If you plan on buying or selling a car, you need to know as much as possible about it. Using GoodCar’s Vehicle History Reports, instantly find out about previous owners, any major damage (flood/fire/collision), original or optional equipment installed, title brands, and much more!

This data can impact your car value, safety, and reliability. Therefore, it’s crucial to know what you are dealing with before buying or selling a vehicle.

Vehicle History Reports are the new industry standard. We source our data from the most reputable public and private databases. We are also an approved provider for the NMVTIS database, which is maintained by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators.

A Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), as a rule, is a 17-digit number that serves as the vehicle’s unique identifier. Sometimes this alphanumeric code is referred to as the car’s fingerprint. Each vehicle has its own unique code, which is comprised of capital letters and numbers. Each section of the VIN number represents different information about the vehicle, such as the manufacturer, features, and specifications. A VIN can be used to track recalls, accidents, registrations, warranty claims, thefts, insurance, and more.

Every vehicle is linked to a VIN. That key piece of information unlocks thousands of details about the car, such as technical specifications, optional equipment, trim level, security features, and even open or past safety recalls. Vehicle reports can also show you previous and current vehicle owners, usage, location, sales history prices, and current value. The data may also include the residual value and information on accidents, hidden damages, branded titles like odometer tampering, salvage title, junk, water damage, lemon, fire damage, and even hail-damaged vehicles. Using GoodCar Vehicle Reports, you can determine how much your vehicle is worth, odometer readings, title history, other title information, check out market demand, supply, and where to buy and sell cars. Don’t buy without first checking on GoodCar!

Vehicle registration plates, also known as license plates, are rectangular signs placed at the back and/or front of all road vehicles. These plates are marked with unique codes and act as exterior markers for law enforcement and citizens to quickly identify or track down a vehicle.

License plates are connected to both the driver and the vehicle. A license plate lookup tool takes the plate number and returns a comprehensive vehicle history, technical specifications, and driver information. The specific information will include the vehicle's:

• Make, year, model, and color
• Accident history
• Maintenance history
• Lien information
• Current and previous owner information

When a vehicle title transfers, the previous owner is expected to either remove the plates or report the sale to the DMV. Otherwise, their identity may be linked to future accidents or criminal actions committed by the new owner.

Running a GoodCar license plate lookup is a crucial part of the car-buying process. Doing so will reveal anything the seller unknowingly or purposefully hides from you. For example, the vehicle might have an accident history indicating future problems or outstanding liens leading to repossession.

It's also possible that the vehicle was stolen, and the seller isn't the legal owner. GoodCar checks the car history report with just a license plate, so it can be run from the sales lot or even the seller's driveway. There’s no time delay as it instantly returns vital facts that decide whether a vehicle purchase is a safe bet.