How to check if a car is stolen
Buying a stolen car is one of the most expensive mistakes you can make: the car still belongs to its owner or their insurer, and the police can take it away. A few checks before you pay make it very unlikely.
In short
- A history check looks for a stolen marker on the Police National Computer (PNC) against the registration.
- Check the VIN on the car matches the records, because thieves often disguise stolen cars as clones.
- View the car at the seller's home, at the address on the V5C logbook.
- If a car is flagged as stolen, don't buy it and tell the police.
Run a stolen-vehicle check
When a car is reported stolen, the police record it on the Police National Computer. A paid history check looks for that marker against the registration and tells you if it's there, along with the date it was reported where available. Run the check on the day you buy: a car can be reported stolen at any time.
Why a clear check isn't the whole story
A stolen-vehicle check looks up the registration. Thieves know this, so a stolen car is often given the identity of a similar legitimate car, with copied number plates and sometimes fake documents. The check then looks clear, because it's the real car's history. That's why you should also check that:
- the VIN on the car (bottom of the windscreen, door frame, under the bonnet) matches the V5C and the records;
- the make, model, colour and engine size on record match the car in front of you;
- the car hasn't had a recent plate change the seller can't explain.
Our guide to spotting a cloned car goes through these in detail.
Warning signs at the viewing
- The price is well below similar cars.
- The seller wants to meet somewhere other than their home, or the address on the V5C isn't where you're viewing it.
- The V5C logbook is missing or “being sent by the DVLA”.
- There's only one key, or the keys don't look original.
- Signs of forced entry: damaged locks, a replaced ignition barrel, or scratches around the door handles.
- The seller wants cash, or a fast sale with no time to check.
Check the V5C logbook
Hold it up to the light and look for the “DVL” watermark. The police and DVLA have also warned about batches of blank logbooks stolen in the past: if the serial number is between BG8229501 and BG9999030 or BI2305501 and BI2800000, don't buy the car, and contact the police. A serial number outside these ranges doesn't prove the logbook is genuine, so do the other checks too. The name and address on the logbook should match the seller and where you're viewing the car.
If a car is flagged as stolen
Don't buy it, and don't confront the seller. Leave, then call the police on 101 with the registration and the seller's details (or 999 if you feel threatened). Sometimes a car was stolen and later recovered, but the marker hasn't been cleared yet. If the seller says so, they need to get it resolved with the police before you buy, not after.
If you've already bought a stolen car
Under UK law, a thief can't pass on ownership, so the car still belongs to its original owner or the insurer who paid out. The police can take it, and you're usually left without the car or your money. Contact the police straight away. If you bought from a dealer, you may have a claim against them under the Consumer Rights Act. If you bought privately, your claim is against the seller, who is often hard to trace. Paying by card gives you a little more protection than cash.
Check a vehicle now
Free MOT, mileage and tax check for any UK car, van or motorbike. The full history check (stolen, write-off, outstanding finance, a valuation and more) is £7.49.
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