How to Enter a VIN to Get Information on a Vehicle

Every modern car has a VIN, or Vehicle Identification Number. VINs are most often put to use when a car is sold second-hand in order to ensure that the seller is being honest about the history of the car being sold. A VIN will reveal how many people have owned the car, the car's inspection record, if the car has ever been in a major accident and if the car was stolen.

Instructions

1

Request the VIN from the seller of the car you plan to purchase. If you want to look up the VIN of a car you're already in possession of or have easy access to, you may be able to find the VIN on a plate or sticker inside the driver's side door.

2

Use a search engine, such as Internet Explorer or Firefox, and navigate to a website that provides a VIN lookup service; a few options for such sites are listed in the Resources section below.

3

Type the VIN in the website's search window. On any VIN search website you select, you'll find a window on the homepage allowing you to enter the VIN you wish to search. If your VIN is legitimate, a short description of the car will appear.

4

Select the payment option for your VIN search; all of these sites will charge a small fee for the VIN lookup service. These sites all offer discount packages for multiple VIN searches. Once you've paid, you'll have access to the car's VIN history.