How to Find Registered Owner of Vehicle for Free

You would sometimes want to track down a vehicle by using the registered license plate details. You might want the info if you are a witness or a victim of a hit-and-run incident or have been involved in an accident. You have only caught a glimpse of the license plate number and would like to search for the details. But, in the U.S. and other countries, governments impose heavy regulations to protect the privacy of each individual. If you are wondering how to find registered owner of vehicle free, you are at the right place! In this article, we will make you understand how to check vehicle owner details by registration and find car owner by registration number free. So, Let’s get started!

How to Find Registered Owner of Vehicle for Free

How to Find Registered Owner of Vehicle for Free

You will get to know how to find registered owner of vehicle and check vehicle owner details by registration free further in this article. Keep reading to learn more about it in detail.

How Can You Find Registered Owner of Vehicle for Free?

Below are some of the methods mentioned to search and find the registered owner of vehicle for free.

Method 1: Using VIN Identification Websites

You can find more information about a registered owner by using a VIN. A Vehicle Identification Number is a number used to identify a car’s make and model with its history. Using VIN, you can find registered vehicle owner for free and prevent false identification.

You can perform a search through the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) present on the vehicle itself. If you live in US or Canada, this method will be useful. Moreover, some of these sites will also allow you to get vehicle details by number plate.

  • Usually, VIN is used to get more details about a vehicle.
  • You can find the location of the VIN in certain places of the vehicle.
  • On the Windshield of the vehicle, there will be a metal tag on the front driver seat. VIN will be printed on that metal tag.
  • You can also find VIN on driver’s door sills or the pillars for VIN stickers.
  • The VIN can also be found on the official paperwork of the vehicle, bill of sale, insurance policies, etc.

Let us see some search websites which can be used to search registered vehicles by using VIN.

1. EpicVIN

EpicVIN offers both vehicle lookup as well as VIN lookup, so you can get details regarding a person.

  • They also provide a vehicle history report which shows all history of the vehicle including financial, and insurance transactions related to the vehicle.
  • If you intend to buy a second-hand vehicle, a search for VIN can prove worthwhile since you can know more details about the vehicle.

epicvin homepage

2. VINPit

VINPit is yet another website to search for the vehicle owner.

  • You can search for the vehicle owner by just entering the VIN.
  • There is also a vehicle history report feature that provides you with a complete history of the vehicle including vehicle theft, insurance, etc.

VINpit homepage | How to Find Registered Owner of Vehicle for Free

3. FAXVIN

FAXVIN is another website that provides you with a free license plate-looking service.

  • FAXVIN offers a search and details on US and Canadian motor vehicles.
  • FAXVIN provides you with a detailed report for motor vehicles.
  • They also provide vehicle history to get info on past details of the vehicle.

FAXVIN homepage

4. VINhistoryUSA

VINhistoryUSA provides VIN check services and it is easy to search for the info about the owner’s vehicle, this is a reliable way to find registered owner of vehicle free.

  • VINhistoryUSA provides a car title and model check.
  • They also provide a detailed vehicle report and its services, if service repairs were performed.
  • They offer accident and service records for the concerned vehicle.

VINhistoryUSA

5. SearchQuarry

SearchQuarry offers VIN search across different states in the US and also helps find the vehicle owner. They also offer license plate search which can be narrowed down by city filter.

SearchQuarry | How to Find Registered Owner of Vehicle for Free

This is one of the best method to find car owner by registration number free.

Also Read: How to Look Up License Plate Number Owner

Method 2: Contact Law Enforcement

If you are a witness or a victim of a hit-and-run incident, you may report the incident to your local police station, and they might assist you to find the concerned vehicle as they have the resources to do the same. You will not be provided with the owner’s details but will be aided in your search for the vehicle owner for valid reasons. This is how you can find car owner by registration number free.

Note: Be sure to mention the valid reason for tracking down a vehicle, as some countries’ regulations restrict access to private access to someone. And if found lying or providing false information, it can get you into trouble.

Method 3: Reach Out to Local Government Office

In all countries, if the vehicle has a license plate, they are issued by a government agency of motor vehicle. So, you can visit the office in charge of registering motor vehicles. The government office allows you to check vehicle owner details by registration only while providing a valid reason for the same.

1. For example, in the State of California, there is a California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) that manages the registration of all vehicles in California.

Note: The rules for who can have access to the information vary from state to state and country to country.

California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)

2. Before visiting your nearby office, make sure you have an appropriate reason for obtaining information on the same.

3. In some places, you cannot find the exact owner’s name of the vehicle, and the information you obtain varies from place to place.

4. After visiting your local motor vehicle registration, you can ask them about the details. Most government offices like DMV (Department of Motor vehicles) will provide you with a request form in which you can fill the details.

5. Read the request form carefully and enter the details including the registered number of the vehicle. The form also has fields that ask you the reason for obtaining the vehicle owner’s information, which would be filled in from you.

Note: In case you want to take a look at the official document to prepare, you can find a copy of the official document you are filling out online on the official website. You can check these to plan well in advance what you will be writing in the request letter.

6. Submit all the documents including the letter for verification, proof of identity, etc.

Note: Most often this service requires a fee payment to be made. The fee amount will be a maximum of $50.

7. Some motor agencies require additional documents to be submitted before furnishing the details to you.

8. After submitting the documents, you can receive the results through mail to your residential address.

Sometimes, it can take a couple of weeks for your request to be sanctioned. You can follow up with your government office if you don’t hear from them for more than a month.

Also Read: What is Driving Too Close Behind a Vehicle Called?

Method 4: Hire Private Investigator (Paid)

You can also search for a private investigator online to find the registered owner of the vehicle.

Note 1: Private investigators usually require fees to be paid before they perform their services.

Note 2: If you are interested in the private investigator, you can sign in with them a contract to accept the terms and conditions.

A private investigator will conduct searches on behalf of your request. Be informed that a licensed investigator is legal.  You might need to research a private investigator and the validity of their license thoroughly before hiring them, as there are scams surrounding certain investigators.

After verifying the validity of the private investigator, you can contact that investigator. You can also ask the private investigator directly if they perform a license search and have relevant experience and/or track record in the past for the same. Be informed that, most private investigators get in touch with local law enforcement before proceeding with your investigation, so it is an official investigation.

Let’s see another few methods to find car owner by registration number free.

Method 5: By Placing Advertisements

You can try placing an ad on social media and in magazines if your search seems unsuccessful.

  • You can post on social media as an ad to search for the vehicle owner. This way will allow you to find registered owner of vehicle free.
  • You can also place a classified ad in a car magazine. Note that there might be charges, unlike on the social media platforms.

If you want to find registered owner of vehicle free, your best option is to post on social media, such as Facebook or Craigslist, you can also find various car groups on which you can post an ad.

Note: Make sure to be specific in the ad as much as possible and include your contact details so that the person who has the vehicle can contact you.

Craigslist | How to Find Registered Owner of Vehicle for Free

Method 6: Through Local Car Clubs

Local car clubs are also a good source of information to find registered owner of vehicle free. You can search for any local car clubs and ask the manager or members about the car owner by providing the details.

Before going to your local car club, make sure to know the full details of the car in question. You can easily search for the car model and other details by searching with VIN with the help of the methods mentioned earlier in this article. You can search for local car clubs online also, and you can get in touch with them through contact numbers.

Method 7: Via Official Paperwork

You can also take the help of the official paperwork associated with the car in question to find the registered owner of the vehicle.

  • If you have sold your car and if you are looking for a new owner who is currently in possession of your car, you can check with the certificate of title. This paperwork is the norm when selling and buying vehicles second-hand.
  • Apart from the certificate of title, you can also check the bill of sale. This receipt has the details which you can check.
  • Finally, you can also look at your accident and insurance reports. In these reports, there is a possibility of the presence of a license number or VIN which you can also use to search for the owner.

This is how to check vehicle owner details by registration.

Also Read: How to Find Random Lives on Instagram

Why Do You Need VIN?

There are various reasons and scenarios why you would need a VIN:

  • You may need a Vehicle Identification Number to check on the vehicle history reports if you intend to buy a car. The report includes accident reports, service reports, etc.
  • You can get complete details about the vehicle model if you are buying one since it reveals the car’s genuineness if performed a VIN check.
  • You can cross-reference the changes done to the vehicle by matching the current engine and vehicle mileage number with the VIN checkup since these readings will be displayed on the VIN history check.
  • You can also determine the previous owner of the vehicle in question.

How is Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Generated?

A Vehicle Identification Number is not a random number as it is generated based on various information about the vehicle. If you are interested, read below to know more about a VIN.

  • VIN is made up of 17 digits and has both alphabets and numerical characters.
  • The first letter of VIN depicts the location where the vehicle was built.
  • The second and third character depicts the manufacturer of the vehicle.
  • The fourth to eighth characters say more about the model of the car, engine type, make, etc.
  • The ninth character depicts the security code for the vehicle.
  • The tenth character says the model year of the car or vehicle.
  • The eleventh letter depicts the factory where the vehicle was assembled.
  • The remaining 6 characters are the serial number of the vehicle.

In short, a Vehicle Identification Number is a unique number that differs from vehicle to vehicle. By performing a VIN check, you can easily get an idea about a vehicle. Read this article from the start to learn how to check vehicle owner details by registration.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1. Can We Get Full Personal Details by Just using the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)?

Ans. No, most often you cannot get info by just using the VIN. The use of VIN is to identify the make and model of the car and the vehicle history reports. Follow this article from the beginning to find car owner by registration number free.

Q2. Can I Find the Owner of a Vehicle by Just using the Vehicle’s License Plate Number?

Ans. Yes, you can visit the state DMV and submit a request letter for the same, and you can receive the results within a month.

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So, we hope you have understood how to find registered owner of vehicle free and check vehicle owner details by registration with the detailed steps to your aid. You can let us know any queries or suggestions about any other topic you want us to make an article on. Drop them in the comments section below for us to know.

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