Check every car you like the look of
The Free Vehicle Check shows the full MOT history, recorded mileage and tax status, so you can rule cars out. No account required.
See what we check
How to get the most from CAR Confidence
Check for free while you look. Pay for the cars that make your shortlist.
Down to two or three? See how each one has been kept
The Car Health Check (£4.99) has George read the MOT history for you, gives the car a risk rating and shows whether the price is fair.
Compare the reportsRun the full checks before you view or pay
The CAR Confidence Score (£9.99) adds the finance, stolen and write-off records and gives the car its score out of 100. If you already have its Car Health Check, you pay only the difference.
See a sample reportWhat does a free car check show?
A free car check shows the official record for a UK registration. You see the make, model, colour and engine, whether the car is taxed and has a valid MOT, every MOT test since 2005 with its failures and advisories and the mileage recorded at each one.
The free car check
What the free check shows
This free car history check reads the official record for any UK registration. The result appears in seconds and needs no account or card.
The vehicle
- Make, model and colour
- Year and first registration
- Fuel, engine size and CO2
Its status
- Taxed, untaxed or SORN
- Tax and MOT expiry dates
- Export marker and V5C date
Its MOT history
- Every test since 2005
- Failures and advisories
- Pass rate over time
Its mileage
- Reading at every MOT
- Average miles a year
- Comparison with a typical UK car
Check before you buy
MOT checkMOT status and expiry, then every test since 2005 with failures, advisories and mileage.FreeCar tax checkTaxed, untaxed or SORN, with the date the tax runs out.FreeReg checkLook up any number plate: make, model, colour, engine and status.FreeMileage checkThe odometer reading at every MOT, with any mileage that goes backwards.FreeOutstanding finance checkWhether money is still owed on the car, before you pay.In the CAR Confidence ScoreWrite-off checkInsurance write-off categories, including Cat S and Cat N.In the CAR Confidence ScoreStolen car checkWhether the car has been reported stolen, plus how to spot a clone.In the CAR Confidence ScoreDVLA vehicle checkWhat the DVLA holds on any registration, with the MOT history beside it.FreeMOT due date checkThe date a car’s MOT runs out, with how early you can renew it.FreeNumber plate checkWhat a plate says about a car’s age, plus the vehicle it belongs to.FreeCar tax calculatorWhat a car costs to tax for a year, from GOV.UK’s published rates.FreePrevious owners checkHow many keepers a car has had, before you become the next one.In the CAR Confidence ScoreV5C logbook checkWhen the logbook was last issued, plus how to check the one you’re shown.FreeSORN checkWhether a car is declared off the road and what that means if you buy it.Free
Where the data comes from
Official records first
DVLA
Vehicle details, tax status and the V5C and export records.
DVSA
MOT test results, defects, advisories and recorded mileage.
Specialist data providers
Finance, stolen, write-off and keeper records plus market valuations for the paid reports.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Is the car check really free?
Yes. Enter a registration and you get the DVLA vehicle details, tax and MOT status, recorded mileage and the full MOT history straight away, with no account and no card. You only pay if you want a deeper report.
What is the difference between the free check and a full car history check?
The free check covers the official public record. A full history check adds data that is not public: outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, stolen records and previous keepers. Those are in the CAR Confidence Score report.
Is CAR Confidence the same as an HPI check?
HPI Check is one company’s product, though people use the name for any paid history check. The CAR Confidence Score report answers the same main questions: outstanding finance, stolen, insurance write-off, scrapped and previous keepers. It does not check safety recalls, whether a car was imported or its earlier number plates. It also reads the MOT history and mileage for you and gives the car a score out of 100.
What do the paid reports add?
The Car Health Check adds analysis of the MOT history and mileage, a valuation against the asking price, questions to ask the seller and George’s voice summary. The CAR Confidence Score adds the finance, stolen and write-off checks, previous keepers and the full score out of 100.
Where does the data come from?
Vehicle details and tax status come from the DVLA. MOT results and mileage come from the DVSA. Finance, stolen, write-off and keeper records come from specialist vehicle data providers.
Do I need an account?
No. Every check works without one. The cars you check stay in your garage on this device so you can compare them later.
Can I check any UK car?
You can check any vehicle registered with the DVLA. The MOT history comes from the DVSA’s records, which start in 2005 for cars. Tests done in Northern Ireland appear from 2017 onwards.