The cheapest full car history check in the UK
Headline prices rarely describe a single purchase. Here is what one full check costs across published UK pricing, with the bundles and add-ons unpicked.
Prices checked · 16 August 2026
What counts as a full check
For most private buyers, a check is only useful if it covers outstanding finance, insurance write-off records, stolen markers, mileage anomalies and plate or VIN changes. A report that stops at DVLA identity and MOT history is a free-tier product — useful, but it will not tell you whether the car is still financed.
When comparing prices, check whether finance is included in the base price or sold separately. That single question moves the true cost more than any headline figure.
Published prices for a single report
| Tier | Single report | Multi-report | What is listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free check | Free | — | Registration lookup with DVLA vehicle identity and DVSA MOT history, returned when held. |
| Silver | £1.99 | — | Core vehicle history: identity, MOT record and recorded write-off markers where held. |
| Gold | £2.99 | — | Adds outstanding finance, stolen marker, mileage anomaly detection and plate/VIN provenance where held. |
| Platinum | £4.99 | — | Adds valuation context and the photographic panel scan with plain-English findings. |
| Tier | Single report | Multi-report | What is listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silver | £3.99 | 5 for £9.99 (£1.99 each) | Listed as written-off check, £10,000 guarantee and key data. |
| Gold | £9.99 | 3 for £14.99 (£4.99 each) · 5 for £19.99 (£3.99 each) | Listed as outstanding finance, valuation, salvage and written-off history, with a £30,000 guarantee. |
| Tier | Single report | Multi-report | What is listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Car Check Report | £6.99 | 5 full reports for £25.49 | Listed as vehicle information, owner history, plate changes and vehicle value, plus a 50p transaction fee. |
| Add-ons | Not published | — | Finance check £2.99, stolen check £2.99, damage check £3.99, car specifications £2.99 — each charged on top of the basic report. |
Three things that distort the comparison
- Voucher maths. A price advertised as “from £1.99” is often the per-report cost of a five-report pack. Buying one report at that provider can cost several times the advertised figure.
- Add-ons. Where finance, stolen and damage checks are charged separately, a £6.99 base report can pass £15 before it answers the questions most buyers care about.
- Transaction fees. Some providers list a separate handling fee at checkout. Ours is the price shown; there is no added fee.
On the figures above, our Gold report at £2.99 is the lowest published single-purchase price we found for a check that includes outstanding finance, stolen markers and mileage anomaly detection. That comparison is limited to the providers listed on this page and to prices published on 16 August 2026; the market moves, so verify before you buy.
Start free, pay only if you need the provenance
The registration lookup is free and returns DVLA identity and DVSA MOT history where held. If the car looks worth pursuing, upgrade for the provenance layer. See pricing or run a free check first.
Independence and accuracy
Expert Car Check is an independent UK vehicle history platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to any other provider named on this page. Company and product names belong to their respective owners and are used only to identify the services being compared. Figures are taken from each provider's own public pricing page on the date shown and may change without notice — always check the provider's site before buying.