How to Identify the Owner of a License Tag Number
Sometimes you may need to locate someone based only on his vehicle's license plate number. Perhaps he witnessed a crime or was involved in a car accident. Maybe you just saw him and thought you knew him, but you can't remember his name. There are several ways to track down the owner of a license plate, depending on the situation. You must understand before you begin your search, however, that not all license plates can be tracked by the public and that, in some situations, you will have to get the police involved to find the owner of a license plate.
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Instructions
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Hire a private investigator. Many investigators have connections to local or national law enforcement and are able to trace vehicle registrations through their network. Since the person you hire will be working to get you information, you can be certain that she will provide you with the contact information of the vehicle owner as soon as it is available.
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Write down the information you have available and present it to a clerk at your state's license registry or motor vehicle department. In some states, you can request the name of a person with a certain license plate if you were involved in an accident with him. No state can give you his contact information, but having his name will make it easier to find him.
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Perform a database search. There are services online that, for money, purport to be able to track down the owner of a vehicle by her license plate number. You'll have to pay money and join these services, but they are used by many people to track down vehicle owners. Examples include Public People Finder and Abika (see Resources).
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Use the clues you've gathered from the license plate to do a bit of detective work on your own. You know what state the vehicle is registered in. You may have noticed other details, too--perhaps it was a special, limited edition plate that tells about the person's interests. You may be able to track the person down by calling the company or organization emblazoned on the license plate. You might also want to return to the place where you saw the plate before. Most people keep general routines, and you're likely to find that person again if you're diligent.
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Tips & Warnings
Contact the police or other local law enforcement if finding the owner of the plate is a legal matter. Law enforcement organizations have access to all vehicle registration databases and will be able to find the person quickly and efficiently. They can also help you figure out what to do about the crime that has occurred. It is possible, however, that they will not let you know who the plate belongs to unless you are directly involved in the case.
Do not break the law trying to find contact information for a vehicle's owner.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit wv license plate image by timur1970 from Fotolia.com
