Checking a license plate and a vehicle owner is not as easy as many believe.
In the United States, you do not have access to specific data about American citizens by the Privacy Protection Act. However, it is something you can find without getting into trouble.
There are methods by which you can find information about a vehicle with only the license plate data. Let us see each of them.
Is it legal to search for any car owner?
In the United States, there is the Drivers Privacy Protection Act (DPPA), a privacy protection law that expressly prohibits access to drivers’ personal information in DMV records. So, you will not be able to search for a vehicle owner through the car data.
The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is the automobile registration office in charge of vehicular information in the nation. This agency processes all data related to these records. Some of them may be for public use, while other information is personal.
The data for public use can be found by the DMV or through specialized portals that offer this service online. However, you will not access the driver’s data unless you ask that person directly.
After clarifying that point, let us see how to find information about a vehicle through its license plate.
How to check any car´s license plate?
As we already mentioned, there are several methods you can use to perform this search. The reasons can vary from verifying information for the vehicle purchase, for a traffic accident, or simply wanting to know the market value.
These are the leading platforms you can use:
- The DMV portal
- Carfax
- EpicVIN
- VIN Check
- BeenVerified
- Auto check
- Bumpers
Let us see each one of them:
1. The DMV
It is the first place you should go if you want to find information related to a license plate. Each state has a DMV, so you must visit the state’s specific DMV website and register as a user.
With the license plate number, you can obtain all the vehicle specifications, year, and model, as well as the vehicle´s registration date. This information has a cost, which will depend on the rates of each state.
For example, we leave you the link to the New York DMV here: DMV New York.
2. Carfax
Carfax is a frequently used portal worldwide when searching for automobile information. It has a vast database and offers you very comprehensive vehicle history reports.
If you are in the process of buying a vehicle, Carfax reports will be helpful. You can corroborate the maintenance history, previous owners, and accident information. All this with just the license plate or VIN code.
Carfax record prices are affordable and even run price promotions for multiple documents.
3. EpicVIN
EpicVIN is another portal with an impressive database and presence in the United States and Europe. You can find vehicle information for free by adding the license plate or VIN to your search engine.
But if you want more detailed reports, select a paid package. The pieces of information are cheaper as the package is more extensive. You can obtain the car’s specifications, accident records, theft records, and warranty information, among others.
4. VINCheck
One of the car information services that has given much to talk about is VINCheck. This portal offers all its information for free, based on a gigantic database. No subscription requires, and there are no hidden fees.
With just the vehicle’s license plate, you can find its specifications, warranty information, sales history, and more. If the car is in the database, you will have all the information for free.
You will be able to browse the free reports on the page or drop an email to have it sent to you. You should note that these free services are not entirely accurate and do not offer complete information. But if you are lucky, you may find what you are looking for.
5. BeenVerified
BeenVerified is a portal that specializes in finding information of all kinds. From people and cars to phone numbers and emails.
All the information you access here is public data, so you will not have problems receiving it. With just the car’s license plate or VIN code, you can access its technical specifications, accident and breakdown reports, or previous owners, if any.
To access this information, you must subscribe to a plan for a limited time.
6. Autocheck
Autocheck is another great portal for searching for car information on the internet. It offers detailed information on cars in all fifty states, including accident history, odometer, technical specifications, and more.
To use the portal, you must pre-subscribe and pay for one of the available historical reporting plans. You can access the car information only with the license plate or VIN.
7. Bumper
Bumper is a car search site where you can check vehicle history by license plate, VIN, maker, model, and year. It even provides an application that you can download to your mobile, so you can search from wherever you want.
To access the information, you must subscribe to one of its two paid plans, in which you can request up to fifty different reports.
If you need a vehicle’s data through its license plate, you can choose from the platforms we have covered. You will notice that the current owner’s data will not be available. The DPPA does not allow sharing of the driver’s personal information.
