Vehicle License Plate Lookup

How to Lookup the Owner of a Vehicle

Have you ever been in a situation where you needed to find the registered owner of a vehicle? There are a multitude of reasons you might need to verify the owner’s information. Whatever the reason may be, finding the registered owner of a vehicle can be a daunting task. Luckily, there are third-party public record sites that can help you easily lookup vehicle owner information if you are eligible via the DPPA.

There are a couple of different ways to find this information. You can run a vehicle owner lookup by license plate, or you can run a vehicle owner lookup by VIN. Either will get you to the same results, as they are both unique to a specific car, truck, SUV, or motorcycle.

How to Find the Registered Owner of a Vehicle

You may wonder if there is a way to find the registered owner of a vehicle for free. This is a commonly searched question online. The answer is that while you can run a free license plate or VIN search, there are limits to what is free. You can typically run a free license plate search or VIN search but you will only get basic information.

For detailed reports such as auto history reports, and owner information, you will need to pay for this information and it is typically only available for business and government uses. It is also important to note that you must declare a valid reason to access owner information, according to your state’s requirements.

Vehicle Owner Search by VIN

One of the easiest ways to find the registered owner of a vehicle by VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). The VIN is a unique 17-digit code that is assigned to every car, truck, SUV, and can be found on the driver’s side dashboard or on the driver’s side door jamb. With the VIN, you can access a detailed history report of that car, truck, or SUV. This will give you a complete analysis of the history of that vehicle, as well as recalls, accidents, and known safety issues.

To perform a vehicle owner search by VIN, you can use selective third-party public record sites. Simply enter the VIN into the search bar and click “Search”. The respective website will then provide you with a detailed report that may include limited owner’s information, and other relevant  automobile information. You must find out first if you are eligible to do so, many states will not allow just any request for ownership information, and you must have a valid reason as outlined in the federal DPPA, and the respective state requirements.

Vehicle Owner Search by License Plate Number

The most common way to find the registered owner of a vehicle is by using the license plate number. This method is especially useful if you do not have access to the 17 digit VIN. To perform a vehicle search by license plate number, you can use a third-party public record site. Enter the license plate number into the search bar and click “Search”. The site will then provide you with a report that includes the owner’s information, as well as a vehicle history information.

These sites have access to a vast database of public records, including vehicle registration information. They also use advanced search algorithms to quickly and accurately provide you with the information you need.

When using a third-party public record site for a vehicle owner search, it’s important to ensure that the site is reputable and trustworthy. Look for sites that have positive customer reviews and a secure payment system. It’s also a good idea to read the site’s privacy policy to ensure that your personal information will be kept confidential.

Requirements to Run a Vehicle Owner Search

There are a multitude of reasons you can legally run this type of search. You will need to make sure your inquiry follows the guidelines of both state and federal regulations. Once you have completed this step then you can proceed with accessing the information you are looking for. Here are some of the common reasons for running this search, as outlined by the DPPA.

1. Motor vehicle or driver safety and theft – For use with matters of automobile or driver safety and theft; auto emissions; post-factory product alterations, recalls, or advisories.
2. Legitimate Business Use – This resource can be used by a legitimate business or its agents, employees, or contractors, to verify the accuracy of personal information submitted by the individual for the purposes of preventing fraud.
3. Civil, Criminal, Administrative and Arbitration – This can be resourced for various civil, criminal, administrative, or arbitration proceedings in a Federal, State, or local court.
4. Insurance Purposes – Can be used by insurance organizations, agents, employees, or contractors, for claims investigation activities. This can also be used for anti-fraud activities, rating or underwriting policies.
5. Commercial Driver Employers – Commercial driver employers can use this service to verify the holder of a commercial driver’s license that is required by the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act.
6. Statistical Research – This service can be used for certain types of research that is used solely for statistical reporting purposes

These are only some of the acceptable reasons to use this service, you should also check with your state’s requirements. You can also use this service if you have consent of the owner which may be within a time frame set by your state.

Conclusion

Finding the owner of a vehicle can be a useful tool in various situations, for many reasons. With the help of public record sites, you can easily access this information using the VIN or license plate number. Just remember that you will need to make sure that your search complies with state and federal guidelines. You will need to select a valid reason for running a search before seeing any results. It is illegal to harass or intimidate anyone with the information you obtain. Finding ownership information has never been easier, please search responsibly.