# Should I Buy This Car?

> Free UK vehicle history checks. Enter a number plate and get the car's MOT
> history, mileage record, tax status and recall status, sourced directly from
> DVLA and DVSA records, with a paid full report available.

Every figure on the site comes from UK government data: vehicle details and tax
status from the DVLA Vehicle Enquiry Service, and MOT test history, advisories
and failure reasons from the DVSA MOT History API. Nothing is estimated or
inferred unless the page says so.

## Check a vehicle

- [Free vehicle check](https://shouldibuythiscar.uk/): enter any UK registration to see MOT history, recorded mileage, tax status and known recalls.
- [Free report for a registration](https://shouldibuythiscar.uk/check/AB12CDE): replace AB12CDE with the plate. Shows MOT pass/fail history, mileage readings over time, tax and MOT expiry dates, and flagged risks such as mileage inconsistencies.

## Guides

- [MOT history check](https://shouldibuythiscar.uk/mot-history-check): how to look up any UK car's full MOT record and what the advisories actually mean.
- [Is my car taxed?](https://shouldibuythiscar.uk/is-my-car-taxed): how to check current vehicle tax status and what happens if a car is untaxed.
- [When is my MOT due?](https://shouldibuythiscar.uk/when-is-my-mot-due): how to find a car's MOT expiry date and the rules on renewal.
- [Questions to ask when buying a used car](https://shouldibuythiscar.uk/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-used-car): what to ask a seller, and which answers should worry you.

## UK number plates

- [Number plate guide](https://shouldibuythiscar.uk/plates): how UK registrations encode the area and date a vehicle was first registered.
- [AA plates](https://shouldibuythiscar.uk/plates/aa): vehicles registered in the AA DVLA area.
- [AB plates](https://shouldibuythiscar.uk/plates/ab): vehicles registered in the AB DVLA area.
- [AC plates](https://shouldibuythiscar.uk/plates/ac): vehicles registered in the AC DVLA area.
- [AD plates](https://shouldibuythiscar.uk/plates/ad): vehicles registered in the AD DVLA area.
- [AE plates](https://shouldibuythiscar.uk/plates/ae): vehicles registered in the AE DVLA area.
- [AF plates](https://shouldibuythiscar.uk/plates/af): vehicles registered in the AF DVLA area.

A page exists for every two-letter area code and every area/year prefix
combination, at /plates/{area} and /plates/{area}{year}, for example
/plates/cv and /plates/cv70.

## URL patterns

- Free report for a registration: /check/{REGISTRATION}, e.g. /check/AB12CDE
- Registration area: /plates/{area}, e.g. /plates/cv
- Area and year period: /plates/{area}{year}, e.g. /plates/cv70

Registrations are uppercase with no spaces. A registration with no DVLA record
redirects to the homepage rather than returning a 404.

## Notes

- The free check and all guides are open to crawl and quote.
- Purchased reports under /r/ are private to the buyer and carry a noindex header.
- /checkout/ is disallowed for all crawlers.
- Full URL list: https://shouldibuythiscar.uk/sitemap.xml