How it works
From a string of 17 characters to a vehicle’s history in about a minute. Here’s exactly what happens.
- 01
Find and enter the VIN
Every road vehicle has a unique 17-character Vehicle Identification Number. Look on the lower driver's-side corner of the windshield, the driver's door jamb sticker, or the vehicle's registration and insurance documents. Type or paste it into the search box — we validate the check digit as you go, so a typo won't send you down the wrong path.
- 02
We decode it against government data
We send the VIN to NHTSA's public vPIC database, which reads the manufacturer's build code embedded in the number: make, model year, trim, engine, drivetrain and the plant where it was assembled. At the same time we match the make, model and year against NHTSA's recall records.
- 03
We add the Ontario layer
A raw decode is identical whether you're in Toronto or Texas. What changes in Ontario is the paperwork: the UVIP, the Safety Standards Certificate, PPSA lien searches and HST on private sales. Every result page ends with the provincial checklist so nothing gets missed at ServiceOntario.
- 04
You read the record and decide
Everything lands on a single page, free, with no account. Cross-check the specs against the listing, note any open recalls to raise with the seller, and work through the Ontario checklist before money changes hands.
Try it now
Free, no signup. Paste a VIN below.