Virginia License Plate Lookup

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

1. 1. Enter the plate

   Type the Virginia 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 Virginia DMV and its offices charge for titles, registration and plates, as published. Each row links its source.

In a private sale, the seller fills in the odometer reading on the Virginia title (DMV says not to guess or estimate), signs it over, removes the plates and reports the sale to DMV. You complete the Certification of Buyer section and the registration application, then pay the $15 title fee and the 4.15% motor vehicle sales and use tax, with a $75 minimum, on the price shown on a bill of sale, buyer's order or the title. Before you drive it, the car must pass Virginia's annual safety inspection and show a valid sticker, and cars garaged in Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William and Stafford counties and nearby cities need an emissions test every two years. Virginia's brands are set in Va. Code § 46.2-1600. A Salvage vehicle is a late model car an insurer took in a claim or one that costs more to fix than it is worth. A Rebuilt vehicle was repaired, examined by DMV for $125 and permanently branded under § 46.2-1605, and the seller must disclose it in writing. A Nonrepairable vehicle is good only for parts and scrap. DMV records can also carry notes such as water damage, so check the VIN before you meet the seller.

Private sale

The seller records the odometer reading on the Virginia title (DMV says not to guess or estimate), signs it over, removes the plates and notifies DMV of the sale. You complete the Certification of Buyer and registration sections of the title, then pay the $15 title fee and 4.15% sales and use tax ($75 minimum), with a bill of sale or buyer's order as proof of price.

Dealer sale

A dealer processes the title and registration and can issue a 30-day temporary tag; the vehicle may take up to 30 days to appear in your DMV record. A rebuilt vehicle must come with the written Rebuilt Vehicle disclosure (VSA 59).

Source: Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles

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

Va. Code § 46.2-208

Records with personal, driver or vehicle information are privileged and may be released only in the situations listed in § 46.2-208(B), for example vehicle information to the vehicle owner, or vehicle information without personal information to a business on written request. DMV may charge a reasonable fee. The PPI report contains no personal information about previous owners.

Source: Virginia DMV