Cheapest Cat N Check UK 2026: Every Option Compared

Quick answer: The cheapest Cat N check in the UK is CarCostCheck premium at £4.99. It returns Cat A, B, S, N markers (plus legacy Cat C and Cat D) from MIAFTR via Experian — the same insurance industry database HPI charges £19.99 for. There is no free Cat N check; MIAFTR is paywalled.

Why CarCostCheck is the cheapest legitimate option

Every paid provider in the table above sources Cat A/B/S/N data from the same place — MIAFTR (Motor Insurance Anti-Fraud and Theft Register, owned by the ABI), aggregated for resale by Experian. The data is identical. The price differences come from brand premium and bundled extras (HPI's £30k guarantee, CarVertical's EU history). For UK private buying, those extras rarely justify the price.

Why "free Cat N check" sites are misleading

MIAFTR is paywalled. Insurers and check providers pay per query. There is no API or open dataset that returns write-off markers free. Any site advertising a free Cat N check is showing you DVLA tax/MOT data (which doesn't include write-off status) and either capturing your email or pushing you to a paid upsell. Read the small print — the line "for the full check including write-off, £X.XX" is always there.

What you actually get for the £4.99

The CarCostCheck premium report includes:

• Cat A, B, S, N markers (plus legacy Cat C and Cat D)
• Outstanding finance check (PCP, HP, secured loans)
• Stolen status (Police National Computer)
• VIN verification
• Plate transfer history
• Colour change history
• Previous keeper count
• Scrapped status
• Plus the full free report: DVSA MOT history since 2005, mileage verification with clocking detection, reliability score 0-100, annual running cost estimate, common faults, recalls, ULEZ compliance

Same data competitors charge £19.99-£33.99 for, plus extras none of them include.

How long does a Cat N marker stay on the record?

Forever. Once a vehicle is recorded on MIAFTR, the marker is permanent. Cat C was replaced by Cat S in October 2017 and Cat D by Cat N, but cars written off before that date still carry their original Cat C or Cat D marker for the rest of the vehicle's life. The CarCostCheck report shows whichever marker is on file.

Related reading: Cat N + Cat S FAQ | What is a Cat N Write-Off? | Cat S vs Cat N Buyer's Guide | Cheapest Write-Off Check UK | Cheapest HPI Check UK