We live in an era where information can be accessed with just a few clicks, and this has raised the question asked by many UK drivers, “Can You Find Who Owns a Car Registration Number?”
Your number plate, visible to the public, doesn’t give them access to sensitive information, including your address and other personal information. So, if you’re wondering if someone can find your address from your licence , the general answer is “No.”
In this article, we will provide more insights and cover everything you should know about finding an address from a registration plate in the UK.
How to Find a Car Owner by Registration Number
Finding a car owner’s details using their registration number isn’t something just anyone can do in the UK. The DVLA keeps this information private to protect people’s safety and privacy. You can’t simply look up someone’s name and address because you’re curious or saw their car somewhere.
However, there are valid reasons the DVLA allows these searches. You might need the owner’s details if someone damaged your property and drove off, or if you’re involved in an accident and need insurance information.
To request the owner’s details legally, follow these steps:
- Be sure of the reason why you want to find out a car owner’s details.
- Complete Form V888 to explain your reasonable cause and how the information will be used.
- Submit to DVLA, and pay the necessary fee.
Note that making false requests is actually illegal and can get you in serious trouble.
How Does the UK Licence Plate System Work?
UK number plates follow a specific pattern that tells you important information about the car.
- The first two letters show where the vehicle was registered – like “L” for London or “B” for Birmingham.
- The two numbers in the middle reveal when the car was first registered, with numbers changing twice each year in March and September.
- The last three letters are completely random and make each plate unique.
This system started in 2001 and makes it easy to figure out how old a car is just by looking at its registration plate. Police and DVLA use these plates to track every vehicle on UK roads.
Need to verify the MOT Status of a car?
What Information Does a Car Owner Check Provide?
Due to privacy laws, third-party providers like Smart Car Check do not provide personal information about a registered keeper. However, running a car owner reg check helps provide other vital information, including:
- The total number of keepers the vehicle has had
- Number of previous keepers
- Latest keeper change date
- Last ownership transferred date
- Date of last keeper change
- Date of each transfer
- Year and month the vehicle was registered
- Date first registered
- Date first registered in the UK
- Date of last update (V5C)
- Plate change history
- Number of V5C certificates issued
- Outstanding finance
- Insurance write-off
- Stolen car records
- Mileage discrepancies
- Plate/colour change
- Scrapped records
- MOT history
- Tax details
- High-risk records
- Auction records and more
Can You Find Address by License Plate?
It’s not possible to find address from license plate in the UK. However, if you must, you will have to go through some documentation by doing this:
- Fill out form V888 from the DVLA.
- Include a “just cause” explanation if you wish to know the address. If, for instance, you have concerns about a car that has been parked outside your home, it is unlikely that the DVLA will give you this information. Instead of conducting your own inquiry, it would be much preferable to inform the DVLA or the necessary authority.
READ ALSO: How to check a Car’s Previous Owners by Reg from DVLA
Can You Find Out Where Someone Lives by their License Plate? (Possible & Impossible Causes)
Possible Cases (DVLA May Release Address) | Impossible Cases (Information Won’t Help) |
You were in an accident with that vehicle | The driver wasn’t the car owner (borrowed car, friend driving) |
That car damaged your property and the driver fled | It’s a company fleet or rental vehicle |
A vehicle was abandoned on your private land | The owner gave false registration information |
Someone took goods/services without paying and left in that car | The owner moved but didn’t update their address with DVLA |
Parking enforcement needs owner details for fines | Someone stole the vehicle |
You witnessed dangerous driving (drunk driving, unsafe child transport, unroadworthy vehicle) | The current keeper never completed ownership transfer paperwork |
Even if the DVLA releases address information, there’s no guarantee it’ll be accurate, current, or helpful. People move houses, sell cars, lend vehicles to others, or sometimes provide false details deliberately.
READ ALSO: How long is an MOT certificate normally valid? (Answered)
What Can Someone Do With Your Licence Plate?
Occasionally, a person may lawfully acquire the address information of the car’s owner using the licence plate number. The Data Protection Act places limitations on disclosing this information, and an application must be accepted as legitimate for an address to be provided.
The DVLA might disclose a car owner’s address using the number plate to:
- Identify the person who caused a traffic accident on the road.
- Know the owner of an abandoned car that has been parked on private property or a car that has been left on a private road.
- Find out a customer who departed without paying for the goods or services they got.
- Locate a person who is thought to be an insurance fraudster.
If the person operating the vehicle is seen to engage in illegal activity or criminal behaviour, you’re not expected to find out the driver’s address, but it is important to report to the police. Provide the licence plate number so that they can follow up with the driver in a legitimate manner.
Conclusion About How to Trace Car Owner by Number Plate
Your personal details stay protected thanks to DVLA privacy rules. Nobody can simply look up your address from your license plate without valid legal reasons.
While vehicle history checks reveal important information about a car’s past, MOT records, and ownership changes, your name and address remain safely private. Always report suspicious activity to the police rather than trying to trace drivers yourself.
How to Find Who Owns a Car Registration Number FAQ
How do I find out who owns a car?
To find out who owns a car, you can request information from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) by completing a V888 form, but you’ll need a “reasonable cause” to do so
Can a vehicle check show the registered keeper name?
No, a standard vehicle check service, including those offered by the DVLA, will not typically reveal the personal details of the registered keeper, including their name, but you can request this information from the DVLA with legal reasons.
What owner information do you get in a vehicle check?
By running a car reg check, you can find out the number of previous owners and how long they owned the car. Personal information like name, address or phone number is not retrievable due to driver data privacy law.
