If you happen to be in the market for a used car, a good rule of thumb is to never purchase one until you are fully aware of its entire history. After all, failure to do so can potentially lead to a number of things going wrong. For instance, if you are purchasing the car from a private seller, there is a high chance that the vehicle may have been stolen, not have a clean title, or even have hidden issues that they fail to inform you about.
In such cases, it is often best not to completely rely on their word and instead gather that information yourself by running a free license plate lookup on the vehicle. As such, we decided to break down the top 5 websites that you can use to run a quick license check and give yourself the peace of mind that you need today!
What Are The Best Websites To Use For License Plate Lookups?
#1. VinPit
VinPit is a top-ranking lookup platform that makes it easy for users to conduct VIN checks and license plate checks, as well as gather detailed vehicle history reports, in a matter of minutes. The website even has an extensive database that contains comprehensive information on a vehicle’s specifications, market value, accident records, stolen records, as well as salvage and title histories.
You will also be able to find information on any recalls, transfers of states, insurance coverage, past owners, and much more data that may be tied to the vehicle’s past. This makes conducting a VIN lookup via VinPit the number one best choice for those looking to make an informed purchasing decision, especially if the vehicle in question is being sold by a private seller.
#2. VINCheckFree
When it comes to gathering instant information about a vehicle, VINCheckFree is the top platform of choice, as it provides extremely fast results on a vehicle’s basic background, such as its current market value, engine, manufacturing sites, and more.
Also, given the fact that their search engine is connected to multiple government agencies and automotive databases, you can easily perform a license plate check on vehicles from every state, no matter what the vehicle’s make, model, or brand is.
Plus, the service even offers access to a VIN check tool that ensures you are able to get a complete background report on any vehicle, regardless of where it was built or who previously owned it. And since the lookup service is free, this enables you to carry out as many vehicle background searches as you need.
#3. VINNumberLookup
VINNumberLookup allows you to access real-time information on any vehicle through in-depth vehicle history reports that compile details from sources such as national administrations and central registers. This means that you are able to review a vehicle’s history and even its technical specifications, such as the transmission, steering type, odometer readings, manufacturing faults, as well as any publicly available information on its previous owners.
Furthermore, given that all their reports are from verified sources, you can rest assured that the search results will always be highly accurate and reliable. Plus, the platform is designed with a user-friendly interface, and all lookups remain 100% confidential, so there is no concern about your search history being recorded or tracked by their servers either.
#4. Bumper
Bumper is a great vehicle lookup tool with a search database that gathers information from state-level departments as well as numerous companies like salvage auctions, insurance agencies, towing agencies, and even scrap yards to provide detailed background information on any vehicle.
However, what really makes Bumper so unique is that its search reports not only cover a wide variety of details such as theft records, accident histories, market values, and ownership costs, but also provide access to cost-of-ownership estimates that utilize data based on expected depreciation, repair costs, insurance costs, maintenance costs, fuel costs, and even recent listings for similar cars in your area.
Plus, unlike most other free license plate lookup tools, Bumper even has an Android and iOS mobile app that makes it easy for users to conduct instant searches, no matter where they are.
#5. CarVertical
CarVertical is widely considered to be one of the most progressive vehicle lookup tools in the industry, purely because the platform utilizes a blockchain mechanism to generate search reports. This in turn means that the platform provides updated, tamper-proof basic information, which guarantees that any and all information generated is highly reliable and 100% authentic.
And when combined with the fact that its database is connected to the NMVTIS and also pulls real-time information from national and private registries, insurance and database sources, fire brigade records, and car auctions, there is no doubt that CarVertical devotes a huge amount of time and effort to ensuring true data quality for all vehicle lookup searches conducted on its site.
Wrap Up
A license plate lookup is essentially your first line of defense against being defrauded in a used car sale. You will be able to gather key information on a vehicle like if it’s been in an accident, if it has a history of being stolen, if it has a clean title, if it has been salvaged, etc.
And even though most of these tools are free to use, the amount of peace of mind that they can provide is priceless, making them the cheapest form of insurance that you can ever hope to get. And now that you are aware of some of the top license plate lookup services out there as well as what you can expect from them, it’s up to you to decide which options suit you and your needs the most.
While some of them are better than others, the key thing is to at least make sure that you run the license plate to give yourself a few good insights into the vehicle’s condition and status.