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How Do You Look up License Plate Numbers?

The Process For Checking Your Drivers License Status Online

From driver history to accident reports, you can learn a lot from performing a license plate lookup. Usually, people are trying to find information about a vehicle’s history. Other times, someone may be looking to identify the driver of a vehicle by using a license plate number.

In either case, the online data may be limited due to privacy laws. But there are a few ways you can conduct a license plate lookup to find basic information about a vehicle or driver.

We’ll focus on the most common reasons to lookup license plate numbers – to obtain a vehicle history report and view criminal driving records.

What You Can Learn

The information you can obtain from a license plate lookup is limited. But there are tons of public records to find what you’re looking for, like a driver’s criminal history.

This information is gathered from multiple sources. Car auctions, insurance companies, and carmakers are few.

Whether you use a third-party license plate lookup like People Public Records or Vehicle Data Registry, you should be able to find all basic information about a vehicle, including:

  • Driver criminal history
  • Accident history
  • Repossession history
  • Fuel efficiency
  • Weather/natural damage
  • Maintenance history
  • Mileage

In most cases, you don’t need to go to the DMV to get license plate records – there are so many online resources to choose from. However, we’ve included information about DMV license plate lookups if you’re unable to find the records you are looking for.

DMV reports include:

  • Car owner
  • License plate numbers
  • Registration and title information
  • Criminal driving records including
  • DUI arrest records and police reports
  • Mug shots
  • Car crashes
  • Suspension of driver’s license
  • Information on felonies and misdemeanors
  • Sex offender listings
  • Warrant information
  • Inmate records

How To Lookup License Plate Numbers

The websites listed here are called third-party information providers. These websites pull records from DMV, court, corrections, and vital statistics databases.

This saves you from doing multiple searches and from driving around town to collect information.

It’s completely legal for you to request this information because all of the data collected by third-party information providers is public record. The Freedom of Information Act also justifies your request for the vehicle data.

PeoplePublicRecords.or License Plate Lookup

PeoplePublicRecords.org is one of the most comprehensive third-party information providers.

Allowing you to access instant data from public records. If you go to the website, you can look up information on car owners by name, VIN, or license plate number.

You can also search for someone’s complete background history, criminal and civil court records, marriage and divorce records, birth and death records, vital records and genealogy, lawsuits and legal judgments, civil claims and litigations, and police records.

Keep in mind, Peoplepublicrecords.org does not collect any information about the searcher, so when you run a report, the person will not even know that anyone pulled a report.

Users can choose from one-, three-, or a six-month membership, each with unlimited searches.

SearchQuarry License Plate Lookup

The website www.searchquarry.com allows users to search for information on car owners by typing in the VIN or license plate number.

In addition to license plate records, SearchQuarry allows users to look up public information and reports about criminal records, court records, incarcerations, driving records, VIN records, bankruptcies, liens and judgments, birth records, death records, marriage records, divorce records, and phone number records.

SearchQuarry does not provide any bank, credit card, or social security number information.

Users must pay a monthly fee for unlimited searches and reports.

Vehicle Data Registry License Plate Lookup

At Vehicledataregistry.com, you can search for owner information by using a VIN or license plate number. A lot of information is attached to a person’s driving record. This website may provide you with any – or all – of the following information:

  • Name
  • Full address
  • Telephone numbers
  • Vehicle history
  • Criminal records
  • Civil records
  • Property records
  • Vital records

DMV License Plate Lookup

If you are not able to find what you are looking for online, you may be able to obtain information about a vehicle or driver using a license plate lookup at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV.)

Simply go to your local DMV website or call the number provided to see if the one in your area provides vehicle and driver records.

If so, visit the DMV and provide them with the license plate number and any other details you have.

To learn more about license plate lookups and public vehicle driving records, check out How To Find a Name and Address Using a License Plate Number.

Disclaimer

This article contains general legal information but does not constitute professional legal advice for your particular situation. The Law Dictionary is not a law firm, and this page does not create an attorney-client or legal adviser relationship. If you have specific questions, please consult a qualified attorney licensed in your jurisdiction.

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