4 min read
Car check report FAQ#
Quick answers to the things people ask most about what's on a vehicle history report. Each answer links to a fuller guide where there is one.
The free report#
What does the free check actually include?#
DVLA vehicle details (make, colour, engine, CO2, year, tax status and due date, MOT status and expiry), the full DVSA MOT history with mileages and defects, an estimated annual tax figure, a running-cost estimate, a mileage chart, and a vehicle record timeline. No card, no account.
Why does the report say "too new for an MOT"?#
Cars need their first MOT at three years old. A younger car has no test history - that's normal. MOT history guide.
What's an advisory?#
Something the MOT tester noted as wearing but not yet a defect - tyres close to the limit, light corrosion. Advisories don't fail the test; they're the early-warning system in the record. How to read them.
What does SORN mean?#
The keeper has declared the car off-road (Statutory Off Road Notification). It can't legally be driven or kept on a public road until taxed. Buying a SORN'd car is fine - tax it before driving home. Car tax guide.
Write-offs and damage#
What's the difference between Cat S and Cat N?#
Where the damage was. Cat S means structural damage (chassis, crumple zones), Cat N non-structural (panels, electrics, interior). Both can be repaired and legally driven; both should be priced below a clean car. Full write-off guide.
The report shows a write-off but the car looks perfect. Is the report wrong?#
Almost certainly not - a professional repair is invisible. The record describes an insurance decision at the loss date, not the car's current condition. Ask for the repair paperwork and consider an independent inspection.
What are salvage auction records?#
Entries (often with photos) from salvage auctions where damaged cars are sold, usually right after the insurance loss. They show what the damage actually looked like - more useful than any category letter.
Finance, theft and identity#
Does outstanding finance mean I can't buy the car?#
No - it means the finance must be settled as part of the deal, ideally paid directly to the lender. Never hand the full price to a seller while a lender's interest is recorded. Finance guide.
The car shows as stolen. What do I do?#
Don't buy it, don't tip off the seller, and report it to the police on
- Buying a stolen car - even innocently - means losing the car and
the money.
Why does the report only show the last 5 characters of the VIN?#
Industry rules stop reports displaying a full VIN from a plate lookup - it would help cloners. The ending is enough to compare against the VIN on the car and V5C. VIN check guide.
Keepers, plates and paperwork#
Is the number of keepers the same as the number of owners?#
Not quite - DVLA counts registered keepers, which includes fleets, lease companies and dealer pre-registrations. Look at keeper durations, not just the count. V5C guide.
What does a plate change mean?#
Usually a cherished (private) registration being put on or taken off - routine and legal. The report shows the previous marks, which matter because the car's older history lives under them.
Why was a new V5C issued if the keeper didn't change?#
Address changes, replacements for lost documents, detail corrections and Cat S re-registrations all trigger a reissue. V5C guide.
What's an import marker?#
The car was first registered outside GB. Its earlier life won't appear in UK records, so ask for overseas paperwork. Import guide.
The paid report#
What extra does the paid check add?#
Write-off records with damage detail, salvage auction records with photos, stolen-vehicle register check, outstanding finance agreements, scrapping records, keeper/plate/colour history, import/export detail, registered specification (including VIN ending and engine number), a market valuation, a rarity count for the exact model variant (and its wider variant family and generation) still registered, and a £10,000 data guarantee.
What is the data guarantee?#
If the checked data provided proves wrong and you lose money as a result, the guarantee covers losses up to £10,000 for 12 months, subject to its terms.
Something on my report looks wrong. What now?#
Use the Report an issue button on the report itself (or the link in the site footer) and tell us what you're seeing - we investigate every report against the source data.
What about refunds, payments or my account?#
That's covered on the customer service page, not here.
---
Run a free check now at checkthereg.co.uk - DVLA and MOT history for any UK reg in seconds.