West Virginia License Plate Lookup

Type the WV plate exactly as it reads on the car and keep West Virginia selected. The plate is only the way in: we match it to the car's VIN, and the VIN carries the history.

1. 1. Enter the plate

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

Buying privately in West Virginia comes down to the title. The seller must hold a WV title in their own name, and the VIN on the car must match it. Both of you sign the back of the title, and the seller records the odometer reading. Never accept an altered price on the title or two different bills of sale: the DMV rejects them. You pay the $15 title fee and 6% tax at the DMV. West Virginia taxes private sales on book value in two cases: when the price is under 50% of NADA clean loan value without a notarized bill of sale, and for any vehicle two years old or newer. Inspection is next. A car bought in state without a valid sticker needs a State Police inspection within 3 days. Look closely at the brand line. Reconstructed vehicles had to pass a state inspection with form DMV-SV-3. Flood-damaged cars from other states keep the flood brand when retitled here, and a report shows that history from every state.

Private sale

Check that the seller's name is on the title and that the VIN on the car matches it. Both parties sign the back of the WV title, and the seller writes the odometer reading in the assignment. The buyer files form DMV-1-TR with a bill of sale and copies of both driver's licenses, and pays 6% tax. If the price is below 50% of NADA clean loan value, the bill of sale must be notarized or tax is charged on book value.

Dealer sale

The dealer prepares the title application and collects the 6% tax. Make sure the car has a valid inspection sticker, or get it inspected within 3 days of buying it in state.

Source: West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles

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

Uniform Motor Vehicle Records Disclosure Act, W. Va. Code 17A-2A

The act bars the DMV from disclosing personal information in a motor vehicle record (name, address, phone number, medical or disability information) except with the person's consent or for uses the law permits, such as vehicle safety and theft matters. Photos and Social Security numbers need written consent. Lying to obtain records is a misdemeanor (17A-2A-13).

Source: WV DMV