UK Standard
Core buyer-risk check
- Vehicle identity and registration data
- MOT history and mileage evidence
- Tax status and due dates
- Stolen, write-off, scrapped and import/export markers
- Ownership and plate-change history where available
UK cars are checked by registration plate or VIN.
A UK report is different from a Japanese import report. You enter the number plate — or the 17-character VIN if the car is no longer on UK plates — and CarTrust issues a UK certificate built around MOT, mileage, tax, recall information, stolen, write-off, ownership and specification records.
What it covers
The records that matter on a UK car.
UK cars have a different risk pattern. The value is not an auction sheet from Japan; it is whether the current UK record supports the seller's story.
MOT and mileageLatest MOT, due date, test history, recorded mileage and advisories where available.
Tax statusCurrent tax status, due date, CO2 and road-tax rate data where the provider returns it.
Risk markersStolen, write-off, scrapped, imported/exported and plate-change indicators are surfaced clearly.
Ownership historyPrevious keepers, keeper change dates and V5C issue dates help explain the car's paperwork trail.
Valuation contextPremium checks include available dealer, private, part-exchange and auction valuation figures.
SpecificationModel, powertrain, dimensions, tyres, wheels, EV battery/charging data and equipment where available.
AB12 CDE
Use the registration plate from the number plate or V5C — or switch to VIN search and use the 17-character chassis number, useful for cars already exported or re-plated. Mileage is optional, but helps the valuation block where a valuation is available.
Real UK certificate examples
The same plate check can tell two very different stories.
These examples show why a UK registration check needs to put recall information, risk markers, MOT history and ownership evidence in the same place. One report is clear on the major provenance checks; the other carries a stolen marker.
Compare
2019 BMW M4 Competition Edition Package Semi-Auto
2021 Nissan Leaf Takna
Stolen marker
Stolen marker found
Stolen · 30 May 2024
No stolen marker
PNC check returned clear.
Write-off record
1 record found
No write-off record
MOT position
Expired 08 Feb 2025
Due 14 Mar 2027
Mileage evidence
22,419 miles
39,565 miles
Tax status
Untaxed · due 30 May 2024
Untaxed · due 19 Jun 2026
Ownership trail
3 previous keepers
1 previous keeper
Standard or Premium
Choose based on the decision you are making.
Both tiers issue a permanent CarTrust UK certificate. Premium is for buyers, dealers or sellers who need valuation and deeper specification context.
UK Premium
Standard plus deeper context
- Everything in UK Standard
- Valuation matrix where available
- Factory equipment and options
- EV battery, charging and range details where relevant
- Tyre, wheel, safety and performance specification data
Questions
What to know about UK checks.
Is this the same as a Japanese import report?
No. Japanese import reports are checked by chassis number or VIN and focus on auction history, condition sheets, grade, mileage and recalls. UK checks are registration-plate led and focus on UK records such as MOT, tax, recall information, stolen/write-off markers, ownership and specification data.
Do I need the VIN?
No. The customer enters the UK registration plate. The provider may return partial VIN data, but the product is designed around the registration plate.
What if a section is missing?
Missing data means the provider did not provide that data for this car. The certificate keeps the missing section clear instead of inventing an answer.
All prices include 19% VAT. CarTrust verifies recorded data from provider sources at source; it does not physically inspect vehicles, and the underlying third-party records may contain errors or omissions from the originating databases.