$1 VIN Check
Enter VIN number to get a detailed vehicle history report.
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Just like humans have social security numbers, each vehicle is assigned with a VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) that uniquely identifies it. Researching that number may give you a summary of a vehicle’s previous life, including its specs, assembly plant, registration, title status, miles traveled, maintenance records, whether it has a lien against it, and so on.
And the good news is, you don’t always have to part with your hard-earned money to get a VIN checked. In this article, we’re showing you 5 free-ish ways to check a VIN number. Read on…
1. Check a VIN number with BeenVerified
BeenVerified offers a powerful portal for you to get a deep dive into a vehicle’s past. Just enter a VIN, license plate number, or vehicle model, then the engine will dig up a wealth of available information and compile it into an easy-to-read report for you. This may include specs, ownership history, title status, owner details, accident records, theft records, salvage records, safety recalls, odometer readings, maintenance history, etc.
Here is how to run a VIN check with BeenVerified:
- Go to BeenVerified Official Website.
- Enter the VIN, and click Search.
- Wait a few seconds as BeenVerified gathers records for the vehicle and generates a report based on your vehicle.
2. Look up VIN with NICB
NICB (National Insurance Crime Bureau) is a government agency with a mission to protect consumers from stolen and unsafe motor vehicles. Its free VIN check service allows you to check the national database to determine if a vehicle has ever been declared unrecovered stolen or total loss (aka. salvage).
- Go to NICB.
- Enter the VIN number, tick the box next to I agree and complete the captcha. Then click SEARCH VIN.
- Wait a few seconds for NICB to scan the data and show you whether the vehicle has a theft or total loss record.
Note that NICB VIN check isn’t a VIN lookup tool by its nature, so you won’t get other types of information such as an automobile or motorcycle’s specs, owner details, accident history, odometer reading, or sales listings.
3. Run a safety check with NHTSA
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) regulates the safety of motor vehicles and related equipment. In an endeavor to keep people safe on American roads, it provides a free VIN lookup service to help you learn if a specific vehicle and its equipment – seats, tires, airbags – have any safety-related issues or recalls.
To run a VIN lookup at NHTSA, all you need to do is feed the VIN number into its search box:
Checking the VIN against NHTSA may give you some needed peace of mind regarding the reliability and roadworthiness of a motor vehicle.
4. Get a vehicle history report at a used car site
Today most big name used car research and shopping websites have integrated vehicle search in their engine. So you can check out their websites to see if they provide VIN lookups for free. For example, you can perform up to 5 VIN lookups atiSeeCars with its free plan; CarFax allows you to run a free Make & Model search on its list of used cars – remember though, CarFax’s VIN lookup is prohibitively expensive, with one single report setting you back $39.99.
5. VINFreeCheck
Last but not least on our free VIN checklist is VINFreeCheck. Despite “Free” in its name, it’s actually a paid service offering basic information as a taster. Their free reports include a vehicle’s make, model, and country of origin, but barely anything more. If you need more details, you’ll be required to pay. A single report costs $8.99.
That’s it – 5 free ways to check a VIN number without spending a dime. Hopefully, it helps. If you have any questions, ideas, or suggestions, you’re more than welcome to leave us a comment below, thanks!
Image by Drazen Zigic on Freepik