Yes. The UK registration is enough to identify the vehicle and retrieve its records from the manufacturer's dealer system. No VIN required.

Use whatever registration is currently assigned to the vehicle. If the car has had a private/cherished registration in the past, the manufacturer record is linked to the VIN, so the current reg will resolve to the same vehicle.

We use the registration only to perform the lookup and deliver your report. We don't sell data or share it externally. Full details are in our privacy policy.

If the lookup finds no manufacturer service history, your card is not charged. The card authorisation is cancelled before any charge is taken.

Yes — anyone can run a check using any UK registration. This is useful when buying a used car privately or from a non-franchised dealer.

Most reports arrive within 1–2 minutes of payment. We submit the lookup to the manufacturer dealer system as soon as the card is authorised. If the dealer system is slow we hold the order and email you the report when it lands — typically the same hour.

No. The manufacturer dealer system only holds records for visits to franchised dealerships. Independent garage services don't appear in the manufacturer database — that's the same gap any main dealer would see if you asked them directly. For independents, look for paper invoices or receipts from the seller.

If you have the 17-character VIN you can run the lookup at /check-service-history-by-vin instead. The VIN route is helpful for imports, vehicles awaiting registration, or auction stock. Otherwise the UK registration (VRM) is the easiest way to identify the vehicle.

Manufacturer digital service records typically start around 2012. Earlier vehicles may have partial or no electronic records — the warning that appears at checkout flags pre-2012 vehicles. If we can't find any records your card isn't charged.

No — an HPI check covers stolen markers, write-off categories, outstanding finance, and mileage anomalies. A service history check covers manufacturer dealer service records and DVSA MOT history. Used-car buyers usually want both: the HPI confirms the car is legitimately for sale; the service history confirms it's been maintained.