The best car check for UK buyers — £4.99 per check.
Comparing UK car history checks? See how the big names stack up — finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and full MOT — and get the full report for £4.99 per check. Instant results.
Get full access to any car's history — £4.99 for 7 days, then £9.99 every 4 weeks.
Report summary
Example snapshot
Outstanding finance
None recorded
Write-off / Cat markers
None recorded
Stolen marker
None recorded
Mileage
Consistent across MOTs
Previous keepers
2 owners
The best car checks compared: CarVerify vs HPI, Total Car Check & carVertical
Every reputable check covers the core risks — the best one shows them clearly at a fair price. Here's how they line up.
| CarVerify | HPI | Total Car Check | carVertical | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| From (single report) | £9.99 | From £9.99 | From £1.99 | ~£33.99 |
| Outstanding finance | ||||
| Insurance write-off (Cat A/B/S/N) | ||||
| Stolen marker (Police / PNC) | ||||
| Mileage / clocking check | ||||
| Full DVSA MOT history | Limited | |||
| Salvage-auction photos | Where recorded | — | — | Sometimes |
| Ex-taxi / private-hire check | — | — | — | |
| European / import history | — | — | — | |
| £30k data guarantee | Varies |
Provider prices and features are as advertised at the time of writing (July 2026); confirm current details on each provider's own site. CarVerify is independent and not affiliated with HPI Limited or any other provider named here.
What separates a good car check from a cheap one
Price only matters if the report still shows the records that protect your money. Here's what to weigh up.
The risk records
Finance, write-off, stolen and mileage are the checks that actually cost buyers money. Anything cheaper that drops these isn't a saving.
A report you can read
A clear summary that tells you at a glance whether a car is clean, worth questions, or a walk-away — not a wall of data.
Official sources
DVLA, DVSA, Experian, MIAFTR and Police (PNC) data — the records the whole industry relies on.
A real guarantee
A data guarantee (CarVerify: £30,000) means the provider stands behind the result if it's wrong.
What the best car check includes
The best car check reveals the records that actually protect your money — finance, write-off, stolen and mileage — plus the MOT and ownership history, in a clear report backed by a guarantee.
When you compare car check websites, look for all of the following:
- Outstanding finance — money still owed on the car.
- Insurance write-off — Cat A, B, S or N history.
- Stolen check — a live Police National Computer marker.
- Mileage anomalies, the full MOT history, previous keepers, salvage photos and an ex-taxi check.
Which car check is best for you?
The "best" check depends on what you're buying. Here's who each provider suits.
- CarVerify — best for value: the full risk checks plus salvage photos and an ex-taxi flag, for £4.99 per check, with a £30k data guarantee.
- HPI — the long-established brand; comprehensive, but premium-priced.
- Total Car Check — lowest headline price for a quick look at finance and theft.
- carVertical — best if you're buying an import, for its European history and damage photos, though the priciest for a UK-only car.
How to tell a good car check from a cheap one
Price only matters if the report still covers the records that count and is clear enough to act on. A cheap check that drops finance or write-off isn't a saving.
A great check gives you the risk data, a readable summary, official sources and a guarantee. CarVerify covers all four from £4.99 per check, with a £30,000 data guarantee.
Best free car check vs a full report
A free car check confirms make, model, tax and MOT. The records that protect a buyer — finance, write-off, stolen and mileage — are commercial data and need a full report.
Start with a free car check to confirm the basics, then run the full report before you pay.
How to run the best car check
Enter the registration, unlock the full report, and confirm the finance, write-off, stolen and mileage results before you buy.
- Enter the car's registration.
- Unlock the full report from £4.99.
- Review finance, write-off, stolen, mileage, MOT and keeper history.
- Confirm the make, colour and VIN match the car and its V5C logbook.
Sources & further reading
£4.99 per check. Instant results.
A full HPI-style report for a fraction of the usual price — with no lock-in.
CarVerify+
£4.99 per check
- Full report — finance, write-off, stolen, mileage & MOT
- £4.99 per check, check as many cars as you like
- Cancel within your 7-day access — nothing further to pay
- £30k data guarantee
One-off check
£9.99 single report
Prefer no subscription at all? Buy a single full report — nothing recurring.
- One full report
- No account, no subscription
CarVerify+ is £4.99 for 7-day access (includes your first report), then £9.99 every 4 weeks unless you cancel. Cancel within the 7 days to pay nothing further, and keep your reports. Backed by the £30,000 data guarantee. See terms.
Questions, answered
Run the best car check from £4.99
Full finance, write-off, stolen and mileage checks — £4.99 per check, instant results.
Backed by the £30k data guarantee
£4.99 starts a 7-day CarVerify+ trial that renews at £9.99 every 4 weeks unless cancelled. Terms apply.