Five Ways to Get a Free VIN Check

Every vehicle has its very own special number known as a Vehicle Identification Number or VIN, for short. This number holds important details like where the car was registered, the type of title it has, and whether it's been in an accident with an insurance claim.

While a VIN check might not give you all the nitty-gritty details about accidents and repairs, it does offer enough information to protect you from scams. Whether you're buying a car from someone or a dealership, it's a smart move to check the VIN to learn about the car's background. The good news is there are ways to do this for free. You can even check your current car's history just to satisfy your curiosity.

In this blog, we will walk you through the process of obtaining this valuable information.

 

What's a VIN check?

 

A VIN check is a way to learn about a car's history using its unique 17-digit VIN number. This check provides you with details such as the year, brand, and model of the vehicle, where the car was put together, and Information about the car's engine and drivetrain.

 

Where to find your car's VIN?

 

• Stamped on the dashboard close to the windshield, on the driver's side.

• On a plate or sticker inside the driver's side door frame.

• Stamped on the engine's firewall.

• Under the hood near the front of the engine.

• Between the front carb and the windshield washer unit.

• On your insurance documents.

• On your vehicle's title and registration.

• Inside your owner's manual.

• In records from any body shop repairs.

 

Five ways to get a free VIN Check

 

1. National Insurance Crime Bureau

The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB.org) provides a straightforward VIN check search tool. This tool informs you whether your vehicle has been reported as lost or stolen, been salvaged, or declared a total loss after an accident.

This is one of the most basic free VIN checks available, with a limit of up to five searches permitted within a 24-hour period per IP address.

To obtain your report, go to the website and input your car's VIN number in the "Look Up a VIN" section. Alternatively, you can take a photo of your car's VIN number and upload it to the website instead of manually typing it.

 

2. iSeeCars

iSeeCars provides a comprehensive free VIN check service. You can register to receive five complimentary searches and access five complete VIN reports each month. iVIN reports are known for providing the most extensive car data.

Their no-cost VIN report includes a wide range of information, such as:

• Detailed car information

• Safety ratings

• Stolen car check

• Open recall check

• Title/lien information check

• Listing history

• Best times for buying and selling

• Market value analysis

• Mileage analysis and more

 

3. VIN Verify

The Insurance Bureau of Canada offers a free tool known as VIN Verify, which can identify vehicles with branded titles such as Flood, Fire, Irreparable, or Salvaged. With this tool, you can check if a vehicle has been reported as non-repairable in Alberta, Ontario, and the Atlantic Provinces.

 

4. VINCheck.info

VINCheck.info offers an excellent tool for those seeking valuable vehicle information. Through its VIN Lookup service, you can access extensive details about a pre-owned vehicle. The free vehicle history report from VinCheck.info is an extensive 10-page document that provides essential information about a used car. This information is gathered from both industry and government sources.

In addition to the basic information, the VIN lookup results also include additional features like market value, fuel efficiency, safety ratings, inspection checklists, recall and defect records, and auto insurance details.

 

5. VinAudit

VinAudit collaborates with Canadian government agencies, non-profit organizations, and industry resources to provide a comprehensive vehicle history report. This report encompasses vehicle brand checks, Identifying potentially hazardous salvage rebuilds, odometer checks to uncover rollbacks and tampering, stolen checks to flag both current and past theft incidents, recalls, and buyback information.

It's important that the information you receive from different sources in your free VIN reports matches. If it doesn't, it could be a sign that something is not right with the vehicle. In such cases, you should be careful before buying the car.

By using the services listed above, you can learn a lot about the car. This information helps you find out hidden problems like flood damage, safety concerns, how the car was used, and whether it had any accidents before. Having this knowledge will help you make a smart choice when buying a used car.