How to Get a Used Car VIN Check

It’s easy to get excited about buying a new-to-you car. Before you get swept up in the cool colors and cozy seats, check the car’s history with a vehicle identification number (VIN) check.

Using online tools, you can uncover the details of the car’s life story, including previous ownership, maintenance history, accidents and safety recalls. While you can use a paid VIN check service, a free VIN check can provide plenty of details to help you steer clear of a problem car.

Key takeaways

• A VIN is a unique identification number for a car or vehicle.
• There are websites that will let you do a used car VIN check for free, but a paid site will give you more detailed information.
• A VIN check can reveal much of a car’s history, including its accident history, and any other potential problems.
• Get a used car inspection before buying.

What is a VIN?

Since 1981, passenger vehicles sold in the U.S. have been required to carry a unique 17-digit vehicle identification number. The digits identify specific aspects of the vehicle, including the make, model, manufacturing plant and the order in which it was manufactured.

You can use this site to decode a VIN to learn more about a vehicle.

The VIN can usually be found in three different places on the vehicle:

• Driver’s side dash, visible through the windshield
• Driver’s side door jamb
• Under the hood at the front of the engine

It can also be found on any documents relating to the vehicle, such as the title, registration and insurance documents.

How to check a VIN for free

Whether you’re buying a used car from a dealer or a private seller, running a VIN check is a good idea. A paid VIN check will yield more results, but a free check may provide enough information to make your decision.

Find the VIN

If you have access to the vehicle, look through the windshield at the top of the driver’s dashboard and record the number. Your phone camera makes this step easy. Otherwise, ask the seller for the number. Some sites, like Craigslist, will display the VIN if the seller adds it to the listing.

What is a VIN check website?

A VIN check website will give you information about the specific vehicle. Different sites offer different types of information. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will provide basic details about the vehicle. A dealership or a lending institution may run a Carfax report on your behalf while you’re shopping for a vehicle or financing.

Where to find free VIN checks

• Carfax: Accident, service and ownership history (no free option)
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: Recalls and safety issues
• National Insurance Crime Bureau: Record of insurance theft claim, whether the vehicle has been recovered or reported as a salvage claim
• VINCheck.info: Accident, theft and sales records

Review the VIN check report

The VIN check report can reveal the history of your car. You can tell whether it was used as a rental or fleet vehicle. Look for the title status — a flood title means it has flood damage, for example. With a VIN check, you can hopefully avoid buying a lemon.

Keep in mind that the report may not show everything. For example, the owner may pay for accident repairs out of their own pocket rather than report them to insurance.

In some cases, little to no information is good news. For the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System report, no results for thefts or total loss means the car doesn’t have those kinds of secrets in its past.

Regardless of the results of your VIN check report, it’s a good idea to have a used car inspection by an independent mechanic. A mechanic can verify items on the report and look for potential issues that may not show up.

What to look for on your VIN report

Look for any obvious problems, like a salvage title or major accident report, as well as the ownership history and service records. A car that changes hands frequently could be hiding expensive problems. Make sure the report matches what you’re seeing in the car. A low-mileage car with rust or a musty-smelling interior could be a flood survivor.

 Does the vehicle match the VIN check report?

Check the VIN on the vehicle with the report to make sure you’re looking at the right vehicle. Match up basic information like interior and exterior colors, drivetrain and condition. Look for evidence of regular service. If tire changes are included, see if the tread wear is consistent with the mileage.

 Does it have a clear title?

Use the National Insurance Crime Bureau VinCheck Lookup to determine if the vehicle has a clear title. A clear title means it has not been declared a salvage vehicle, reported stolen or reported stolen and not recovered. If the VIN check returns any of these issues, they must be resolved before you can transfer the title and register the car to drive it on the road. Unless you have experience with salvage vehicles and the seller disclosed this information up front, this is perhaps the reddest of red flags.

 Does it have any unrepaired recalls?

Auto manufacturers issue recalls when something on their vehicles doesn’t work properly, mainly for safety issues. The recalls typically direct the owner to take the car to a dealer or authorized service center to have the problem fixed, usually for free. Depending on the state, dealerships must fix any open recalls before they can sell a car. Private sellers don’t have to meet this obligation, but depending on the age of the vehicle, a dealer may still fix it for free.