A car check report answers one question: is this car what the seller says it is? The free check shows what the DVLA and DVSA hold on the car (make, colour, engine, tax, MOT status and every MOT test since 2005), and the full car history check adds the records a buyer can't see from the driving seat: outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, the police stolen marker, previous keepers, plate changes and the vehicle's identity numbers. This guide explains how the report is laid out, what each section means, and how to use the new search box to find any detail in a second or two instead of scrolling.
What a car check report shows
Both reports open with the car's plate, its vehicle score and a summary. The free check and the full report hold different data, so it helps to know which one answers your question before you start reading.
| Question | Free check | Full report |
|---|---|---|
| Is it taxed, and when is the MOT due? | Yes: tax status and due date, MOT status and expiry | Yes |
| Has it passed its MOTs, and with what advisories? | Yes: every test since 2005 with mileage, failures and advisories | Yes, with the mileage anomaly check |
| Is the mileage genuine? | Mileage history from the MOT readings | Yes: the readings checked for anomalies |
| Is there money owed on it? | No | Yes: lender, agreement type and date |
| Has it been written off? | No | Yes: category and date of loss |
| Is it recorded as stolen? | No | Yes: the Police National Computer marker |
| How many owners has it had? | No | Yes: keeper count and last change |
| Do the VIN and engine number match the car? | No | Yes: both on record, to compare with the V5C and the car |
| What are its weights, dimensions, power and economy? | Revenue weight only | Yes: the full specification |
The sample full report shows every section with real data, and the sample free check shows what you get for nothing. What no report can show is the keeper's name and address, the car's service history or whether it is insured today; the askMID service covers insurance.
How the report is laid out
The report reads top to bottom in the order a buyer needs it:
- Plate and vehicle score. The score sums up the MOT record, mileage and DVLA status; the full report's score also counts the finance, write-off and stolen checks. How the vehicle score works explains the maths.
- Summary. The MOT, road tax, mileage and export status in four tiles, then the identity facts (colour, fuel, engine, first registration). On the full report, the records that need your attention come first, then the checks that came back clear.
- Risk sections (full report): outstanding finance, write-off and damage, the stolen marker and the high risk register, each with what the record means and what to ask the seller.
- History sections: MOT history, mileage, previous keepers, plate changes, colour changes, log book (V5C) issue dates and VIC inspections.
- Vehicle details: emissions and ULEZ, running costs, and the full specification.
On a phone, a row of chips sits at the top of the screen and follows you down the page: tap one to jump to that section. On a desktop the same list is in the sidebar. Locked chips on the free check show which sections exist only in the full report.
New: search inside the report
Long reports have one problem: the detail you want is somewhere in two thousand words. The search box fixes that. On a phone it sits at the top of the screen above the section chips; on a desktop it is at the top of the sidebar. Start typing and the matches appear under the box as you type, each with its value and the section it comes from. Tap one and the report scrolls to that row, opens the fold it sits in and highlights it for a moment.
It searches everything on the page: the summary tiles, every label and value, each MOT test with its advisories and failures, the records in the risk sections, every row of the mileage and specification tables, and on the free check the locked premium checks too. A few examples:
- tax shows the road tax tile (taxed or SORN, with the due date) and, on the full report, the recorded tax band and cost.
- tyre lists only the MOT tests where a tyre was an advisory or a failure.
- 2024 finds the 2024 MOT test and any record dated that year.
- keepers or owners goes to the previous keepers section; chassis finds the VIN; cat or write off finds the write-off record.
- bhp, mpg, weight or length open the right row of the specification.
Plain words work as well as the report's own labels: it knows that owner means keeper, colour and color are the same, and logbook means V5C. On a keyboard, the arrow keys move through the results and Enter jumps; the / key puts the cursor in the box from anywhere on the page.
If you search the free check for something that only the full report holds, such as finance or keepers, the result is marked "Full report" and takes you to that check's box, so you know the answer exists and where to get it. If nothing matches at all, the box says so rather than guessing.
The six things to check first
Whatever the car, read these before anything else:
- Finance. If an agreement is recorded, the lender may still own the car. Ask for a settlement letter before you pay. Outstanding finance check.
- Write-off. Category S or N cars can be repaired and sold legally, but the record lowers the value and should be reflected in the price. Written off car check.
- Stolen marker. Anything other than a clear result or "recovered" means walk away and tell the police force listed.
- VIN and engine number. Compare the report's numbers with the V5C and with the car itself (windscreen plate, door shut, engine block). A mismatch is the classic sign of a cloned car.
- Keepers and plate changes. Several keepers in a short time, or a plate change just before the sale, deserve a question. Previous owners check.
- Mileage. The MOT readings should climb steadily; a drop, or a long gap followed by a low figure, needs an explanation. Mileage check.
Reading the MOT history
Each test shows the date, the result, the mileage and the certificate expiry, then the failures and advisories as the tester recorded them. Advisories are not failures: a worn tyre or a corroded brake pipe passed the test that day but will cost money soon. Look at the pattern over several years rather than one test. The same advisory three years running means nobody fixed it; a cluster of failures at one test followed by a pass a week later is normal repair work. Free MOT history check explains each line, and the full report adds the mileage anomaly check across all readings.
Why a result says "Full report"
The free check comes from the DVLA and DVSA, which hold the vehicle's registration and test records but nothing about finance, insurance claims, theft or keepers. Those records come from Experian and the Police National Computer and are in the full report. Searching the free check for them shows you the locked box so you know what is missing; nothing in the free check pretends to have an answer it doesn't. The sample report shows how each of those sections looks when a record is found and when it is clear.
Frequently asked questions
Does the search box send my search anywhere?
No. It runs in your browser on the report that is already on the screen. Nothing is sent to a server and nothing is stored.
Can I search a report I bought earlier?
Yes. Open the report from the link in your email or from your account; the search box is part of every report page, including reports bought before it was added.
Why does "insurance" show the write-off section?
A write-off is an insurer's record, so the report files it under insurance write-off and damage. Whether the car is insured today is not in any history check; use askMID for that.
Can I print or save the report with the search box?
The PDF download and the print view leave the search box and the navigation out, so you get the report itself.
What should I search for first on a car I'm about to buy?
Finance, write off, stolen, then keepers and mileage. If all five are clear, read the MOT advisories for the last three years and compare the VIN with the car.