Free License Plate Lookup – Search Vehicle Info by Plate Number

Start with a license plate and state to view available vehicle details such as make, model, year, and VIN (when available). For deeper history checks, you can continue with a full VIN check.

by VIN, Year, Make, Model by License Plate

Check Vehicle History Instantly by Plate!

A license plate lookup helps you begin researching a vehicle when you don’t yet have the VIN. While a car may appear fine at first glance, certain records—such as title branding indicators or open recalls—are not visible during a physical inspection.

With VinCheck.info, you can search a U.S. license plate to access available, non-personal vehicle information using trusted data sources. Depending on state and database coverage, results may include:

  • Vehicle make, model, year, and trim
  • VIN linked to the plate (when available)
  • Title branding indicators (availability varies by state)
  • Usage or classification indicators (e.g., rental or fleet, when reported)
  • Theft or total loss indicators (when available)
  • Open recalls and safety information

VinCheck.info provides this lookup without requiring account creation or payment. For more complete vehicle history details, including deeper title and event records, you can continue with a full VIN check after the lookup.

The Hidden Risks of Buying a Used Car

Buying a used car might seem like a great way to save money. However, a good-looking car can still have hidden problems.

For instance, some sellers roll back the odometer to show fewer miles. Others sell cars that were in serious crashes but fixed without leaving any trace. In some cases, people use “washed” titles to hide major damage from the past.

You might also find cars that were once stolen or damaged by floods. On top of that, some vehicles still have safety recalls that the owner never fixed.

In a VinCheck.info internal review of thousands of used car records—aggregated from comprehensive databases like NMVTIS, NHTSA —the following issues were identified:

  • Around 1 in 5 cars carried a salvage title, signaling major past damage.
  • Roughly 1 in 15 vehicles had been rebuilt after significant repairs.
  • Accident history showed up in 1 out of every 25 cars.
  • Odometer fraud was uncovered in 1 in 50 vehicles.
  • Flood damage affected about 1 in every 100 cars.
  • Only 1 in 250 cars had been reported stolen.

These numbers should make you think twice. Before buying any car, it’s smart to check its history. Just a few minutes with a VIN check can save you thousands—and protect you from big problems down the road.

US License Plate Format

How to Use Our Free License Plate Lookup Tool

A license plate lookup helps you identify a vehicle and retrieve available non-personal information using the plate number and state. Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Enter the plate number
Type the full plate number exactly as shown.

Step 2: Select the state
Choose the state where the plate is registered.

Step 3: Run the lookup
View available vehicle details. If the VIN is returned, you can continue with a full VIN check for deeper history information.

No matter what your goal is—whether it’s a tag number lookup, a full license plate search, or converting a plate to VIN—this tool works great for buyers, sellers, and curious car owners. It’s the easiest way to learn how to find a car’s VIN from a plate. Anyone can do it—no tech skills needed!

What You Can Learn from a License Plate Lookup

A free license plate lookup can show you a lot more than you might think. Whether you’re buying a used car, researching a seller, or double-checking a vehicle’s past, this tool gives you fast, useful answers.

Let’s break down what you can find with a license plate to VIN search:

  1. Basic Vehicle Info
    Right from the start, you’ll see the car’s make, model, and year. Don’t have a VIN yet? That’s okay—you can still get started.
  2. Full VIN (Vehicle Identification Number)
    Use a license plate to VIN tool to uncover the full 17-digit VIN. That opens the door to full history reports.
  3. Title Status
    Learn if the car has a clean title. Or find out if it was marked as salvage, rebuilt, or flood-damaged.
  4. Theft or Total Loss Records
    Before you decide, check if the car was ever stolen or declared a total loss by an insurance company.
  5. Accident History
    Look into any past accidents. See how bad the damage was and if an insurance company paid for repairs.
  6. Odometer Readings
    Watch out for fake mileage. You can spot problems like rollbacks or numbers that don’t match.
  7. Open Recalls
    Make sure the car doesn’t have any safety recalls that were never fixed.
  8. Sales History
    Track how many people have owned the car. You’ll also see if it was used for personal driving, business, or rentals.
  9. Loan or Lien Details
    Before you pay, check if the car still has any unpaid loans. This helps you confirm the seller really owns the car and can sell it.

Suffice to say, a tag number lookup or license plate owner lookup free service gives you peace of mind when making car buying decisions.

Yes—license plate lookup tools can be used to retrieve non-personal vehicle information, but U.S. privacy laws restrict access to personal data.

VinCheck.info complies fully with the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (DPPA, 18 U.S. Code § 2721). This federal law protects personal details linked to vehicle records. Because of that, we do not display sensitive personal information such as the registered owner’s name, address, or phone number. Our tool is designed to help users verify vehicle details and available records in a privacy-compliant way.

  • Double-check what a seller says before you buy a used car
  • Look into a car linked to suspicious behavior
  • Review the history of a business or fleet vehicle

These tools give you the facts you need while staying ethical, legal, and privacy-compliant. In short, you’ll get clarity before you commit—without guesswork or risk.

Alternatives to License Plate Lookup

You can check a car by tag number using a tag number lookup, but that’s not your only option. There are other tools that give you even more helpful details:

Plate-to-VIN Decoder
If you have the 17-digit VIN, you can use it to see the car’s full specs. This includes trim level, engine type, and other key features.

Free Vehicle History Report
The Carfax report alternative shows any accidents, mileage problems, or past junk or salvage titles. It uses trusted NMVTIS data.

Title Check
Want to know if a car has a lien or a rebuilt title? A title check can show past ownership records and any title issues that might lower the car’s value.

Each tool offers a different piece of the puzzle. When combined with a plate number search, they give you a more complete view of the vehicle.

Vehicle Information – Trusted Sources

VinCheck.info compiles data from reputable, government-authorized sources to deliver reliable vehicle history reports:

  • NMVTIS
  • NHTSA
  • State DMVs
  • Insurance Carriers
  • Law Enforcement
  • Auto Manufacturers
  • Salvage and Insurance Auctions
  • Industry Partners and Aggregators

These sources ensure the data is accurate, federally compliant, and regularly updated.

Here are some of the most common license plate lookup queries users search for:

  • License Plate to VIN – Decode a VIN number using just the license plate.
  • Car Owner Lookup – Find registered owner information from a plate number.
  • Check Plate Number – Validate registration status or check for title issues.
  • Reverse License Plate Search – Find car by plate starting with just a tag number.
  • Look Up License Plate Owner Free – Access public records related to vehicle ownership history.

Whether you’re doing a free license plate owner lookup or trying to find a car’s VIN from a tag, our tools are designed to help you uncover reliable information quickly.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I find out who owns a car by license plate?

You can learn some details—like title history, past ownership transfers, and vehicle status—but personal owner information (such as name and address) is protected by law. Unless you have a legally approved reason under the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (DPPA), this data remains private.

Is a free license plate lookup accurate?

Yes, a free license plate lookup can be very accurate when it uses data from reliable sources. Our tool pulls from NMVTIS, NHTSA, and other trusted databases. Just remember, the results depend on how up-to-date and complete the government records are.

Can I look up a plate number in all 50 states?

Absolutely. Our license plate lookup tool works in all 50 U.S. states plus Washington, D.C. Whether you’re in Texas, California, or New York, you can run a search with ease.

How is plate-to-VIN different from a VIN search?

A plate-to-VIN lookup lets you find the vehicle’s VIN using just the license plate. From there, you can run a full VIN check to uncover deeper history. On the other hand, a VIN search requires that you already have the VIN handy.

What is a reverse license plate lookup?

A reverse license plate lookup retrieves vehicle information using only the license plate number.

Are there hidden costs with VinCheck.info's free license plate number search?

VinCheck.info offers vehicle registration plate search at no cost at all. It’s completely free, without requiring users to provide credit card information. This service is supported by advertising, eliminating the traditional paywall associated with accessing vehicle history reports.

Is a license plate lookup the same as a VIN check?

While both provide vehicle history, a license plate lookup focuses on plate-associated records, while a VIN check uses the vehicle’s unique identification number.

Can I perform a license plate lookup anonymously with VinCheck.info?

Yes, VinCheck.info allows users to perform license plate check anonymously. Users do not need to provide any personal information to access the service. All it takes is entering the license plate number and selecting the state to securely receive results. This ensures privacy and peace of mind for users conducting vehicle research.

How reliable is the free vehicle history report from VinCheck.info license plate lookup?

The reliability and accuracy of information in a vehicle history report can vary based on the source and data quality. Reputable services like VinCheck.info gather data from trusted data sources such as government agencies, insurance companies, and law enforcement databases, generally resulting in more accurate reports. However, no database is perfect, so occasional inaccuracies or missing information may occur. Users should cross-check information from a license plate check with other sources when possible.

How can I perform VinCheck.info's free license plate lookup?

Several online services and websites offer this vehicle research tool. Some services may require payment for detailed reports, while others, such as VinCheck.info, provide this service for free. Simply enter the license plate number, select the state from the drop-down menu, and then click “Search License Plate” to access a vehicle history report.

Look Up License Plates by State

Discover detailed, state-specific vehicle history reports with ease. Whether you’re researching a car registered in your state or elsewhere in the U.S., VinCheck.info makes it simple and convenient. Our platform supports license plate searches for all 50 states, providing you with reliable and tailored information in just a few clicks.

Alabama  Alaska  Arizona  Arkansas  California  Colorado  Connecticut  Delaware  Florida  Georgia  Hawaii  Idaho  Illinois  Indiana  Iowa  Kansas  Kentucky  Louisiana  Maine  Maryland  Massachusetts  Michigan  Minnesota  Mississippi  Missouri  Montana  Nebraska  Nevada  New Hampshire  New Jersey  New Mexico  New York  North Carolina  North Dakota  Ohio  Oklahoma  Oregon  Pennsylvania  Rhode Island  South Carolina  South Dakota  Tennessee  Texas  Utah  Vermont  Virginia  Washington  West Virginia  Wisconsin  Wyoming