Free Government Car History Report

How To Decode Your Vin

VINs come in two lengths: 17 characters or 11 characters. Every motor vehicle thats on the road today has a unique VIN.

While a VIN may seem like a meaningless string of numbers, there are a few keys to decoding it.

• The first character of your VIN indicates country of origin.
• The second and third characters tell you manufacturer and division.
• The fourth through eighth characters indicate vehicle description, safety and type of engine.
• The ninth character is the manufacturers security code.
• The 10th character tells you the vehicles model year.
• The 11th character is the assembly plant identifier.
• Characters 12 through 17 are the plant sequential number/vehicle serial number.

Who Needs A Vehicle History Report

Anyone who has any stake in a vehicle could get some use out of that vehicle’s history report. First and foremost, that means buyers and sellers. If you’re buying a used vehicle, you owe it to yourself to run the VIN and make sure that your new-used car doesn’t have any major issues the seller forgot to mention. If you’re selling a used car, having the report handy will prove to the buyer that it’s worth the asking price.

Selling Or Trading A Car: What Do You Need To Know

You dont need to do anything when selling a car to a dealership or trading it in as part of the transaction for acquiring another vehicle. Whether you own a clear title or your title has a lienholder, the dealership will handle any title issues.

Selling your car to another private individual, however, requires some effort from you. If youve satisfied the vehicle loan and have a free-and-clear title, you only need to fill in the transfer information. This includes you and the buyer signing in the appropriate places. Both parties should keep a copy.

NOTE: Some states require notarized signatures. As part of this transaction, you will also need a bill of sale. You and the buyer should keep copies with the signatures of both parties. Unless you know the buyer, accept only cash or a cashiers check as payment.

If you still owe money on the vehicle and a lien is on the title, things just got more complicated. The lender will want the loan paid off to release the lien. At this point, the easiest way forward is to complete the entire transaction at the lenders offices. If its a local bank or credit union, everything can be done right then and there. You will need to make arrangements with your lender.

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Do We Need To Report Junk Or Salvage Vehicles That We Know Will Be Sold Later

Yes. Reporting entities must provide NMVTIS with the following information on each junk and salvage vehicle received into inventory every month :

• Name, address, and contact information for the reporting entity.
• Vehicle Identification Number .
• Date the automobile was obtained.
• Name of the individual or entity from whom the automobile was obtained.
• A statement of whether the automobile was crushed or disposed, or offered for sale or other purposes, as well as to whom the vehicle was provided or transferred.
• Whether the vehicle is intended for export out of the United States.

If the disposition is unknown at the time of the initial report, then the NMVTIS reporting entity can file an updated report with its NMVTIS data consolidator when the final disposition is known.

Why Do You Need To Check Car History

Before buying a car, whether used or brand new, youll want to make sure the car is worth every penny you spend. And that means you dont want any lemon cars or one with its odometer rolled back. In many cases, the dealer isnt required to tell you the repair history. So to check if a car is a catch, you need to get a car history report.

There are two types of car history reports: free and paid. Free reports can get you most of the basic info you need, like recalls, original specs and warranty. It can help you steer clear of major red flags. Paid VIN checks are in fact good investments, as theyd offer premium data like ownership history, insurance and odometer reading, which may help you avoid hidden surprises that could cost you a fortune on repairs.

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What You Need To Do A Search

To do a PPSR search, you need:

• a credit or debit card
• the cars serial number .

Youcan’t search the PPSR using the car’s number plate or engine number.

Most cars built after 1989 will have a VIN which has 17 characters.

Most cars built before 1989 will have a chassis number.

Youll normally find the VIN or chassis somewhere on the body of the car or:

• under the bonnet or in the engine bay
• at the bottom of the windscreen
• inside the door closure area on the drivers side
• on the road rego papers.

VINs and chassis are a mix of numbers and letters.

In some cases, the car may have a manufacturer’s number. You can search on its manufacturer’s number using the Search by serial number PPSR search.

Manufacturer’s numbers are often not unique and therefore searching on them alone may not protect you. You may also want to do a search on the grantor of the security interest.

Get Your Free Vehicle History Report

Are you looking for a real VIN Check & Vehicle History Report? I bet all you keep finding is a simple FREE VIN CHECKONLINE or VIN decoder with basic information. If you’re buying a used car, you want the full free Carfax reportwith ALL the details, right?

Well look no further, we have you covered! Here you can run absolutely free vehicle history reports anytime you want!Simply run your FREE VIN Check in the form below and click “submit”, that’s it.. Zero Catches, Zero Cost! Just unlimited full free car history reports with freeVIN Checks.

EachVehicle History Report Checks:

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Get a vehicle history report from our worldwide database. USA, Mexico & Canada VIN Check available for allmakes and models of Cars, Trucks, Vans, RV’s and Motorcycles!

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Get Premium Data With Beenverified

You can use BeenVerified to research a vehicle thoroughly. As an NMVTIS-approved data provider, BeenVerified makes it possible to pull detailed information from aVIN number or a license plate. By searching with the VIN number, you may get a detailed vehicle history report revealing previous owners, last odometer reading, sale listings, warranties and more.

unlimited VIN searches

What Is Included In The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating

The concept of “gross vehicle weight rating” seems to be commonly used in the automobile industry, and the Department of Transportation states it is “the maximum allowable total weight of a vehicle when loaded, including the vehicle itself plus fuel, passengers, cargo, and trailer tongue weight. This is a fixed weight specified by the manufacturer.” Usually, the GVWR can be found on a sticker on the automobile.

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If Youre In The Market For A Used Car You Probably Want To Make Sure Youre Not Going To Buy A Dud

Carfax provides vehicle history information for buyers and sellers of used cars in the U.S. and Canada, and there are three ways you can get a free Carfax report.

• When you shop for a used car on the Carfax website or on sites like autotrader.com and cars.com
• On a car dealers website or at a car dealership
• Through a private seller

But keep in mind that not every online listing, car dealership or private seller will supply a free Carfax vehicle history report. Remember, too, that a Carfax report might not include every facet of a cars history.

• Warranty information

Carfax says its reports can help you steer clear of buying a car with hidden problems, including damage caused in an accident.

Accidents are always a big concern, and a small accident might be a deal-breaker for many, says Carfax spokesperson Jim Sharifi. That said, if a car has had a small accident and the damage was repaired correctly, it could still be a great car. Thats why weve taken additional steps to explain the location and severity of accident damage on our vehicle history reports.

How To Transfer A Car Title

Every state has its own rules concerning car titles. Your life will probably be much easier, in the long run, to keep up with changes as they happen. That means getting an updated title when relocating to a new state or when the vehicle changes hands. Thats true even when the vehicle moves from one family member to another.

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What Is A Vehicle History Report

A vehicle history report , also referred to as aVIN check, VIN number check, or VIN lookup, is a detailed document that provides vehicle information about the history of a particular car, boat, truck or RV. In order to obtain a VHR to verify a car’s history, you’ll need to know your vehicle identification number .

Typically companies offer either a free VIN Check, or a more complete paid VIN number lookup.

Requesting A Vin History By Phone

In some states, you may be able to order a VIN history report by phone from your states Department of Motor Vehicles. This option will not be available in all states. You will need to have a credit or debit card available for payment when calling, and should be prepared to provide identifying information to the DMV representative at the time of the call. The resulting VIN number lookup report will be mailed to you, and may not include all of the information available from an online vehicle history report.

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How Do I Locate My Vehicles Vin Number

If you own a standard passenger vehicle, such as a car or truck, your vehicles VIN number is required by law to be clearly displayed in several places. It will be plainly listed on your vehicle title, and is usually noted on your registration sticker, as well. The easiest place to check for your VIN number, however, is directly on your vehicle.

Most VIN numbers are inscribed in the dashboard, and are clearly visible by anyone standing outside the vehicle near the windshield pillar on the drivers side of the car. Alternatively, some vehicles have VIN numbers marked on the inside of the drivers door, where it latches when closed.

My Vin’s Not Decoding Now What

If you have a legitimate VIN, it should decode, so the problem is usually typographical. Double check the VIN, make sure you have a 17-digit-long string of numerals and letters. Scan your VIN for the letters O, I, and Q, or o, i and q, in lower case. The VIN format doesn’t include these letters, because they’re too easily mistaken for the numbers 0, 1 and 9. So try replacing the necessary digits and trying again.

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Absolutely Free Vehicle History And Vin Check

VinCheck.info offers a 100% free vehicle history report. How to run a free VIN check, no credit card needed? To scan data from over 268 million registered cars in the US: 1) Enter a 17-digit VIN, 2) Click Check VIN.

VinCheck.Infos vehicle history report covers a range of topics that buyers need. It includes vehicle description or specs, theft/accident/damage/sales records, warranty, and other information. VinCheck.info compiles data a network of government, non-government, and auto industry sources. Access our comprehensive database to get a full vehicle history report using our free VIN check. You can also quickly decode your VIN using our Free VIN decoder tool. Dont have the VIN? No worries. Run our free license plate lookup tool to get the same full report.

Worried about the alarming increase of flooded cars for sale? Find out if a car has been damaged by flood using our free VIN Flood Check Tool.

What Should It Look Like

Looking every bit like a cars birth certificate, the title will include the seal of the issuing state. Although the information displayed on a title varies by state, generally, every title includes certain facts.

• Identifying information: VIN, make, model, year, and color
• Owners name and address
• Title issue date: The date the vehicle got purchased
• Odometer: Reading and when it took place
• Outstanding liens: Usually the financing lender
• Signatures: Buyer, seller, and representative of the state

A seller scamming the system isnt unheard of. But, its up to you to ensure the title the seller presents is indeed a legal title. There are some things you can look for and do to avoid being duped.

• Double-check the titles issuing state. If its not the state you are in, its likely not a valid title.
• Verify the VIN by obtaining a vehicle history report from an online provider like AutoCheck. It will cost $25 for a one-time report, but its well worth it. Reports provide detailed information, including past car owners, accident history, and maintenance records.
• Inspect the titles issue date. If its relatively recent, it could be forged.
• Check for a watermark. The absence of a watermark is a sign the title is a copy.
• Look for fuzzy or unclear printing in the document. These are indications the document is a copy.

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Clarks Key Rules Of Used

If youre searching for a free VIN report, chances are youre looking to buy a used car. According to money expert Clark Howard, buying used can be a smart move for your wallet. But it does come with some possible pitfalls youve got to watch out for.

Heres what you need to know after you pull a free vehicle history report but before you buy.

How To File For A Lost Title

To replace a lost title, check out this resource from Finance and Insurance Tools. It provides the links to state applications for replacement titles plus the cost. According to the F& I, the cost will range from $2 to 95, depending on the state where you live.

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Other Types Of Vehicles You Can Search For

When doing a PPSR used car search, you can also search for these other types of vehicles:

• caravans, campervans and camper trailers

• horse floats, trailers and boat trailers

• buses, trucks, forklifts, tractors and all-terrain vehicles .

See motor vehicle for the full definition of vehicles you can search for on the PPSR.

Because of the specific description of a motor vehicle, some motorised equipment, such as a bobcat, may not be regarded as a motor vehicle but an excavator, harvester or backhoe might be. If youre unsure, you need to research the vehicles maximum speed and power, and check if the equipment can be towed at more than 10km/h.

Ordering A Vin Lookup Online

The quickest and simplest way to perform a VIN code lookup is to order one online. Your online VIN number check report will provide you with the latest and most comprehensive information available about your vehicle. It will show your vehicles specifications, title history, applicable safety recalls and important car accident and auto insurance claim data.

Reports are available for cars, trucks, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, and even commercial vehicles, such as trucks or buses. Checking VIN numbers online can spare you the lines and wait times typically associated with ordering a report through other methods.

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How Do I Identify A Salvage Vehicle

Look at the title. It will tell you:

• If the vehicle is a salvage.
• The mileage when the vehicle was last sold.
• Who the vehicle owner is.

Sellers, including dealerships, are legally required to disclose the vehicles salvage title and history, but the law is difficult to enforce, especially when a vehicle comes from another state. Be sure the seller is the owner. If the seller is not the owner or an authorized agent for the owner, they are not entitled to sell the vehicle, and you are not entitled to transfer the vehicle to your name. If the sellers name is not on the title, there must be documentation, such as a bill of sale, dealer report of sale, or power of attorney, authorizing that person to sell the vehicle.

Effective July 1, 2012, California-licensed dealers must obtain a National Motor Vehicle Title Information System report from an approved provider before a used vehicle is offered or displayed for sale. If the NMVTIS used vehicle history report indicates the vehicle is or has been a junk or salvage, or the certificate of title contains a brand, the dealer must post a disclosure statement on the vehicle while it is displayed for sale. The only exceptions are when a dealer attempts to obtain an NMVTIS report, but NMVTIS does not have a record for the vehicle, or if the vehicle is a motorcycle, recreational vehicle, or off-highway vehicle subject to identification under California Vehicle Code §38010.

Where Can I Find Additional Information?

% Free Car History Report

This service is completely free but doesn’t provide quite as many details as CarFax, and AutoCheck reports. You will be able to check the title status and vehicle specifications.

If you are looking to buy a car, getting a vehicle history report is the most important thing you should do to avoid a lemon.

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