How to Check VIN Numbers on a Car

Run a check on the vehicle identification number, or VIN, when you buy or sell a used car. A VIN is a particular car's unique code, revealing its basic information in 17 numbers and letters. This system has been in use since 1981. Entities such as insurers, titling agencies and salvage yards use VINs to report cars with flood or hail damage or that have been in accidents, as well as other information useful to buyers. Checking a VIN gives access to that information. Sellers wanting to prove the worth of a used vehicle may present the results of a VIN check to prospective buyers.

Instructions

1. Ask the car owner for the VIN. If he does not want to supply it to you, as a potential buyer, you may want to take a pass on purchasing that car.

2. Search for the VIN if the car is yours or you have access to it. Insurance cards and registration documents often list the VIN. If not, look for the VIN in the door frame or on the dashboard, near the windshield, on the driver's side. Record the number.

3. Search online at websites that let you do a free VIN check. A free check provides basic information, such as whether or not the car was salvaged.

4. Enter the VIN on the website page in the appropriate text field. Select "Submit," "Enter" or "Okay" -- the button or link text may vary according to the website. The VIN report will display. After displaying basic information, some websites offer a detailed report for a fee.

5. Repeat the VIN check on a different websites; information can vary from site to site.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are considering purchasing the car, a detailed report might be in order. Some websites charge one flat fee to let you conduct an unlimited number of VIN checks for a specified period of time. Because information can vary among different reports, you might opt to purchase detailed reports from more than one service. Compare prices and the sources used to compile the reports.

• In a 2009 article, "Consumer Reports" warned potential buyers not to rely solely on vehicle history reports. In its test, the publication found that, sometimes, different VIN check services returned incomplete information regarding damage that cars had suffered. If you are getting ready to buy, ask a mechanic to come with you to check the car's worthiness.

References

• Decode This; Why a VIN Number Is Important
• National Motor Vehicle Title Information System: Who Reports to NMVTIS?
• DMV.org: Locate the Vehicle Identification Number
• "Consumer Reports"; Don't Rely on Used-Car-History Reports; July 2009

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• National Motor Vehicle Title Information System: Research Vehicle History
• National Insurance Crime Bureau: VINCheck
• Decode This: List of Decoded Manufacturers