Free Car Spec Check by Registration
Enter a number plate and read the vehicle's specification right here: engine size, fuel, CO2, Euro standard, tax and MOT status and more. Instant DVLA and DVSA data, no signup.
Car spec check by reg: type any UK registration above and you get the make, model, year, colour, fuel type, engine size, CO2 emissions, Euro standard, tax and MOT status, type approval, wheelplan, revenue weight, V5C issue date, export marker, recall flag and latest MOT mileage, straight from DVLA and DVSA. The one figure no reg check can give you is power: DVLA does not publish BHP, so it comes from the V5C logbook or the manufacturer, and the converter further down turns the logbook's kW figure into BHP.
Last updated 15 September 2026. Data: DVLA vehicle enquiry service and DVSA MOT history.
What the free spec check shows
Every row below comes from the official record for the plate you enter. Here is what each field means and why it matters when you are buying, selling or just checking your own car.
| Field | What it means | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Engine size | Cylinder capacity in cc, from DVLA. We also show it in litres. | Sets insurance group, fuel use and the tax band for pre-2001 cars. Confirms an advert's '1.6' really is a 1.6. |
| Fuel type | Petrol, diesel, hybrid electric or electricity as DVLA records it. | Diesels face Euro 6 clean air rules; hybrids and EVs have different tax treatment. |
| CO2 and tax band | Official CO2 in g/km from type approval. | Sets the VED band for cars registered from March 2001 to March 2017 and the first-year rate after that. |
| Euro standard and ULEZ | The emissions standard (Euro 4, 5, 6 and so on) where DVLA holds it. | Petrol needs Euro 4 and diesel needs Euro 6 to drive in the London ULEZ and most clean air zones without paying. |
| Type approval | The vehicle category, for example M1 (passenger car) or N1 (light goods vehicle). | Tells you whether a 'van' is taxed and insured as a car or a commercial vehicle. |
| Wheelplan | Axle layout, for example 2 axle rigid body. | Mostly relevant to vans and conversions; a mismatch can point to an unusual registration. |
| Revenue weight | The taxation weight DVLA holds, mainly for goods vehicles. | Decides whether a light commercial is taxed as a van; usually blank for cars. |
| V5C date | When the current logbook was last issued. | A very recent date can mean a keeper change or a replacement logbook, both worth asking the seller about. |
| Export marker | Whether DVLA has been told the vehicle is leaving the UK permanently. | A car marked for export should not be sold as a normal UK vehicle. |
| Recall flag | DVSA's outstanding safety recall status: Yes, No or Unknown. | An open recall is fixed free by a franchised dealer but must be booked in before you rely on the car. |
How do I find my car's BHP from the reg?
You cannot get a verified BHP figure from a number plate alone, on this site or any other. The DVLA vehicle enquiry service returns engine capacity, fuel type and CO2, but it has no power field, so any site that prints a BHP figure next to a reg is guessing from the engine size and model name. Our free spec check shows the engine size and leaves power blank rather than invent it.
The reliable sources are the V5C logbook, which records “Max net power (kW)” in the vehicle details section, and the manufacturer's brochure or handbook for the exact engine variant. Take the kW figure from the logbook and convert it below.
kW to BHP converter
Type the “Max net power (kW)” figure from your V5C logbook to see it in brake horsepower and PS.
BHP
134
PS (metric hp)
136
The V5C records engine output as “Max net power (kW)” in the vehicle details section of the logbook. DVLA takes it from the Certificate of Conformity rounded to a whole kilowatt, so the converted figure can sit a horsepower or two either side of the brochure number. 1 kW = 1.341 bhp = 1.360 PS.
BHP, PS and kW: what is the difference?
kW (kilowatts) is the legal unit used on the V5C and in EU type approval. BHP is brake horsepower, the imperial unit most UK adverts use: 1 kW is 1.341 bhp. PS is metric horsepower, common in German and Japanese brochures: 1 kW is 1.360 PS, so a PS figure is always about 1.4 percent higher than the same engine quoted in bhp. A 110 kW engine is 148 bhp or 150 PS, which is why the same car can appear with two different power figures in different adverts.
What engine size is my car?
Run the spec check above and read the engine size row. DVLA holds cylinder capacity in cubic centimetres, and we show the litre figure next to it because that is how cars are badged: 1,598 cc is a 1.6, 1,968 cc is a 2.0. If the row says not recorded, the vehicle is usually fully electric and has no cylinder capacity to record. Engine size feeds directly into the insurance group estimate and the fuel cost figures in the free report.
What Euro standard is my car?
The Euro standard row shows the emissions standard DVLA holds for the vehicle, such as Euro 6. DVLA does not hold this for every car, so older vehicles often come back blank. When that happens, the first registration date is your guide: petrol cars registered from 2006 generally meet Euro 4, and diesels registered from September 2015 generally meet Euro 6. Where the RDE row shows RDE2, the car passed the tougher real-driving emissions test that applies to newer diesels.
Is my car ULEZ compliant?
London's ULEZ, and most other UK clean air zones, require petrol cars to meet Euro 4 and diesel cars to meet Euro 6. Check the fuel type and Euro standard rows above: a petrol Euro 4, 5 or 6 car or a diesel Euro 6 car is compliant. If the Euro field is blank, use the first registration date as described above, then confirm with Transport for London's own checker before you drive in. Our ULEZ guide lists every UK zone and its rules.
What tax band is my car in?
The tax band depends on when the car was first registered. Cars registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017 are taxed by CO2 band, so the CO2 row above tells you the band. Cars registered from 1 April 2017 pay a CO2-based first-year rate and then a flat standard rate, with an extra charge for cars that cost over £40,000 new. Cars registered before March 2001 are taxed on engine size. The car tax check shows the current status and due date, and the road tax calculator works out the annual cost from the CO2 figure.
Can I check specs without the V5C?
Yes. Everything on this page comes from the registration number alone, so you do not need the logbook, the VIN or the keeper's permission. That makes it a useful first step before viewing a used car: compare the engine size, fuel type, colour and first registration date against the advert, and walk away from anything that does not match. The only field that needs the V5C is power, because DVLA does not publish it.
Free spec check vs the £4.99 premium report
Free
Spec check and free report
- ✓Every specification field on this page
- ✓Full MOT history with advisories explained
- ✓Mileage timeline and clocking check
- ✓Outstanding recall flag and recall details
- ✓Running cost estimate: fuel, tax, MOT, repairs
- ✓Estimated valuation range based on age and mileage
£4.99 one-off
Premium history report
- ✓Stolen check against the Police National Computer
- ✓Outstanding finance agreements
- ✓Insurance write-off status: Cat A, B, S or N
- ✓Number of previous keepers and change dates
- ✓VIN verification against DVLA
- ✓Colour changes and plate transfers
- ✓Scrapped marker
The £6.99 bundle adds the exact valuation (£2.99 on its own). Both are bought from the free report page.
Specs by make
Browse MOT pass rates, common faults and running costs for every model from the most popular makes on UK roads.
How it works
Enter the reg plate
Type any UK registration into the plate above. No account, email or payment is needed.
We query DVLA and DVSA
The vehicle enquiry service supplies the specification and the MOT history service supplies mileage and recall status.
Specs appear on this page
Read the specification here, then open the full free report for MOT history, running costs and more.
Frequently asked questions
What is a car spec check by reg?▼
A car spec check by reg looks up a vehicle's specification from its number plate. On CarCostCheck it returns the make, model, year, colour, fuel type, engine size, CO2 emissions, Euro standard, tax and MOT status, type approval, wheelplan, revenue weight, V5C issue date, export marker, recall flag, latest MOT mileage and any plate changes found in the MOT history.
Is the car spec check free?▼
Yes. The spec check on this page is free, with no signup and no card. The full free report on the check page is also free. The only paid products are the £4.99 premium history report, the £2.99 valuation and the £6.99 bundle of both.
Does the spec check show BHP or horsepower?▼
No. DVLA does not publish engine power, so no reg-based check can show a verified BHP figure. Your V5C logbook records maximum net power in kW; the converter on this page turns that into BHP and PS. The manufacturer's brochure or handbook is the other reliable source.
Where does the spec data come from?▼
Vehicle details come from the DVLA Vehicle Enquiry Service and the mileage, recall and plate-change data comes from the DVSA MOT History API. Both are official government databases published under the Open Government Licence.
Why is the Euro standard blank for my car?▼
DVLA does not hold a Euro status for every vehicle, so the field is returned empty for many older cars. When that happens we show 'Not recorded by DVLA'. The date of first registration is then the best guide: petrol cars registered from 2006 are generally Euro 4 and diesels registered from September 2015 are generally Euro 6.
Can I check the specs of a car I do not own?▼
Yes. The data returned here is the same public vehicle information DVLA and DVSA release for any UK registration. It contains no personal details about the keeper, so it is fine to check a car you are thinking of buying.
Does a spec check tell me if a car is stolen or has finance?▼
No. Stolen status, outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and previous keepers are not part of the free DVLA and DVSA data. They are in the £4.99 premium report, which you can buy from the free report page once you have checked the specs.
How accurate is the engine size shown?▼
The engine size is the cylinder capacity DVLA recorded when the vehicle was registered, taken from the manufacturer's Certificate of Conformity. It is shown in cc; the litre figure is that number divided by 1,000 and rounded to one decimal place, which is how manufacturers badge their cars.
Related checks and tools
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Verify the logbook against DVLA records
Mileage Check
Spot clocking from the MOT mileage timeline
Insurance Group Calculator
Estimate the group from engine size and value
Get the full free report for any car
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