How to Locate Motor Vehicle by VIN Number
Find your VIN number., Report your vehicle missing to the authorities., Go to the VinCheck website if you suspect a car of being stolen.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Find your VIN number.
Although the easiest way to find a car's VIN number is by looking inside the car itself, there are several other methods for locating it:
Request a copy of the car title.
This title, as well as the registration, should include the unique VIN number.
Find body shop records.
Car shops keep track of the VIN number and report on the changes they have made to it.
This is a way that a VIN-based car report can be very comprehensive.
Look in police reports, recall reports and other miscellaneous car data.
The VIN number should appear on all these items.
You can also ask a former owner of the car to locate some of this data. -
Step 2: Report your vehicle missing to the authorities.
Local and state police will use the VIN number, as well as the license plate number, make and model, to track down a stolen car. , The National Insurance Crime Bureau allows you to conduct 5 VIN searches from a single IP address.
The website is nicb.org/theft_and_fraud_awareness/vincheck.
Enter your VIN number under "Enter VIN." Agree to the terms and conditions.
Then, enter a verification code.
Click "Search" when you are finished.
VinCheck will peruse all reports of stolen, salvage and lost vehicles from the past 5 years.
It will show the current location, if available. -
Step 3: Go to the VinCheck website if you suspect a car of being stolen.
Detailed Guide
Although the easiest way to find a car's VIN number is by looking inside the car itself, there are several other methods for locating it:
Request a copy of the car title.
This title, as well as the registration, should include the unique VIN number.
Find body shop records.
Car shops keep track of the VIN number and report on the changes they have made to it.
This is a way that a VIN-based car report can be very comprehensive.
Look in police reports, recall reports and other miscellaneous car data.
The VIN number should appear on all these items.
You can also ask a former owner of the car to locate some of this data.
Local and state police will use the VIN number, as well as the license plate number, make and model, to track down a stolen car. , The National Insurance Crime Bureau allows you to conduct 5 VIN searches from a single IP address.
The website is nicb.org/theft_and_fraud_awareness/vincheck.
Enter your VIN number under "Enter VIN." Agree to the terms and conditions.
Then, enter a verification code.
Click "Search" when you are finished.
VinCheck will peruse all reports of stolen, salvage and lost vehicles from the past 5 years.
It will show the current location, if available.
About the Author
Margaret Hamilton
Brings years of experience writing about organization and related subjects.
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