National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) offers free reports on safety recalls of a vehicle. But it only offers VIN lookup. If you’re curious about a car’s safety details, recalls, and history but don’t have its VIN, you can run an NHTSA license plate lookup. We’ll share how.

Does NHTSA support license plate lookup?

The short answer is No. As a source of vehicle safety information, NHTSA provides you with safety-related details of a specific vehicle after running a VIN lookup. An NHTSA report will include:

• Unrepaired safety recalls
• Complaints and investigations
• Safety tests
• Basic specs

But if you’re curious about the above details but don’t have access to the VIN, you can run a license plate lookup with the help of certain tools. Read on to find out how.

How to run an NHTSA license plate lookup?

To get an NHTSA report by license plate, you can use license plate lookup tools like BeenVerified, Bumper, and EpicVIN. All of them are NMVTIS-approved data providers that can reveal safety details as NHTSA does.

Beyond that, you can also find titles, accident & theft records, odometer readings, warranty, and price history of the vehicle. Because they collect data not only from NHTSA but also from state-level government agencies, insurance providers, and auto industry partners.

1. BeenVerified

BeenVerified is a strong vehicle search tool. With access to data collected from state-level government agencies, insurance providers, and auto industry partners, it can reveal everything you need to know about a vehicle. Enter the license plate number, then it will generate a report containing recalls, titles, and a detailed history.

1. Visit the BeenVerified vehicle search page.
2. Enter the license plate number, state, and click SEARCH.
   
3. Wait for BeenVerified to search through the database and generate a report. Once done, you’ll get an in-depth look into the vehicle’s history.
   

2. Bumper

Bumper is an Approved NMVTIS (National Motor Vehicle Title Information System) Data Provider. It’s a leading vehicle search tool that gathers information from government authorities, insurance providers, and more. Apart from safety details, it will show you title records, accident & theft records, and more.

1. Go to Bumper.
2. Select License Plate, enter the number and state, then click SEARCH.
   
3. Wait for Bumper to check through its database. Then it’ll give you everything it can find that is linked to the vehicle, including recalls, odometer readings, and more.
   

3. EpicVIN

EpicVIN is also an NMVTIS-powered vehicle data provider. With over 350 million data records from reliable resources, it’s capable of offering you genuine information like warranty details, recalls, odometer readings, theft records, hidden damages, and more. Here’s how to use it:

1. Go to EpicVIN.
2. Select by US License Plate, enter the number, and click Check Plate.
   
3. Wait as EpicVIN finds the information related to the plate number. Then you’ll receive a report containing everything you need to know about the vehicle.
   

Final thoughts

Despite the fact that running an NHTSA license plate lookup reveals much information related to a certain vehicle, it should not take the place of a thorough mechanical inspection in person. Especially when you’re buying a used car. We hope you find the post helpful!

The methods in this article provide you with easy access to public record information, but without a guarantee for accuracy and may include links to websites not listed as a Consumer Reporting Agency (CRA). Information acquired from these bodies is illegal to be used for employment, housing, credit, and other purposes alike, according to laws such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). If you’re not sure whether your use of our methods is appropriate, click here for details.

By Arlee Hu

As a dedicated content creator at Super Easy, Arlee’s passion lies in discovering the finest products, services, and ingenious how-tos for our valued readers, all while delivering helpful tips and a unique perspective.

Prior to joining Super Easy, Arlee gained experience as an English-Chinese interpreter for a government foreign affairs office while she was at graduate school and later for an online course platform. These roles demanded her ability to quickly grasp essential knowledge in diverse fields within tight deadlines. Now, Arlee leverages her exceptional skills in rapid learning and information retrieval at Super Easy, aiming to provide readers with the most up-to-date and relevant information available.

In her leisure time, Arlee enjoys traveling and has already explored 12 countries, all meticulously planned and organized by herself. Additionally, she contributes to international media platforms by offering her translation expertise, gaining valuable practical experience along the way.

View all of Arlee Hu's posts.