Clear
No record foundNo issue was found in the records returned for that check. This describes the checked source at the recorded time. It does not prove that the vehicle has never had an issue.
Vehicle history methodology.
Introduction
Who we are.
Car Check is a vehicle history product for people researching used cars in the United Kingdom. It is operated by RELOAD TECHNOLOGIES - FZCO, based in United Arab Emirates.
Our aim is to make the available records easier to understand before you decide what to do next. A useful report should help you recognise a concern, see what is missing and have a better conversation with the seller.
Our editorial voices cover vehicle records, buyer guidance and product information. Their profiles and our approach to sources and corrections are on the Authors page.
A person behind each guide
Articles link to their author, and author profiles collect their published guides and topics. This gives readers a way to explore the work behind an explanation and find related guidance.
Reading time and content effort
Reading time is calculated from the article text. Content effort describes research, writing and review, which is a different measure from the time needed to read an article.
Article counts and topic coverage come from the published article collection. These measures help readers explore an author’s work.
Understanding results
The report follows a consistent path from a registration or VIN to the findings and their context. The same distinctions apply whether you are reading the report online or keeping a PDF.
Identify the vehicle
01.Start with a UK registration or VIN. We validate the input and look for a matching vehicle. Compare the returned identity with the car and original documents before using its history.
Keep the source attached
02.History checks retain a source name and a check date. MOT results, mileage readings and timeline events retain their own recorded dates. A report creation date does not make every underlying record new.
Explain each result
03.Records are organised into consistent check categories. Each category has a result, a plain language summary and supporting details. Unavailable and unchecked information stays separate from clear results.
Make the next step useful
04.The report brings the findings into a readable timeline and suggests questions for the seller. A PDF gives you a copy of the information available when the report was prepared.
The free summary includes vehicle details, MOT and tax status, available MOT results and recorded mileage. The full report adds provenance such as finance, theft and write-offs. Each source has its own coverage and limits.
- Vehicle identity
- Registration, make, model and specification help identify the returned vehicle. Compare the VIN on the car with its documents; a registration match alone cannot detect every cloned vehicle.
- MOT history
- Test dates, results, mileage, advisories and failures describe recorded tests. They do not replace an inspection of the car’s present condition.
- Mileage
- Recorded readings can reveal a lower reading later in the timeline. A discrepancy needs investigation; a recording error or a unit difference can matter. Gaps do not establish how far a vehicle was driven.
- Finance and theft
- An available record can flag an agreement or theft report. Resolve a finance entry with the lender and investigate a theft flag before proceeding. Source coverage and reporting delays affect what can be returned.
- Insurance write off
- A recorded insurance write off is different from a complete accident history. Unreported damage, private repairs and events outside the source’s coverage may not appear.
- Keepers and registration changes
- Keeper counts and registration changes add context to the vehicle’s timeline. A registered keeper is not necessarily the legal owner, and a plate change does not by itself show a problem.
- Imports, exports and scrapping
- These checks describe available status records. An imported vehicle may have history outside UK coverage that needs separate investigation.
Four results describe four different situations. The distinction matters most when information is incomplete: a missing record never becomes a successful check.
Flagged
Record foundA record needs attention, such as an outstanding finance entry or a mileage discrepancy. Read the detail and verify it with the appropriate party before relying on it.
Unavailable
UnavailableThe source could not supply enough information for a result. Missing coverage, an incomplete response or a service problem can all leave a check unavailable.
Not checked
Not checkedThe check has not been performed. No conclusion about that part of the vehicle’s history should be drawn.
A clear result describes the checked records at a particular time. It is not a guarantee about everything that has happened to the car.
A history report is one part of the decision. Read it alongside the original documents, the seller’s answers and an inspection of the vehicle.
- Records can be delayed, incomplete or incorrect. Check the source and date rather than assuming every result is current.01.
- A history report does not inspect mechanical condition, roadworthiness or the quality of repairs.02.
- An absence of reported damage does not establish an absence of accidents.03.
- A clear result is not a valuation, a warranty, proof of ownership or a recommendation to buy.04.
- Changes after the report was prepared may require another check. A saved PDF does not update itself.05.
Keep the finding and its context together
A check includes its status, summary, supporting details, source and check date. Read those parts together: a short label cannot explain the full meaning of a record on its own.
Read the sequence
The timeline brings dated events into order. Mileage readings and MOT entries add context to that sequence. A gap remains a gap; the report does not turn missing entries into a continuous account of the vehicle’s use.
Make the question specific
Use the report’s seller questions as a starting point. Identify the particular entry, date or document you want to understand, then keep the answer alongside the relevant finding. General buying guidance does not change the underlying vehicle record.
Sources and accuracy
Each report brings together the available vehicle records, with dates and coverage shown alongside the findings.
Supplier records are kept separate from the way they are displayed, so you can review their coverage and timestamps. We do not claim a direct DVLA, DVSA, police, insurer or finance provider partnership.
Official UK reference resources
These GOV.UK services explain official records and checks when buying a used vehicle. They are reference resources, not a list of Car Check integrations.
Start with a buyer’s question
Our editorial standards begin with the decisions a used car buyer faces. Topics focus on understanding a record, recognising a limit or preparing a useful follow up question.
Check the supporting material
We compare explanations with the relevant sources, including their dates and coverage. Article source links let readers return to that material. A general reference explains a subject; it is not evidence about an individual vehicle.
Explain the meaning clearly
We define unfamiliar terms and keep the limits beside the explanation. The aim is a practical next step without changing the meaning of the source or adding a conclusion it cannot support.
Revisit the explanation
Our standards call for updates when new information changes the meaning of the guidance. A correction request should identify the page, the disputed statement and a supporting source so the issue can be reviewed in context.
A guarantee created from missing information
Unavailable and unchecked results stay separate from clear checks. A missing entry cannot establish an accident free history, a complete ownership record or the present condition of a vehicle.
A finding changed by its price
A package determines report access and price. It does not make a vehicle record more favourable. Popularity, a product recommendation and a commercial interest are not evidence about the car.
Unclear authorship or official status
Our authors work at Car Check. Their guidance should be read with that connection in mind and checked against the cited sources. Car Check is a vehicle history product, not a government service; a link to an official resource does not imply a partnership.
A first look, then fuller reports
Car Check presents a free first look alongside pricing for fuller reports and report packages. Prices are shown in GBP on the pricing page.
What the package price covers
The displayed packages are based on report quantity. The pricing page shows the current price and included checks. A larger package changes the cost per report, not what a source record means or whether a finding needs attention.
Keep guidance separate from evidence
Product explanations and general buying guidance are separate from vehicle evidence. Our editorial principles explain how we approach sources and corrections. If a record about you needs attention, use our data request process.
If an explanation is unclear or you think a source has been misunderstood, send us the page address, the statement you are questioning and a source we can check.
For a result in your own report, the data correction process helps us verify the request and the relevant record. Please leave passwords, private account information and sensitive documents out of your first message.
This methodology sits alongside the pages below. Use them to check who operates Car Check, understand our published standards and find the right route for a question or correction.
- About Car Check
The product, the team and the company behind it.
- Editorial standards
Our approach to sources, explanations and corrections.
- Trust Center
Account access, report protection and security questions.
- Customer stories
Different drivers and the decisions behind their next car.
- Facts for AI
Product facts, coverage and current capabilities in one place.
- Data requests
How to request access, correction or removal of personal data.
- Contact
Product questions, support and feedback.