What Information Can You Get From a California License Plate Number?
By car sales, California is the top state in the United States. With numerous new registrations every year, it is one of the biggest car markets in the world. With this, license plate look ups are quite common in the region for information verification or vehicle identification. Conducting a California license plate lookup is a good idea if you are buying a used car. This is to ensure you get a reliable vehicle and close a good deal. You can also determine the accurate market value of the vehicle.
How do you read California license plates?
The vehicle plate number system of California is specific and straightforward. The CA license plate comprises seven digits (1number, 3 letters, and 3 numbers), which follow a logical sequence. Since 1980, the order begins with 1AAA000 then 1AAA001. The next sequence would be 1AAB000 and goes to 1AAB001 and so on.
30 years ago, there were fewer car registrations; hence, the sequence moved a bit slower. The California license plates that have a 4-plate such as 4AAA000 are from the late 90’s to 2000s classic, which is the original plate number from that period. An original license plate is often an indication that the car is with its first owner or has been changed ownership only privately. The new owners can keep the same CA license plates when the purchase happens between private parties.
A vehicle is sometimes re-plated when it enters a dealer system, issuing it a new number in the plate registration sequence. The new license plate number will start at 8 when the car trade-in occurs from 2017 up to the present, for example, 8AAA000.
In general, the vehicles registered in California from 1998-2000 were given a sesquicentennial plate to honor the 150 th anniversary of the state. After these sesquicentennial license plates, the bottom part reads “dmv.ca.gov.”
To illustrate:
- 1980-1994 (1-plate, 2-plate, 3-plate)
- 1995-2002 (4-plate)
- 2003-2013 (5-plate, 6-plate)
- 2014-2016 (7-plate)
- 2017-present (8-plate)
When purchasing a used car, determine if the plate number and the era of the vehicle match up. This way, you get a piece of information about the ownership history of the car.
Can you look up a California license plate?
A license plate lookup in California starts by entering the number into a search tool. The tool typically provides information about the car that carries the license plate. A California license plate lookup is performed for several reasons. It helps identify ownership, grant driving, show proof of registration, parking privileges, etc.
In addition, a CA DMV license plate lookup is initiated to find out the history of the vehicle and obtain its traffic records, particularly when someone wants to buy the car with its license plate. Through a vehicle history report, it will verify the faults of the car; thus, helping the person make the right purchase decision. If you want to get information regarding the car of another person in California, you may visit the State Department of Motor Vehicles locations. It is also possible to perform a license plate lookup for your own car via car record request tool online.
A lookup conducted using the DMV search tool usually comes with a fee, and there are some third-party services that offer it for free. If you use a CA license plate lookup tool, you will receive a detailed report on the history and conditions of the car. These often include:
- Service, Inspection, and Registration History
- Recalls and Defects
- Car Specifications – Pay close attention to the tires and body color, among the standard equipment of the vehicle
- Fire, Flood, and Hail Damage
- Odometer Indications – Determine if everything is correct with the mileage
- Theft and Recovery Records – You will know if the car was ever stolen
- Taxi, Police, or Personal Use
- Information about damages or accidents – For example, fallen trees or vandalism
- Mileage Rollback
- Lien and Repossession Records – If the car was involved in a financial mess such as being used in a loan as a financial promise
- Safety status – The report will inform you of any safety concerns the vehicle has like engine issues, status of tires, airbags, and more
If you own or recently bought a used car, looking up its license plate number can give you more information about the vehicle, which can help for better maintenance and overall ownership.
Can you look up the owner of a license plate in California?
In the initial car registration with the DMV, the information regarding the owner and the vehicle is obtained after purchase. By law, the privacy of the owner is protected, which means sensitive details are not easily accessible through a California license plate lookup owner. When doing a search, you can only obtain the model, make, and year of the car, and other restricted data. If there is also a search about recall or safety notice, you can get the VIN (vehicle identification number).
California license plate lookup providers are legal, helping to reveal car information. But it is illegal to use the data to do certain activities such as stalking or harassing the owner. For this, most lookup services limit the details they provide in the report, such as not including the personal information of the previous owners of the vehicle.
In general, law enforcement officers have the authority to perform searches whenever necessary for insurance claims investigations or for a case like administrative, criminal, civil, or arbitral proceedings. However, they cannot disclose and share any information with anyone in those lookup results. It is usually done for specific cases involving the authorities and a crime like theft or hit-and-run incident.
When it comes to purchasing a car, an original plate number is a strong indication of a consistent history of ownership. It can be a sign that there was no dealer neglect or abuse. As a driver, it is essential that you know how the California license plate search works to your advantage. It would be beneficial in a circumstance that requires car identification. Even if there is no need for a vehicular incident report, you should be familiar with the process of CA license plate lookup and its restrictions. You will want to know you are complying with the law.