About PlateWise

Why we built PlateWise

The UK publishes a remarkable amount of vehicle data for free: every MOT result, every advisory, every recorded mileage, and the tax status of every registered vehicle. But the official services show it as raw records, and many commercial sites hide the useful parts behind sign-ups or upsells.

We wanted something simpler: type in a registration and get a clear, honest answer to the questions people actually have. Is it legal to drive? Has it been looked after? Does the mileage add up? Will it cost me in London?

What we do, and what we don't

• We do present official DVSA and DVLA data clearly, add insights such as clocking alerts and recurring-issue grouping, and explain everything in plain English.
• We don't charge for any of our checks, require an account, or ask for your email to see results.
• We aren't affiliated with DVSA, the DVLA or any government body. We're an independent website.

How we make money

PlateWise is funded by clearly labelled advertising and by affiliate links to paid history checks, which cover things government data can't, such as outstanding finance. Partner offers are always marked, and they never change the results we show you.

Editorial standards

Our guides and tool pages are written to help drivers make good decisions, not to sell. Every page is reviewed by our editor before publication, and we update pages when rules change. Facts that change often, such as charges and fees, are dated or linked to the official source. If you spot something wrong, please tell us and we'll correct it.

Want the detail on where our numbers come from? Read how our data works.