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How to Check a Used Car's History Before You Buy
A car's 17-character VIN unlocks most of its past: whether it was ever reported stolen, totaled or flooded, whether its odometer adds up and whether it has open safety recalls. Several of the best checks are free. Here's what to run, in what order, and what each one can't tell you.
By AutoShuk · Updated · 6 min read
Key takeaways
- Start free: NICB VINCheck for theft, salvage and flood reports, and NHTSA's lookup for open recalls.
- NMVTIS reports show the title, the latest odometer reading and title brands such as junk, salvage or flood.
- Commercial reports add reported accidents and service visits — but only what was reported.
- No report replaces a hands-on inspection.
Find — and match — the VIN
The vehicle identification number is 17 characters long. You'll find it on the dashboard (look through the windshield on the driver's side), on a sticker in the driver's door jamb, and on the title, registration and insurance card.
Check that they all match. A VIN that differs between the car and its paperwork is the single biggest warning sign in used-car buying — criminals "clone" stolen cars by putting a legitimate VIN from another car on them.
Step 1: NICB VINCheck (free)
The National Insurance Crime Bureau's VINCheck tells you instantly whether a car has been reported stolen and not recovered, or reported as salvage or flood-damaged, by participating insurance companies.
- It's free, with a limit of five searches per 24 hours.
- You need the exact 17-character VIN — one wrong character and it can miss a match.
- It only sees records from participating insurers. NICB says plainly that it isn't a complete vehicle history report, so a clean result is a good start, not a green light.
Step 2: NHTSA recall check (free)
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to see open safety recalls on that exact car. If one comes up, ask the seller whether it's been repaired. Safety recall repairs are typically done free at a dealer for that brand, so an open recall isn't a dealbreaker — but you want to know about it before you buy.
Step 3: an NMVTIS report
The National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) is a federal database built to stop title fraud. A report shows:
- The car's current title information.
- The most recent odometer reading on record.
- Its brand history — labels states attach to a damaged car, such as "junk," "salvage" or "flood."
- In some cases, historical theft data.
The data comes from state titling agencies, auto recyclers, junk and salvage yards, and insurers. Its real value is catching title washing: a flooded or totaled car moved to another state and re-titled to hide its brand. NMVTIS reports are sold through approved providers listed on the official site, usually for a small fee.
Step 4: a commercial history report
Paid reports such as Carfax and AutoCheck pull in other kinds of records: reported accidents, service visits, the number of owners and where the car was registered. Many dealers provide one free — ask before you pay for your own.
"No accidents reported" isn't "no accidents." These reports only include what was reported to them. A crash fixed for cash at a small body shop may never show up — which is why you still inspect the car yourself.
Reading the results: red flags
- A title brand — salvage, rebuilt, junk or flood. Not always a dealbreaker on price alone, but it affects value, financing and insurance, and you need to know exactly what happened.
- Odometer readings that go down over time, or don't fit the car's wear.
- Titles in several states in a short time — a common pattern in title washing.
- A history that doesn't match the seller's story about owners, accidents or how long they've had it.
- VINs that don't match between the car and the paperwork. Walk away.
A clean history plus a clean inspection is what you're after. If you're buying from a licensed New Jersey dealer, you may also have a warranty by law as a backstop.