Free California License Plate Search
Search for vehicle history records with a valid California license plate number!
Free California License Plate Lookup
Choosing to buy a used car rather than a brand new one can be a great way to save money on your next vehicle purchase in California. But did you know that you could save even more money with a free license plate lookup? That’s because not doing thorough research on a vehicle’s history before you buy can lead to costly repairs. It could even lead to buying a car that lasts only a fraction of the time that you were expecting. And a license plate search will not cost you anything.
FAQs About California License Plates
The Golden State had the most number of registered vehicles in 2020, with over 14.2 million cars. The most populous state also has more motor vehicles stolen than all the other states. Here are answers to frequently asked questions about license plates in California:
Where can I get my California license plates?
The California Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) is the state agency that issues license plates in the Golden State to passenger vehicles, commercial motor vehicles, motorcycles, permanent trailers, trailer coaches, and park trailers. Visit the California DMV license plates page for more information.
How many license plates are required in California?
Most types of California vehicles (including passenger vehicles) should have a front and a rear plate. A valid rear plate has a registration sticker on it. Trailers and motorcycles only require one rear license plate.
What are the current format of the California license plate numbers and the size of the plates?
Introduced in 1980, the current serial format for California license plate numbers is 1ABC123. All plates will follow the required size: 12 in × 6 in 30 cm × 15 cm. License plates issued from 1963 to the present can only be used on a registered vehicle to which they were originally issued.
Can I transfer my California license plate to another vehicle?
Transferring a license plate from one vehicle to another is allowed in California. For instance, you can transfer your specialty license plate to your next car or you can just keep it.
What are the types of California license plates available?
These are the types of license plates in California with different requirements. Depending on the particular plate that you will choose, requirements may differ.
What Can You Get from a California License Plate Lookup?
Run our free license plate lookup online to access to a number of records that will help you learn about a vehicle’s past. You’ll get a California vehicle history report that tells you about who has owned the vehicle, who the title currently belongs to, and more.
- Accident History
- Title Information
- 60+ Vehicle Problems
- Mileage Rollback
- Taxi, Lease, Police Use
- Hidden Damage
- Junk and Salvage
- Recalls and Defects
How You Can Save Money from Running a Free California License Plate Lookup ?
While the information that you’ll learn from a free license plate lookup is useful, you’re probably wondering how it could save you money. Obviously, you won’t have to pay up to $40 for a vehicle history report that is more likely sourced from the same government and industry entities. There are many things that the California vehicle history report and insurance information will tell you that can save you money down the road.
- Has the vehicle been properly maintained? Routine maintenance is essential to keep any vehicle running well. So if you are looking through a car’s history and notice that it has never been serviced, or has been serviced very rarely despite being ten years old or older, you might want to ask the seller the reason. Is the owner a mechanic? If so, you probably don’t need to worry much about this detail. But if he or she isn’t, you might want to consider whether you want a car that has been repaired by a potentially inexperienced owner or that may not have received the maintenance that it needed at all. This can shorten a vehicle’s lifespan or lead to costly repairs.
- Is the seller the owner listed on the title? If you’re buying from a used car dealership, you probably won’t need to check this. But if you’re buying from an individual and notice that their name isn’t on the title, you might want to ask who the owner is. Buying a stolen car means that the title can’t be legally signed over to you, so you won’t be able to insure it. Also, once it is reported stolen, the vehicle will be seized, and it can be tough or even impossible to get your money back.
Is the VIN number the correct one for that vehicle? If you notice that the California state history report that a free license plate lookup provides doesn’t seem to match the vehicle that you’re looking at, you might be dealing with VIN tampering, where the VIN number from a similar vehicle has been plastered over the real one. This means that the history and insurance claims for that car won’t be accurate, and there’s likely something wrong with the vehicle that the seller is trying to hide. If you suspect fraud, you’ll need to report it to the California government.
Save loads of money when buying a used car in California. A license plate search at VINCheckPro.com will give you access to some of more than 40 million government and insurance documents stored in VINCheckPro’s comprehensive database