Frequently Asked Questions
All VinHistory reports provide a complete overview of the vehicle current condition and past including the following data:
- Vehicle Specifications
- Previous/Current State of Title & Title Registration dates
- Title Brands History
- Junk & Salvage Data
- Insurance Total Loss Records
- Lien/Impound/Export Records
- Theft Records
- Odometer Events
- Detailed Auction Sales History
- Wholesale market valuation
- Auction Price Analysis
- Safety Recalls
Using VinHistory is simple and fast. Just enter your VIN on the main page and make a payment. Once your payment is processed, you will be taken to another page that displays your full report.
We recommend creating an account if you plan on ordering more than one report to keep your billing information or credits. Also, that way you have a centralized location and history for all your previous reports.
Our pricing is located on the report preview page of the report and depends on the number of reports you would like to order.
You can retrieve a previously ordered report by logging in at the top-right of the page and going to the “Reports” page. If you didn’t create an account before running a VIN check, it was created automatically once you made a purchase, a temporary password should have been sent to you via email. Please keep in mind that the reports contain information as of the time you ordered them.
After you've got a report you have 1 month to access it anytime you want.
After that period of time, you will have to get the report once again to see updated information.
Credits never expire and will be available as long as your account is active. There is no pressure for you to use them up.
A Vehicle Identification Number is a 17-character unique code assigned by an auto manufacturer, which can be used to track and identify motor vehicles. Each VIN is like a fingerprint for a car and contains key vehicle specifications.
The VIN is located on the vehicle. For cars and trucks it is located here:
On the driver's side dashboard (viewable through the windshield)
On the driver's side door (on a sticker in the door jamp)
Vehicle title brand is a permanent designation on a vehicle's title that indicates that a vehicle has been declared a total loss due to collision, fire, or flood damage, or has been sold for scrap, among other possibilities. If a vehicle has any serious damage, the appropriate title brand will be assigned to it in accordance with the laws of the state where an accident took place. Vehicle branding can change from state to state, and local laws often vary depending on the definition of the below brand classifications. The most widespread designations are Clear, Salvage, Rebuilt, Irreparable, or Junk.
A salvage title means that it would cost more to repair the vehicle than it’s worth at the time the damage occurred. The price of parts and labor to reconstruct the vehicle to its pre-accident condition and for legal operation on roads exceeds a jurisdiction-defined percentage of the vehicle’s retail price. Usually, it’s about 75-100% of the car's value.
A junk vehicle is an automobile that is incapable of operating on public streets, roads, and highways and has no value except as a source of parts or scrap.
A vehicle that has been previously branded as salvage but has been fully repaired and passed anti-theft and safety inspections or other jurisdiction procedures to ensure the vehicle was rebuilt to required standards. These vehicles are driveable but the rebuilt brand remains on the vehicle's title/registration documents permanently.
Junk, Salvage, and Insurance Total Loss are reported from junk yards, salvage yards, & insurance companies. Junk means that the vehicle is fit only for parts. Salvage means that it would cost more to repair the vehicle than it is worth. Total Loss means that an insurance company paid out the current value of the vehicle rather than pay to repair the vehicle.
There are typically four types of odometer readings in the report, based on the requirements of the law in the state the vehicle was titled.
- Actual – This is the true and accurate odometer reading as of the last vehicle titling or inspection.
- Not Actual – This reading is not a true and accurate odometer reading for this vehicle, either due to inaccurate reporting, mechanical error, or tampering.
- Exceeds Mechanical Limitations – Older vehicles may have a physical/mechanical limitation on how high their odometer readings can go, and as such may not be required to report an Actual reading.
- Exempt – Local laws do not require that this vehicle report its odometer reading either due to vehicle type, age, or damage.
Yes, a VinHistory report indicates if a vehicle has been reported as stolen and if it was recovered by police. Any vehicles listed as recovered will have no issue being retitled or exported.
VinHistory will show if there is a lien, levy, or loan against a vehicle at the time of the report. The report contains a lien date and a holder’s name. Lien data does not include information on all motor vehicles in the United States because not all lienholders provide information to the source of this lien data.
VinHistory does not provide a vehicle’s owner information as it is protected under federal law. The Driver's Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) of 1994 is a United States federal statute governing the privacy of personal data gathered by state Departments of Motor Vehicles. The DPPA generally prohibits revealing personal information contained in a driver’s license, motor vehicle registration, and other departmental records.
Please make sure that you have entered the VIN code correctly. VIN codes contain 17 characters and are unique for each vehicle, so it is important to transcribe it correctly into our system. Note that VIN does not contain the letters I, O (o), and Q (q) to avoid confusion with numerals 1 and 0. If you find that the code is incorrect, simply reenter it and try your search again. If you believe you have entered this information correctly, this vehicle may not be listed in any state’s titling system. It is recommended that you contact the titling-state to review this further.
If your vehicle history report appears sparse, it may be listed as a “clean” vehicle, which is the best possible outcome for a vehicle history report. The less information in a report typically means fewer owners, less damage, and repairs.
VinHistory stands behind the data provided, however, we provide full refunds in the case of any error in our system. In order to get a full refund, please email us at info@vinhistory.info. Each email refund request must be accompanied by documented proof of an error. This proof could be information contained in a copy of a state title document or other recognized form of official documentation.
Please note that we do not process refunds for records not available to VinHistory.