How to get information with a license plate in UK ?

License plates! Who never thought about getting information to know more about a car or its owner with this number combination? We are going to find out together what you can know about a car and you can't.

Regularly, you ask us about information that you need about license plates. We are going to try to answer each question that you could ask yourself the most complete way as possible.

Identify the owner

Possible... but... ! There's not really a way to obtain information about the owner of a car only using its registration number. Running a license plate check on someone to obtain his identity is illegal in all circumstances.

If anyone could get an identity only using its registration number, there would be abuse, no doubt on it. There is no way to obtain someone's identity, except in cases of extreme necessity !

You can somehow identify the owner of a car but you will need to have "reasonable cause" such as tracing a car involved in an accident or crime. Print and fill out one of the following forms, then send it by mail at the adress mentionned on the form's last page.

• Use this form to apply as an individual
• Use this one to apply as a company
• Use this one to apply as a company that issues parking charge notices

Identify a model

Yes, you can! Several internet websites offers this kind of service, the main one is directly from the government and is using the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) files. This is probably the most complete and useful website to obtain information. You can find it right here and all you have to do is type the Registration number and the make of the car.

If you don’t know the manufacturer, you can use a site like this one and you will obtain some minor information about the car, like the brand. Then, use it on the governmental website to have more information.

Using these websites will give you a whole lot of information about the car in question. Its date of first registration, its year of manufacture, its motor, the type of fuel it use and its original color.

Knowing a vehicle's year

Yes of course ! This website will give you the year of manufacture and the date of first registration about almost any car.

Knowing where a car comes from

Nope, sorry... You can't obtain this sort of information only using the license plate. If this car is a classic, you can still look around and check if there's any sticker from a local enthusiast's club.

Knowing a car's VIN

No, not with the license plate. However, you can check almost any Vehicle Identification Number simply by looking for it directly on the car. This number is unique and each car has it's own VIN. Usually, it's written on the bottom part of the windshield. There's no other way to obtain legally a car's VIN.

Know more
 

Some websites offers you the opportunity to give you more information about one or several vehicles, useful before a purchase. Only the police, the government and the cars insurance companies have an access to more information. Some car dealers may have those information too. However, those information remains private, except for those issued in this article. Feel free to contact us if you have any question, we'll try and do our best to answer.

Cliquez ici pour obtenir des informations d'après une plaque d'immatriculation française