Vehicle history checks

How to check a used car before buying: the five-minute checklist

Updated 3 September 2026 · 2 min read · by DealerPricing

Before buying a used car: run a free MOT and DVLA check on the registration, read the mileage at every MOT for drops, then pay £3.99 for a vehicle history check covering stolen, finance, write-off, import and keeper records. At the viewing, match the VIN and V5C to the report. Five minutes and under £4 protects a purchase worth thousands.

What you getFree checkHistory check £3.99
Make, colour, fuel, engine, CO2, first registered✓✓
Tax status and due date✓✓
MOT status, expiry and full MOT history✓✓
Mileage at every MOT✓✓ with discrepancy alert
Stolen (Police National Computer + MIAFTR)–✓
Outstanding finance with lender details–✓
Write-off category, insurer and loss date–✓
Imported, exported and scrapped markers–✓
Previous keepers, plate and colour changes–✓
Outstanding safety recall–✓
Full specification (10 sections)–✓
PDF report, stored 6 months–✓
Subscribers pay £2.50 per history check.Free check →History check →

Step by step

  1. Free check the registration from the advert

    Confirm the make, colour, fuel and year match the advert, that it is not marked for export, and read the tax and MOT expiry dates.

    Free MOT & DVLA check →
    Free check result confirming make, year, colour, fuel and tax and MOT status
    Free check result confirming make, year, colour, fuel and tax and MOT status

  2. Read the MOT history

    Look for failed tests, repeated advisories and any mileage reading lower than the one before. Note gaps of more than a year.

    MOT history showing a failed test and advisories
    MOT history showing a failed test and advisories

  3. Run a £3.99 history check

    This is the step that finds outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off categories, import and export, scrapping and keeper history. None of these appear on free checks.

    Vehicle history check →
    What is included in a DealerPricing history report: stolen, finance, write-off, export/import, scrapped, colour changes, keepers, plate changes, mileage, MOT history, vehicle details and PDF
    What is included in a DealerPricing history report: stolen, finance, write-off, export/import, scrapped, colour changes, keepers, plate changes, mileage, MOT history, vehicle details and PDF

  4. At the viewing, match the paperwork

    Check the VIN in the windscreen and door pillar against the report and the V5C, confirm the seller’s name and address match the V5C, and see the car at that address.

What you’ll see

  • Whether the advert’s description matches the DVLA record
  • MOT failures, advisories and the mileage trend
  • Every provenance marker that could cost you the car
  • The VIN, keeper history and plate changes to verify in person

Ready to try it?

£2.50 for DealerPricing subscribers. Report stored for 6 months with a PDF.

Run a vehicle history check — £3.99 →

Frequently asked questions

What checks are free when buying a used car?

DVLA vehicle details, tax status, MOT status and the full MOT history with mileage are free. Stolen, finance, write-off, import and keeper checks are held on private databases and are only available in a paid history check.

Should I still get a history check from a dealer?

Reputable dealers run one on every car and will show it to you. If they will not, run your own; it is the cheapest part of the purchase.

What are the biggest red flags?

Outstanding finance, a stolen marker, a Cat A or B write-off, a mileage reading that goes backwards, a seller who will not meet at the V5C address, and a VIN that does not match the paperwork.

Is a history check enough on its own?

It covers the paperwork risks. Pair it with a test drive and, for anything expensive, an independent mechanical inspection. A clean provenance report does not mean the clutch is fine.

Sources