Vehicle checks

Stolen car check

Check whether a car has been reported stolen before you part with any money. Stolen records are covered by the CAR Confidence Score report. The free check you run first already tells you if the car doesn’t match its plate.

How do I check if a car is stolen?

Run a stolen vehicle check on the registration before you pay. The CAR Confidence Score report checks stolen vehicle records. Then make sure the car in front of you matches the record: the colour, engine and year should agree with the free check. The VIN on the car should match the V5C logbook.

Why a stolen check matters

A stolen car can be taken from you and returned to its owner or their insurer, even if you paid for it in good faith. You’re then left chasing the seller for your money. Stolen cars tend to sell quickly and for cash, at a price that looks like a bargain.

Warning signs at a viewing

The seller wants to meet somewhere other than the address on the logbook
The V5C logbook is missing or the seller only has the new keeper slip
The VIN on the windscreen or chassis doesn’t match the logbook
There’s only one key or the keys don’t match the car
You’re pressed to pay cash quickly

Cloned cars are the hardest to spot. A thief copies the plates from a genuine car of the same make and model, so the plate passes a basic check even though the car doesn’t. Compare the details on the free result with the car itself before you go any further.

Check the plate matches the car GOV.UK: Check a vehicle’s DVLA details

If a car shows as stolen

Don’t buy it and don’t confront the seller.
Leave the viewing and get somewhere safe.
Call the police on 101 and give them the registration and where you saw the car.

The rest of the report

The same report checks for outstanding finance and an insurance write-off. It notes any scrapped or exported marker and counts the previous keepers.

Report pricing Read a sample report

FAQ

Questions people ask

Is the stolen car check free?

No. Stolen vehicle records are paid data, so you get this check with the CAR Confidence Score report. You see the free vehicle record first.

What should I do if a car shows as stolen?

Don’t buy it and don’t confront the seller. Once you’re somewhere safe, call the police on 101 with the registration and the place you saw it.

Can a stolen car pass the check?

A check can only show thefts that have been reported. A car taken very recently may not be on the records yet, which is why the logbook, the VIN and the seller’s address still matter.

What is a cloned car?

A stolen car wearing number plates copied from a similar genuine car. The plates check out but the car doesn’t, so compare the VIN and the DVLA details with the car itself.

Guides

Where to buy a used carThe main UK used car websites, who sells on each and what they say you get.Finding a car What to check when buying a used carA checklist in the order you’d use it: before you travel, at the viewing, before you pay.Buying a car Questions to ask the sellerThe questions to put to a seller, with why each one matters and what to listen for.Buying a car

Outstanding finance checkWhether money is still owed on the car, before you pay.In the CAR Confidence Score Write-off checkInsurance write-off categories, including Cat S and Cat N.In the CAR Confidence Score Reg checkLook up any number plate: make, model, colour, engine and status.Free

Free car check

Check it before you go and see it

DVLA details, tax and MOT status, mileage and the full MOT history, free for any UK registration.