UK Car Check FAQ: Every Answer in One Place
Direct answers to the questions UK car buyers actually ask. The cheapest car history checks, what data you get, how to pay, how long it takes, what each write-off category means. If you are deciding whether to run a car check before buying, this page has everything in one read.
In short: as of October 2026, CarCostCheck's free report shows any UK car's full MOT history, a mileage check, a reliability score and running costs with no sign-up, and its one-off £4.99 check adds the stolen, outstanding finance and write-off records from Experian AutoCheck. There is no subscription. UK car history checks that include outstanding finance start at £3.99 (prices checked 8 October 2026).
Last reviewed October 2026
Start with a free reg plate check
MOT history, mileage verification, reliability score and running costs. No signup, no email, instant results. Add the £4.99 premium for stolen, finance and write-off data.
Cheapest UK car check
What is the cheapest UK car history check in 2026?
Prices start at £3.99, but not every £3.99 check includes outstanding finance (checked 8 October 2026). CarCostCheck's £4.99 check includes it, with stolen, write-off (Cat A, B, S, N, plus legacy C and D), VIN check, the number of keepers with the date of each recorded change, colour changes and plate transfers. That compares with £14.99 for the AA's check or the RAC's Full check, and many full history checks cost £9.99 to £19.99.
Is there a free UK car check that actually works?
Yes. The CarCostCheck free report (at carcostcheck.co.uk) returns full MOT history since 2005, mileage verification with automatic clocking detection, a reliability score out of 100, running cost estimates, common faults and red flag alerts, and there is a free insurance group estimator too. No signup, no email, no card. What the free report does not include are the stolen, finance and write-off checks and the keeper, plate and VIN records, because those come from paid databases; they are in the £4.99 check.
Why is CarCostCheck cheaper than other full history checks?
Fewer extras: some dearer checks, such as the AA's check and the RAC's Full check at £14.99, include a £30,000 data guarantee (checked October 2026). CarCostCheck is pay-once, £4.99, with no subscription and no guarantee, and its stolen, finance and write-off checks come from Experian AutoCheck.
Are free full car history check sites legitimate?
No. Sites advertising a free full history check can only show free DVLA data (make, model, tax, MOT status). They cannot access stolen, finance, or write-off databases for free because those databases charge per query. Any claim of a free full history check is misleading.
What you get for £4.99
What does the £4.99 CarCostCheck premium report include?
Stolen check (Police National Computer), outstanding finance check with the lender and agreement details, write-off category check (Cat A, B, S, N plus legacy C, D), VIN check, the number of keepers with the date of each recorded change, colour change history, plate transfer history, import and export markers and scrapped status. On top of that, you get everything in the free report: full MOT analysis, mileage verification, reliability score, running costs, common faults, and red flag alerts. 15+ data points in a single £4.99 report.
Is the CarCostCheck report instant?
Yes. The free report loads in under 10 seconds after you enter a reg plate. The £4.99 premium report is delivered instantly after payment. You get it on screen straight away, plus an emailed link to your report page, where you can download a PDF copy any time.
How do I get my report?
Instantly. Your report opens on screen the moment you pay, and we email you a private link to it so you never lose it. The link keeps working, so you can reopen your report any time, on your phone at a viewing or on your laptop at home. Share it with a mechanic, the seller or your finance company and they see exactly what you see, with no account or login. If we ever correct or update anything, the link always shows the latest version. Want a copy to keep or print? Save it as a PDF from your report page. Not an inbox you check? You can send a copy to a second email address straight from the confirmation screen.
Do I get a PDF of my car check report?
Yes, and better than a PDF. Your report opens on screen as soon as you pay, and we email you a private link to it that keeps working, so you can come back to it, or share it with a mechanic, the seller or a finance company, whenever you need. Any time you want a copy to keep or print, save it as a PDF from your report page.
Can I check multiple cars with one payment?
Yes. Add up to five cars to one order: the first is £4.99, the second £4.49 and each one after that £4.00. The free report is unlimited, so you can check as many cars as you like without paying anything.
How to use CarCostCheck
How do I check a UK car by registration plate?
Go to carcostcheck.co.uk, type the registration into the search box, and press check. You see the free report instantly: MOT history, mileage verification, reliability score, running costs. If you want the stolen, finance, and write-off checks too, add the premium for £4.99.
Do I need to create an account?
No. There is no signup and no password, and the free check needs no details at all. If you buy a report, you give your email and card at Stripe's secure checkout so we can send you the link to your report; no account is created.
What payment methods do you accept?
Card payment via Stripe (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Apple Pay, Google Pay). No PayPal required, no crypto, no bank transfer hassle.
Can I check a car I don't own?
Yes. You only need the registration plate. You do not need to be the owner or ask the seller's permission, and the seller is not told about the check.
Is a car history check a legal requirement when buying a car?
No, there is no legal requirement. But a history check is the practical way to find outstanding finance, a stolen record or an insurance write-off before you pay, and the legal protection for private buyers does not cover every case. The free CarCostCheck report covers the MOT history and mileage; the £4.99 check adds the stolen, finance and write-off checks.
How long does payment take?
As long as it takes to enter your card details at Stripe's secure checkout, or a single tap with Apple Pay or Google Pay. Your report opens on screen straight after payment.
MOT, mileage, tax and the free checks
How do I check MOT history for free?
CarCostCheck free returns every MOT test since 2005 with plain-English explanations of common advisories, estimated repair costs, and mileage analysis. The DVSA also offers raw MOT data for free, but without the interpretation. CarCostCheck uses the same DVSA API with analysis added on top.
How do I check if a car's mileage is genuine?
CarCostCheck's free report runs automatic clocking detection on every lookup. It analyses MOT mileage readings across years and flags any sudden drops, impossible increments, or suspicious static periods. It costs nothing, so it is worth running on any car you are thinking of buying.
How do I check if a car is taxed?
Free on CarCostCheck, free on the DVLA's own site. Both show the tax status and due date from the DVLA record; ours is refreshed at least once a week, so use GOV.UK if the car was taxed in the last few days. Never pay for a tax check; the data is released under the Open Government Licence. CarCostCheck adds the annual tax cost in pounds alongside the status.
Can I check a VIN online?
The free DVLA enquiry does not show the VIN. The £4.99 CarCostCheck report shows the last 4 characters of the VIN on record, and the engine number where the record has it, so you can match them to the car and the V5C. It flags a mismatch if our data supplier reports one, and runs the stolen, finance and write-off checks.
Stolen, finance and write-off checks
How do I check if a UK car is stolen?
The Police National Computer (PNC) stolen register is accessed through Experian. CarCostCheck queries it as part of the £4.99 premium report. Free services cannot access the PNC.
How do I check if there is finance on a car?
Outstanding finance data is held in lender databases accessed through Experian. CarCostCheck queries it in the £4.99 premium report. If you buy a car with active finance without knowing, the lender may still have a claim on the car. A private buyer who bought in good faith without knowing about the finance is usually protected by the Hire Purchase Act 1964, but not for every type of loan or for trade buyers, and sorting it out can take months, so this check is critical when buying privately.
What are the UK car write-off categories?
Current (from October 2017): Cat A (scrap only), Cat B (body shell destroyed, parts salvageable), Cat S (structural damage, road-legal after repair), Cat N (non-structural damage, road-legal). Legacy (pre-October 2017): Cat C (replaced by Cat S), Cat D (replaced by Cat N). A write-off marker normally stays on the car's record for good once recorded.
How do I check if a car has been written off?
Run the £4.99 CarCostCheck premium report. It checks the insurance industry's MIAFTR write-off register through Experian and returns the category, date and damage if the car is recorded. No free service has access to this data.
Is CarCostCheck trustworthy?
Is CarCostCheck legit?
Yes. CarCostCheck pulls vehicle data from DVSA (MOT History API) and DVLA (Vehicle Enquiry Service), both official UK government APIs. Premium vehicle history data (stolen, finance, write-off) comes from Experian AutoCheck, one of the UK's main vehicle history databases. The site is run from the UK and processes payments via Stripe.
Why are other car check services so much more expensive?
Partly extras: the AA's check and the RAC's Full check, both £14.99, include a £30,000 data guarantee (checked October 2026). CarCostCheck is pay-once, no subscription, with no guarantee, and was built from the ground up on lower-cost modern infrastructure, which keeps the price at £4.99.
Who uses CarCostCheck?
Private used car buyers, small dealers, auction buyers, anyone who wants a full history check for less. The free report is also used by people checking their own car before selling it to see what a buyer will see.
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