License Plate Owner Lookup

A license plate owner lookup is a tool that provides vehicle-related information using the license plate number. While a license plate search through FAXVIN can provide you with a detailed title history report, it typically does not include personal details of the car owner due to privacy regulations.

However, the report offers valuable insights into the vehicle's background that can help you make an informed decision when considering a used car purchase. Some details, such as the last registration change, including the date, location, and state, may provide clues to confirm ownership without revealing personally identifiable information.

How does the License Plate Check Work?

A license plate check works in a straightforward way. By performing a basic search, you can get more information about a particular number plate. To do so, you need to have a laptop or desktop, a pencil and paper, and a license plate number. You can use a website like a state DMV. This will give you information such as the registration date of the car, the make of the car, and the model year. However, you will not be able to get personal information.

1. Check your DMV - You may pay for the data you get about a certain number plate from the DMV; however, this depends on your state of residence. To get this information, open your state's DMV and see the link named "Plate Inquiry" or "Request for Record Information".

2. Enter the plate number - In the search bar, input the plate number, and in a few minutes, you will get information linked to the plate number.

Note that FAXVIN provides a free and paid check. The free check reveals a few basic vehicle attributes, and you can use these details to confirm if they match the seller’s description or to spot major modifications to the original specs.

All in all, consider getting the free license plate lookup, and if you want to dive deeper, you can get the paid report with historical data.

What States are Covered by Verification?

We provide license plate reports for motor vehicles registered across all 50 states in the United States. However, the most frequently updated information often comes from the most populous states, such as:

• Wisconsin
• California
• Texas
• Florida
• Pennsylvania
• New York
• Illinois
• Ohio
• Georgia
• North Carolina
• Michigan
• Arizona

Note that this doesn’t mean you can’t get updated information from other states. We catalog our data from NMTVIS, a national database that aggregates data from titling agencies in all states, law enforcement, salvage yards, recycles, and other sources. It’s only that reports from these highly populated areas may contain the most recent and comprehensive information due to the higher volume of vehicle registration records and transactions.

What Information is Provided in the Paid Report?

Although the FAXVIN report does not contain personal contact information, it provides a wealth of valuable details that can lead to a safer and more informed car purchase. After running the paid license plate search, you will receive the following information:

• The information concerning who owns the vehicle, whether a company or an individual. Remember that this system doesn't provide personal data, so you will not get names, telephone numbers, email addresses, or any other form of contact.
• The year when the vehicle was manufactured, the model and the make. You will also be able to know the original equipment of the vehicle built by the maker and the first state of the vehicle where it was sold.
• Accidents. You will see all the accidents that the car was involved in, if any, as well as natural calamities such as fires, earthquakes and floods.
• Title history of the vehicle.
• Whether the car was reported stolen at any time or used as collateral for loans.
• Whether the car was involved in road accidents.
• Whether the car was at any time recalled by whoever made it.
• The last time it was inspected, what prompted the inspections, and what were the findings.
• If a mileage rollback has been detected.
• The last recorded odometer readings.
• Whether the car was hit by any natural disaster such as earthquakes, fire, hurricanes, fire, etcetera.
• The car’s VIN (this will allow you to look for the model, the whole history of the car, the engine model, and any other vital information).

What Alternatives Exist?

If you cannot find the license plate owner of a car through FAXVIN’s license plate lookup, there are alternative methods you can try:

Online Check on the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Site

To use DMV services, go to the DMV website of the state you are interested in and feed in the license plate on the search bar. The information you get is about the registration date of the vehicle, the model, and the year. However, this service comes at a fee. DMV doesn't provide personal information such as contacts or the names of the license plate check owner.

In-Person Visit to the State's DMV Office

You can physically visit the DMV office to request vehicle information, but this method is time-consuming and may also require a fee. As with the online DMV search, personal information about the owner is not provided.

Hiring a Private Detective

If you don't want to do it yourself, you can opt for a private detective. This is the best alternative to choose if you wish to get an exhaustive report. Luckily, the Driver's Privacy Protection Act allows private investigators to gain access to data about various motor vehicles kept in different states. Though you pay more to hire a private detective, you are assured of excellent results.

Asking Around

Sometimes, the simplest approach is to ask around. If you see the car parked regularly in a particular neighborhood, you could politely inquire with nearby residents or local businesses if they know who owns the vehicle. Keep in mind that people are not obligated to reveal this information, and it's essential to respect others' privacy.

Is it Illegal to Provide Personal Data?

In the United States of America, the privacy of the data from vehicle owners is controlled by the DPPA (Driver's Privacy Protection Act). This is intended to prevent that information from getting into the wrong hands and being used illegally.

Therefore, for you to get that data from DMV, you should present to them a good reason why you need personal data. Only government bodies, such as law courts and police have a fundamental right to perform vehicle identification number lookups without any restrictions.

The federal laws under DPPA protect the sharing of any personal information through car number plates, and as such, the personal data is not included in an online owner search VIN.

However, there are some limitations on the person and the reasons to perform such lookups. It is inscribed in U.S. Code 18 § 2721, also called the Driver's Privacy Protection Act. According to this policy, the automobile departments are not allowed to release the personal data of the license plate search owner of a car except for the permitted uses. This came into force in 1994 after some rogue people began tracking down and victimizing doctors who provided abortion services as well as patients.

How to Look Up a License Plate Owner?

Initiating a license plate owner lookup on FAXVIN is a straightforward process:

1. Enter the license plate number in the search bar and choose your state.
2. Click the "Check Plate” button.
3. Obtain the free verification report that lists the VIN and a few basic vehicle attributes.
4. If there is historical data on the VIN, order a full report!

The information provided by our license plate owner lookup online is quite insightful. Here are the various ways you can use it:

1. Negotiating the best price: Use information from license plates to negotiate a fair price. If the license plate search owner report reveals any accidents, repairs, or other issues, you can use this knowledge to justify a lower offer.
2. Preparing for a mechanical inspection: Before having a professional mechanic inspect the car, review the online license plate search report to identify any potential problem areas. This will help you focus the inspection on specific issues and determine if previous repairs were done correctly.
3. Comparing similar vehicles: When choosing between two cars with similar features, use the Faxvin reports to quickly compare their histories. This will help you make an informed decision based on factors like accident history, maintenance records, and potential hidden problems.

Before buying a used car, check the vehicle history report, mechanical condition, exterior and interior, mileage, and age, and compare prices.