleet use
• Keeper history and V5C logbook duration
• Independent vehicle valuation
A car’s history check doesn’t just protect your purchase — it can directly affect what you pay for car insurance and whether you can insure the vehicle at all. Insurers ask about a car’s history when you apply for cover, and a Category S or Category N write-off marker, an unresolved insurance claim, or evidence of prior salvage repair work can all affect your premium or which insurers will even quote you. Buying a car without checking this first means you might not find out until you try to insure it — or worse, after you’ve already paid for cover based on information that turns out to be incomplete.
The MOT, tax and mileage check above is completely free. For the deeper checks, CarVerified offers three report tiers:
• Silver Check — £3.99: write-off, stolen, plate change and extended vehicle details
• Silver Plus Check — £5.99: everything in Silver plus an outstanding finance check
• Gold Check — £9.99: everything in Silver Plus plus salvage history, ex-taxi history, V5C keeper duration, a log book loan check, vehicle valuation, extended mileage records and a £10,000 data guarantee
No subscriptions and nothing hidden — you pay once for the report you need.
1. Enter the vehicle’s registration number
2. Get your free MOT, tax and mileage summary instantly
3. Upgrade to a full report any time for finance, write-off, stolen and salvage checks
CarVerified is also available as a mobile app for iOS and Android, so you can run a car history check standing next to the vehicle before you commit to anything — useful when you’re viewing a car in person and want an answer before you hand over a deposit.
Is the car history check really free?
Yes — MOT history, tax status and mileage records are free for every UK vehicle, with no signup and no card details required.
What information do I need to run a check?
Just the vehicle’s registration number (number plate).
Does a car history check affect my car insurance quote?
The check itself doesn’t affect your insurance, but what it reveals can — a write-off marker or salvage history can affect which insurers will cover the car and at what price, so it’s worth knowing before you buy, not after you’ve applied for cover.
How is this different from a free MOT check alone?
A free MOT check only shows MOT test history. CarVerified’s free check also includes tax status and mileage records, and can be upgraded to a full report covering finance, write-off, stolen and salvage history in one place.
Can I check a car’s history from my phone?
Yes, CarVerified is available on iOS and Android as well as the website, so you can check a car’s history on the spot when viewing it in person.
Where can I run a free car history check UK-wide?
CarVerified provides a free car history check UK drivers can use on any vehicle, with no signup and no card details needed. If you want to compare it against our other options first, our car check page covers every check we offer, free and paid, in one place.
Is there a genuine car finance check free of charge?
MOT, tax and mileage data is genuinely free to check, but a reliable check for car finance needs to search live lender data, which isn’t available anywhere for free — if a site claims a completely car finance check free of any cost, treat that with caution. CarVerified’s outstanding finance check searches Experian data directly for active HP, PCP and lease agreements, and is included from £5.99 in our Silver Plus report. See our outstanding finance check page for full details.