Before you pay for a used car, check that it really is the car described in its paperwork. The quickest way is to compare the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on the car with the one on the V5C log book. It takes five minutes and it is the best defence against buying a stolen or cloned car.
Where to find the VIN on the car
Most cars show the VIN in at least three places. Exact positions vary by make, but look here:
- Bottom of the windscreen: a small plate you can read from outside the car, at one corner of the windscreen.
- Door pillar: a sticker or plate on the pillar you see when you open the driver's or front passenger's door.
- Stamped into the body: often in the engine bay on the bulkhead, or under a flap in the carpet near the front seats. This one is hardest to change, so it is worth finding.
- Etched glass: some cars have the VIN or its last digits etched into the windows.
If you can't find a stamped VIN, the car's handbook or a main dealer can tell you where the manufacturer puts it.
Where to find the VIN on the paperwork
- V5C log book: in section E, “VIN/Chassis/Frame No”.
- Service history and MOT certificates: garages often record the VIN.
- Insurance documents and finance paperwork, if the seller has them.
How to check they match
- Read the VIN from the windscreen, the door pillar and the stamped number. All three must be the same, character for character.
- Compare them with section E of the V5C. Check the make, model, colour and engine size on the V5C match the car too.
- Run a history check on the registration. The CarCheckUp report shows the last digits of the VIN held on record, so you can compare them with the car in front of you. Our VIN check also works if you only have the VIN.
Warning signs of a tampered VIN
- Scratches, fresh paint, glue or new rivets around a VIN plate.
- A VIN sticker that looks newer than the rest of the car, or characters in a different font.
- Numbers that don't match between the windscreen, door pillar and body.
- The letters I, O or Q in the VIN: a genuine VIN never uses them.
- A seller who can't show the V5C, says it is “in the post”, or wants to meet somewhere other than the address printed on it.
Check the V5C itself
The V5C should have a “DVL” watermark when you hold it up to the light. DVLA warns that blank V5Cs were stolen, so don't buy a vehicle whose V5C serial number is between BG8229501 and BG9999030 or BI2305501 and BI2800000. You can also check the log book details with our DVLA log book check.
Remember that the V5C shows the registered keeper, who is not always the legal owner. A car can still have outstanding finance against it, which only a finance check will show.
If something doesn't match
Don't buy the car, and don't hand over a deposit. A VIN that doesn't match can mean a stolen car, a cloned car or a vehicle rebuilt from parts of others. If you think a car may be stolen, walk away and report it to the police on 101.
Key points
- Find the VIN in at least three places on the car and compare them with section E of the V5C.
- Look for signs of tampering and check the V5C watermark and serial number.
- Run a history check before you pay: it shows finance, write-off, theft and plate changes that the VIN alone can't.
Some people call the VIN the chassis number, so you may also see this described as a chassis number check. You can search vehicle details by chassis number with our VIN and chassis number check, and see when the V5C was last issued with our V5C logbook check.