The Department of Motor Vehicles and Your Privacy

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State departments of motor vehicles (DMVs) maintain a lot of personal information about you. (Just look at your driver’s license, for example.) A new federal law (Drivers Protection Act) gives you privacy rights with regard to information maintained by DMVs.

Before your buy, check that used car!

Online Vehicle Lookup

Buying a used car? Don't risk making a $10,000 mistake!

Free VIN check

Type your own car's VIN and click Go.

See a sample report for a vehicle with a clean bill of health.

See a sample report for a problem vehicle.

Stolen or salvaged?
Hail or water damage?
In an accident or fire?
Title problems?
Rebuilt?
A victim of potential odometer roll back?
Used as a rental or fleet vehicle?
A taxi or police car?
VIN Verification

Contact DMV

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AK AL AR AZ CA CO CT DC DE FL GA HI IA ID IL IN KS KY LA MA MD ME MI MN MO MS MT

N-Z

NC ND NE NH NJ NM NV NY OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TX UT VA VT TN WA WI WV WY

Canada

Canada residents may now get their Canadian credit report online.

Contact Honda, Toyota, GM, Ford, etc.

If you have spoken to your auto dealer and have not been able to resolve a problem with your car, you may want to contact the automobile manufacturer.

Has the car ever been recalled? Look up vehicle recalls.

Problems and Defects? File a complaint or see what's in the vehicle consumer complaint file. Search the government database for problems and vehicle defect complaints for any make and model.

The Drivers Protection Act lists the ways your personal information can be used — a DMV may distribute personal information for things like law enforcement, driver safety, insurance underwriting, etc. You have the right to opt-out of having the DMV distribute your personal information for other types of uses, including for direct marketing.

Not every DMV distributes personal information for direct marketing or for uses not specified in the law. You have a right to opt-out only if the DMV in your state distributes personal information for these purposes.

Contact the DMV in your state for more information.