License plate lookup

Looking up a car by its license plate is not available on CarHenry yet. Plate-to-VIN matching depends on access to state DMV records, which is granted state by state under different rules, and we will not offer it until it returns the right vehicle every time.

Get the VIN instead, in under a minute

• From the listing. Most dealer listings publish the VIN under vehicle details or in a photo of the window sticker.
• From the seller. Ask for it. There is nothing a buyer can do with a VIN that harms a seller, and a seller who refuses is telling you something.
• From the car. It is on the plate at the base of the windshield on the driver's side and on the driver's door-jamb sticker. Where to find the VIN.

Then check the car

Check VIN

Free decode first: make, model, year, engine and plant. Full report $9.90: open recalls, owner complaints, crash-test ratings, market price range and known faults.