Wheel ScoutWhy it's only $5
Single reports from the big-name brands run about $30 to $45. Most of what a buyer needs to catch a bad car (a salvage, flood or rebuilt title, a rolled-back odometer, a theft record, an insurance total loss) is in the federal title record set up by law to protect buyers. Wheel Scout sells that record directly, from an approved NMVTIS data provider, for $5. When you want owners, accidents and service history too, the full report is $10.
| Wheel Scout basic report, $5 | Title brands, title history by state, odometer readings with rollback flags, total-loss and theft records, market value. Shows right away. |
|---|---|
| Wheel Scout full report, $10 | Adds every owner and how the car was used, accidents and damage, and service history. Emailed or texted within two hours. |
| Big-name single report | About $30 to $45 for one report. |
| Government lookups | NICB's VINCheck covers theft and some total losses; NHTSA covers recalls. Useful, but neither shows the title history. |
Cheap, or sketchy? How to tell
A lot of $3 to $5 "reports" online are another company's report, pulled through someone's dealer login and resold. They can vanish without a refund when the login gets shut off. Before you pay any cheap VIN site, check these:
What $5 catches
- Salvage and rebuilt titles, even when the car was retitled in another state.
- Flood brands on cars moved after storms.
- Odometer rollbacks between title events.
- Insurance total losses and junk or salvage yard records.
- Theft records.
Plus the factory specs and safety recalls for the model, shown before you pay. A clean report still isn't a guarantee; have a mechanic look at any used car before you buy.
The reports
$5 for the official title record, $10 for the full history. You see the car first.
Basic history report
By VIN or license plate · official NMVTIS record · shows right away
- Salvage, junk, flood and rebuilt title brands
- Title history by state, with dates
- Odometer readings and rollback flags
- Total-loss records from insurers
- Theft check
- Market value for the car
Full vehicle history report
By VIN or license plate · Not instant: emailed or texted to you within two hours
- Every owner, how they used it (personal, lease, rental or fleet) and where
- Accidents and damage reports
- Title brands: salvage, junk, rebuilt, flood, fire, hail, lemon
- Odometer readings over time, checked for rollbacks
- Service and maintenance history
- Open recalls and common owner complaints for the model
Cheap VIN check questions
What's the cheapest legit VIN check?
Wheel Scout's basic report is $5: the official NMVTIS title record from an approved data provider, with salvage, flood and rebuilt brands, odometer readings, total-loss and theft records. NICB's VINCheck and NHTSA's recall lookup cost nothing but cover only theft, some total losses and recalls.
Is a cheap VIN report legit?
It depends where the data comes from. An approved NMVTIS data provider is legit. A big-brand report sold for a few dollars is usually resold through someone's dealer login and can disappear without a refund.
Why is this so much cheaper than the big-name reports?
The $5 report is the federal title record itself, without the extras. It covers the problems that cost buyers the most. When you want owners, accidents and service history, the full report is $10.
Do I need a subscription or an account?
No. Pay once for one report. We save it under the email you pay with so you can open it again in the Wheel Scout app.
What if the VIN or plate is wrong?
You see the car's year, make and model before you pay. If no car matches, you're never asked to pay.
Can I check a car by license plate?
Yes. Switch the box to License plate and pick the state; we find the VIN first.
More ways to check a car
Find the deal, then check it.
Wheel Scout alerts you the moment an underpriced car posts on Marketplace, OfferUp or Craigslist near you, and runs the history right in the app.
The basic history report uses NMVTIS data from an approved NMVTIS data provider. NMVTIS records come from states, insurers and salvage yards; not every event is reported to it. Vehicle specs and recalls come from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Wheel Scout is not affiliated with any marketplace or government agency.