Free UK car history and write-off check

Enter any UK registration and see the car's full MOT history, every recorded mileage reading, advisories and failure reasons, tax and MOT status, and whether it shows up in salvage auction records. The data comes from the DVSA MOT history service and DVLA, so it is the same official record a garage sees.

What the check covers

• Every MOT test: pass, fail, the failure items and the advisories
• Mileage at each test, so clocking and inconsistent readings stand out
• Current tax and MOT expiry
• Make, model, engine, fuel and first registration date

Why mileage history matters most

A mileage that drops between tests, or barely moves for years then jumps, is the single clearest warning sign in a used car listing. See what the MOT history tells you and how to check if a car has been written off.

What "written off" actually means

A write-off marker (Cat A, Cat B, Cat S or Cat N) is not on the MOT record itself: it is an insurance industry marker, recorded separately by the insurer and searchable against the registration. This check pulls that alongside the MOT and mileage history so you see both in one place, since a car with a clean MOT history can still carry a marker, and vice versa.

What you need before you check

Just the registration. No account, no card, and the free result covers the headline picture: MOT pass/fail count, current tax and MOT status, and whether a write-off marker exists at all. A free account unlocks every individual test, the failure reasons and advisories on each one, and the full mileage timeline.

When you need the confirmed write-off category

This free check flags whether a write-off marker exists, but confirming the actual category (Cat A, B, S or N), outstanding finance and a police stolen check need licensed data. Run the Full HPI Report for that: 5 credits, no subscription.

If it turns out to be written off

See what that model actually sold for at UK salvage auction, real settled hammer prices by model, free with no sign in.

Not sure where to find the VIN, or what it should match? See how to read one or decode it free.

Comparing providers? See how we stack up against HPI Check, against carVertical and against Experian AutoCheck.