Delaware License Plate Lookup

Type the DE plate exactly as it reads on the car and keep Delaware selected. The plate is only the way in: we match it to the car's VIN, and the VIN carries the history. A Delaware tag lookup works the same way.

1. 1. Enter the plate

   Type the Delaware plate and pick the state. Spaces and dashes don't matter.

2. 2. We find the car's VIN

   The plate turns into the car's 17-character VIN in seconds, and you see the decoded year, make and model before you pay.

3. 3. Open the full history report

   One payment of $9.99, no account. The report opens at once, with records from all states.

What the report includes

One report for the VIN behind the plate, searched across all states:

• Odometer readings in miles

  Dated readings from state safety and emissions inspections and auction sales, with a rollback check.

  All states

• Police-reported crashes

  Crashes involving this VIN, with the year, plus the damage recorded when the car was sold at auction.

  All states

• Salvage and auction history, with photos

  Insurance and salvage auction sales of this VIN: sale date, damage type, title, odometer at sale and the auction photos.

  All states

• Title brands

  Salvage, rebuilt, flood and junk brands, so you know what the title says before the seller tells you.

• Recalls and owner complaints

  Safety recalls and owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the model and model year.

  Model-level

• Factory specs

  Model year, make, model, trim, engine, transmission, drivetrain and assembly plant, decoded from the VIN.

  Every VIN

What Delaware DMV and its offices charge for titles, registration and plates, as published. Each row links its source.

You must apply for a new title right after the purchase and no later than 30 days, or you pay a late fee. You cannot drive the car on a public road until the title is in your name. The bill adds up: a $35 title fee ($55 with a lien), a document fee of 5.25% of the price or the NADA trade-in value, whichever is higher, and registration.

Delaware is one of the few states that still runs its own inspection lanes. Inspections cost nothing. Every car arriving with an out-of-state title goes through the lane before it gets a Delaware title, and it must pass the safety check (brakes, lights, tires, glass, exhaust). Use the DMV's Inspection Check with the VIN to see the car's last result, date and odometer reading.

Watch for total losses. When an insurer pays out on a total loss, Delaware law replaces the title with a salvage certificate, even when the owner keeps the car (21 Del. C. 2512). A car rebuilt and sold across the state line may arrive with a different brand. Coastal Sussex County sees storm surge and nor'easters, so check for water damage in carpets and under seats as well as the record.

Private sale

The seller fills in the assignment on the back of the title (buyer, date, price, odometer) and files a Seller's Report of Sale. You complete the purchaser's application on the title, show insurance and Delaware ID, and pay the $35 title fee, the 5.25% document fee and registration. No notary is needed, and you may not drive the car until the title is in your name.

Dealer sale

A licensed Delaware dealer files the title paperwork and collects the 5.25% document fee. Use the DMV's dealership lookup to confirm the dealer is licensed.

Title transfer deadline

30 days from purchase (late fee after)

Source: Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles

Delaware follows the federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act (18 U.S.C. 2721) and adds its own law:

21 Del. C. 305

Delaware's motor vehicle records privacy law limits release of personal information held by the DMV to listed purposes, such as vehicle safety, theft, recalls and insurance, in line with the federal DPPA. Requesters must prove their identity and swear to the purpose, and the release form must be notarized or filed in person.

Source: Delaware DMV