To check a used car before you buy, work in order: run a free check on the registration, run a full history check, view the car, test drive it, check the paperwork, and only then pay. Each stage catches problems the others miss, and doing them in this order means you spend money and time only on cars that pass the earlier checks.
Here is what each stage can tell you, and what it cannot.
| Stage | What it tells you | What it cannot tell you |
|---|---|---|
| Free check | Make, model, colour, tax and MOT status, MOT history, mileage | Finance, write-offs, stolen marker, condition |
| Full history check | Finance, stolen marker, write-offs, keepers, plate changes, VIN match | Mechanical condition |
| Viewing | Bodywork, interior, engine bay | Hidden faults, history |
| Test drive | How the car drives | Faults that appear later |
| Paperwork | Who the keeper is, service history | Whether the seller owns the car outright |
Start with the free check
Before you contact the seller, put the registration into our free car check. It shows the vehicle details the DVLA holds, whether the car is taxed or on a SORN, when the MOT runs out, and every MOT test since 2005 with the mileage, failures and advisories.
Look for three things:
- Details that match the advert. A different colour, engine size or year from what the advert says needs an explanation.
- A mileage that climbs steadily. A reading lower than an earlier one is a warning sign. Our guide to spotting a clocked car covers this in detail.
- A pattern in the MOT record. The same advisory year after year, or repeated failures on the same item, tells you what is likely to need money soon.
The free check cannot tell you if the car has finance on it, has been written off or is recorded as stolen.
Run a full history check
If the car still looks right, run a full history check before you travel. Ours costs £9.99 and covers outstanding finance, the police stolen marker, insurance write-offs, the number of keepers, plate changes and whether the VIN matches the registration.
These are the expensive surprises. A car with finance on it belongs to the lender until the debt is paid, and a Cat S or Cat N write-off is worth less than a car with a clean record. A history check reports what is recorded. It says nothing about how the car has been looked after.
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View the car
View the car in daylight, at the seller's home address, ideally the one on the V5C. Ask for the engine to be cold when you arrive so you can hear it start.
Go through the bodywork, tyres, interior and engine bay methodically. Our used car inspection checklist lists what to look at in each area. Ask the seller why they are selling, how long they have owned it and what work has been done. Our guide to questions to ask a private seller helps you read the answers.
A viewing shows you the condition on the day. It cannot show a fault that only appears when the car is hot, under load or after a few hundred miles.
Take a test drive
Make sure you are insured before you drive. Try town roads, a faster stretch and some bumps, and listen as much as you look. Check the clutch, gearbox, brakes, steering and suspension, and watch the warning lights and temperature gauge.
If you are not confident, or the car is expensive, a professional pre-purchase inspection can find faults a test drive will not.
Check the paperwork
Before you agree a price, go through the documents with the seller.
- V5C. The registration certificate names the registered keeper, which is not necessarily the legal owner. Check the name and address match the seller, and look for the watermark.
- VIN. Find the number on the car, usually at the base of the windscreen, on a door pillar or under the bonnet, and check it matches the V5C. If it does not, walk away.
- Service history. Stamps and invoices with mileages that rise in order, and receipts for major work.
- Keys and extras. All the keys, the locking wheel nut key if fitted, and any manuals.
Pay safely
Only pay once every check is complete and you are happy with the car.
- Never pay a deposit for a car you have not seen.
- Use a bank transfer rather than a large sum of cash, so there is a record of the payment.
- If there is finance on the car, pay the settlement figure to the lender directly, not to the seller. Our guide to outstanding finance explains how.
- Get a written receipt with the date, price, registration, mileage and both names and addresses.
- Take the new keeper slip from the V5C. The seller tells the DVLA about the sale and you will receive a new V5C in your name.
Tax does not transfer with the car, so tax it in your name and arrange insurance before you drive away.
Buying from a dealer gives you more protection than buying privately. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, a dealer must sell a car that is of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described. A private seller only has to describe the car accurately, so the checks you do before paying matter more.
Common questions
What is the first thing to check on a used car?
The registration. A free check shows the make, model, colour, tax and MOT status and the full MOT history, so you can rule out a car before you spend time travelling to see it.
Does a free check show if a car has finance on it?
No. Finance, insurance write-offs and the police stolen marker are not on the free DVLA and DVSA records. You need a full history check for those.
Can I drive a car home straight after buying it?
Only once you have insured it and taxed it in your name. Tax does not transfer from the seller, so you need to tax the car before you drive it on the road.
What rights do I have if a used car goes wrong?
From a dealer, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 says the car must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described, with a 30-day short-term right to reject. A private seller must describe the car accurately, but the satisfactory quality rules do not apply.
Written by James Parry. Last reviewed 11 November 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.