Every car has a story. Make sure you've read the whole thing.

A vehicle history check looks up a car's registration number against official and industry records to reveal things a visual inspection can't — outstanding finance, insurance write-off status, whether it's recorded as stolen, and how many previous keepers it's had. See our full guide to vehicle history checks.

Buying a used car without checking it first means relying entirely on the seller's word. A car can look fine and still have outstanding finance, hidden accident damage, or a rolled-back odometer — problems that only surface after you've already paid. See our guide to avoiding used car scams.

Free MOT history and test results from DVSA, a 47-point inspection checklist for checking a car in person, and optional paid checks covering finance status, write-off history, stolen records, and market valuation. See pricing for details.

Both are insurance write-off categories. Category S means the car had structural damage; Category N means the damage was non-structural. Read our guides on Category S and Category N, or see the full write-off categories guide covering Cat A, B, and the old Cat C/D system too.

A car with its odometer wound back to hide its real mileage. It's illegal to sell one without disclosing it, but it still happens. See our full guide to spotting a clocked car.

The "registered keeper" on a V5C logbook is the person responsible for the car day-to-day (insurance, tax, MOT) — not necessarily the legal owner. A financed car's keeper and its actual legal owner (the finance company, until paid off) can be different people entirely.

The official DVLA registration document for a vehicle, showing the registered keeper, VIN, and vehicle details. Always check the VIN on the actual car matches the V5C exactly, and that the seller's name and address match what's on the document.

A plate change on its own is normal and legal (private plates get transferred often). But combined with other red flags — like a recent change of keeper followed by a quick resale — it's worth asking more questions, since it can occasionally be used to obscure a car's real history.

If you're on a non-UK driving licence, you can generally drive in the UK for up to 12 months from when you arrive. After that, most people need to apply for a UK provisional licence, pass the theory test, and then pass the practical test to keep driving legally. Some licences — from EU/EEA countries or a "designated country" list (e.g. Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan) — have different rules and may be exchangeable for a full UK licence without retesting. Check gov.uk for the exact rule for your specific country before your 12 months runs out.