Finding who owns a vehicle has never been easier. All you need to begin to find out who owns a car is the full license plate number of the vehicle, but you can also search vehicle owner information by the VIN.
Once you have the full license plate number, or VIN, of the vehicle you want to search, you can enter that into the search fields to begin. In the next step you will be prompted to select a reason to for running your car owner search.
Then once your car owner search is complete, make sure to check that the vehicle matches the results. After that you can access a multitude of information including car owner details, vehicle history reports, vehicle title verification, accidents, recalls and more.
If you know the full license plate number of a car you can find car owner information in a few easy steps. The basic steps to find who owns a car by license plate are as follows:
To find out who owns a car by VIN or license plate, you will need the complete VIN or car license plate number. The vehicle identification number is a 17 digit alpha-numeric code that describes all the specific vehicle information and each VIN is unique to one specific car, just like the license plate number. You can go through the same channels as the license plate search as long as you have a legitimate reason to perform this car owner search. It’s also important to note that not all sites that offer vehicle records have access to car owner information. So if you are searching by VIN it’s good to be certain of this. The same rules apply to access owner information with a VIN search as they do with a license plate search.
There are a multitude of reasons that someone would like to know who owns a car. It might be that they’re in the market for a used car or maybe checking on the title of their own car or possibly another reason that is allowed via the DPPA. The Driver Privacy Protection Act is very serious and only those that meet the criteria and have a legitimate reason can perform this car owner search. Each state in the United States has their own DPPA that must be adhered to. To find out more about DPPA reasons and regulations in order to answer the question, “ How to Find Who Owns a Car ,” can be found here on Wikipedia.
Also note that not all states allow the same reasons to find out who owns a car and some information about the car owner may be limited. Also note that you will be personally liable for information obtained in a car owner search and it’s illegal to stalk or harass anyone with any information you obtain. Please be responsible with the information you find. The FOIA, or Freedom of Information Act makes vehicle records public domain so that people can access this information as long as their in compliance with state, local and federal regulations.
Many people run a car plate search for reasons of purchasing a used car and verification of the vehicle and vehicle ownership which is a key part of the transaction. It can be very helpful to know if the car title is clean or salvaged or has a lien on it, if there are any major safety concerns. There are a multitude of reasons people want to know more about vehicles and with our search tool you can run multiple searches on the cars you want to know more about.
There are some simple ways to verify and research cars for sale by owner. A license plate search or VIN search can be useful information for people researching a used car such as, obtaining a car history report, verifying if the odometer is accurate, checking if the car has a salvaged title, or if the car was in any major car accidents. Many people have voiced concerns about buying a used car by owner on craigslist, because of all the scams that are out there. These concerns can be somewhat mitigated by doing some quick research before handing over any cash for that used car, running a vehicle history report can reveal the truth and if there are any problems that were not disclosed.
Another way to verify the car for sale by owner is legit is to verify if the owner is the seller of the vehicle. You may want to ask them to show you their driver’s license and match that with the car title or registration before making the purchase. Most importantly, never send any money until you see and verify the used the car in person. Buying a stolen vehicle happens, and the buyer is the one that pays the price. With over 275 million vehicles on the road, according to a 2020 Department of Transportation report, the need for vehicle related information has become significant, especially for people researching a used car they are interested in. With a quick online license plate number search or VIN check, a person can research the history of most any car to make a more informed decision.
Cars for sale by owner scams are on the rise, there are many online platforms that host used car sales but not all the listings are legitimate, even though the platform is. According to the FTC in December 2022 report, car buying scams have gone up significantly year over year, from flood damaged cars to phony car sales. It’s a good idea to keep that in mind when purchasing a used car from an unknown seller. There are a few obvious things to look out for with popular used car scams:
Please be advised that the information accessed through SearchQuarry.com searches may not always be accurate or current, as we neither generate nor authenticate the data provided via our service. The reliability and precision of information are primarily contingent upon diverse public sources from which data is compiled. By utilizing SearchQuarry.com, you acknowledge your acceptance of the terms delineated in the SearchQuarry.com terms of service and our privacy policies. Information acquired via SearchQuarry.com must not be utilized for unlawful purposes such as stalking or harassing individuals, or scrutinizing public figures or celebrities. Individuals who contravene these directives may be subject to both civil and criminal legal proceedings and sanctions. It is explicitly stated that SearchQuarry.com does not function as a "consumer reporting agency" as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act ("FCRA"), and therefore, does not furnish "consumer reports" pursuant to the FCRA. SearchQuarry.com strictly prohibits the utilization of information garnered from search results (a) for discriminatory practices against any consumer; (b) for assessing a consumer's eligibility for personal credit, insurance, employment, housing, or government licenses or benefits; or (c) in any other manner that may impact a consumer's economic or financial status or standing.
Want to know who owned vehicle.
i lost my title before i could put it in my name and i dont know person phone number or address his name is trenton kelly from atlanta georgia had 2007 bmw x3 online
Aftan, unfortunately you will need to contact the DMV directly about your situation. Every state handles car title transfers differently. If you have the bill of sale that will be helpful
I need some info on a plate number of a vehicle I world like to purchase
Hello I’m needing the owner of a 5th wheel that was givin to me out of a trailer park for some work that was done and the title they gave me was the previous owners title since then the I went to dmv to do transfer tittle which obviously dint go through because of wrong info and the person at the trailer park had passed away since this has happened so I don’t know who the trailer belonged to it’s not stolen the dmv said the transfer took place in 2013 and no one knows who it was last registered to so it’s going to get towed if I can’t get the info nobody seems to know anything I’d like to get ahold of the people to one if it is missing to them I can tell them where it is and two if there not interested nor want it or has passed away also I just don’t want it getting thrown away it be a waste dmv won’t help cops won’t help your my last option
Tom, our car owner lookup resources only work for motorized vehicles, they do not have information regarding trailers or fifth wheels. You might ask the DMV how to go about getting the title transferred AS-IS, there may be a precedence for your situation.
I lost title before I got it transferred.I need contact info of the person that the title was in so I can get a new title.
Brian, if you have the bill of sales for the car your purchased the DMV will often accept that and you can apply for the title transfer to your name. This means that you do not need to lookup the car owner by VIN or license plate
they left the car on street in front of my house 2002 honda accord1hgcg56402a07i132 vin# its been there bout 3months im gonna hav som ody haul it off i need to find owenr thank you
Jim, you don’t need to find the owner of that car to have it towed away. You can call the police and file an abandoned car report and they will attempt to contact the owner and if they cannot then they will have it towed away at the owners expense. You should not have to pay for this. Another option is if nobody claims the car that was abandoned, you can sometimes have the title transferred into your name but you will need to check on your state’s laws to find out how to go about this.
We hope this helps!
I would like to find this car vin number 242679B128788 it is a 1969 GTO convertible that i previously owned and was forced to sell due to financial hardship. The car was like a family member beloved by myself and my family as we all enjoyed it over the years. I personally restored the car to new condition before having to sell it. I want it back is it legal to do a search under this criteria?
Rodney, unfortunately our VIN lookup for finding who owns a car only works for modern vehicles with 17 digits in the VIN. There really are not many options besides the DMV to find out information about vintage vehicles. The only other option is to hire a private investigator that specializes in vehicle related records.
He Hit my Car
Ronnie, if someone hit your car, or if there was a hit and run incident, you should contact the police and file a report. This is the safest and fastest way to get your car fixed. Once you have the police accident report you can send that to your insurance company. The police will follow up with the car owner, and then your auto insurance company should give you guidance on the best way to get your car repaired
I need to find who the owner is of a car I am looking to buy
Harry, if you need to find out information about a car you want to buy, you should consider running a vehicle history report. This will give you a lot of valuable information about the history, specs, accidents and more with a simple VIN check or car license plate number lookup
I just bought this car from a dude who said he had just gotten the regestration renewed and it has good tags till 24, but that the tags were stolen off the car. The tags do appear to have been ripped off and I am wanting to find out if the tags are expired or not. I will eventually get the vehicle switched over to my name of course, but in the meantime would like to know if I am okay to drive it or if I will get pulled over for expired/bad/no tags. The police obviously get this information when they run my plate number, how do I get this information?
Joseph, you will need to find out from the DMV about when your car registration expires. Unfortunately that is not something that is listed on a car license plate search
I want to know what cars a person owns?
I have been harassed on and off by drivers. It appears more than average and spans across states and is always unnecessary since person does not have to be up against the back of my car because lane next to me always open. Today tried to find out owner of a particular plate that harassed me bad on road..but was told “ payed to remain private” but it gave me a vin number.
Julie, we understand your frustration but we cannot give out car owner information in this situation. If you are being harassed you can give the car license plate information to the police to have them follow up.
I found an abandoned vehicle and id like to know who owns it and if I can buy it
Brandon, you will need to go through the correct channels to transfer the title of an abandoned car on your property. The first step is to notify the police and file an abandoned car report with them. The police will then try to contact the owner of the vehicle. If they do not get a response or cannot find the previous owner you can file a claim to transfer the title into your name.
A reckless driver cut across double yellow line to the opposite side of the road into my lane on King mountain road yesterday and almost hit me on a bike. I managed to stay calm and not get hit. I have the video recorded from a bike camera. What can I do in this situation?
Grace, that is good news that you were not hit by this driver. To follow up on this reckless car driver you can contact your local police and give them the video footage and they can follow up on this situation for you. Hopefully the camera caught the car license plate number so they can follow up on who owns this car.
Can I find the name of the owner who backed up on my car?
Marie, to find who owns a car you must go through the correct channels and review the DPPA requirements and state requirements for performing such a search.
The guy I bought a motorcycle from lost the title and never sent it off in his name so how do I go about getting the title holders name and address to get him to file a lost title from I did a title search and no lean on the bike and it is clean no accidents either
Chris, you will need to talk to the DMV in this situation and ask them how to proceed in finding who owns the motorcycle and how to transfer the motorcycle title into your name.
Someone show my title my truck without me knowing it I have the title they did not
Marshall, this sounds like a fraud situation that you may want to discuss with the motor vehicle department directly and/or the police
Someone so my vehicle without my permission my name is on the title
I am totally depressed. Back in 04 I had built a Harley-Davidson with my father. It was the only thing that we ever built together and for the most part we were like oil and water except for this one project. He passed away in 07 in 010 I had financial difficulty and had to sell that motorcycle. I’ve been searching for it for many years I’m trying to reach out to the new owners and possibly buy it back. I don’t know where to look or who can help I just want to explain my story and maybe hopefully I can get the bike back can you help
Bought it with a bill of sale and I need to tag it but I don’t have a title
Tara, you’ll need to visit a motor vehicle department in person to handle the title transfer of the vehicle. Once you’ve satisfied all the requirements and pay the relevant fees, you’ll be issued a new car title and registration
I recently had a man trespass onto my property. When I told him to leave he got hostile and defensive, getting into my face and staying on my property for an extended time frame. THe police never showed up even though I called twice and told them the situation. I want to press charges for trespassing. Is this valid?
Jackie, it sounds like you have a case. You’ll want to file a police report first and then either contact the clerk of the courts to inquire about personally filing a claim or seek the guidance of a legal attorney
I have been looking to buy this motorcycle and the guy that is selling it don’t have a title or any paper work on it. How do I find out if he is the owner or not by the vin number.
On Tuesday, 9 August 2022 I was at the traffic light waiting to turn right at the intersection of Contee Rd & Laurel-Bowie Rd (Rt 197, Laurel MD). A reckless driver that appeared to be a 19-20 yr old African American male rear-ended me. When I got out of my vehicle to talk to the young man & get his driver’s information, he quickly backed up & sped off in the opposite direction on Contee Rd. Other than the appearance of the person, I was only able to get a partial tag # (first 3 digits possibly 1EZ), the color of the car (light grey), and possible make (Ford/Lincoln, older model). I called the police and waited to make a report. They will look into it but said it was probably a runner. How can I find out through MD DMV any vehicles with those first 3 digits? As it stands, I will have to pay for the damage to my vehicle through my insurance. What can be done? There were others around and it would be a kind deed if someone that saw the car & tag number would report the accident to the Laurel, MD police.
Mac, first, hopefully everyone is ok and uninjured. Next, you’ll want to file a hit and run with the police, they can run partial license plate numbers and if you have the make and model of the vehicle, that will be helpful as well. Then, you’ll want to notify your insurance company and if you have Uninsured Motorist Insurance you shouldn’t have to pay a deductible and the insurance company.
I was almost hit by a child driving reckless on a parking lot with his mom and sister in the vehicle. Why are children driving cars without permits or licenses on the streets. Police was notified to the scene, gave me a civil case number. Officer states for privacy reasons he can not reveal the owner’s information.
How can I file without knowing who to file the complete about?
Karen, since there is a police report, you should be able to file the suit for reckless driving at your local county courthouse. Call first and discuss your options with the clerk of the court and give them the civil case number.
I’m trying to buy a car. The guy never wants to meet me any place like a bank or a FedEx Office. He only wants to meet in parking lots of closed businesses. Something’s not right when I ask for the title. Always a story.
Mitchell, it sounds a little suspicious indeed, it’s always prudent to trust one’s instincts with a big purchase like a used car
Five cars are on my property the so called owner as never shown me no title of ownership but it seems to have the keys. I would like to know what I could do my rights have the car to remove it’s a person doesn’t agree with the payment of it a great upon.
What If Someone Abandoned A Car On My Property?
Depending on what state you live in, if a car was abandoned on your property you have the right to have it removed at the owner’s expense. The first step is to contact the police department and report this abandoned vehicle. It’s best to let them help guide you to the next steps so you are staying within the guidelines of removing an abandoned vehicle as well as minimizing any expenses you need to put out to have the vehicle towed
I am a retired teacher of 35 years. I desire to have a reliable car to travel in free of problems and repairs. This white Mercedes Benz E350 is a car I am considering. Is it a good purchase. I don’t have extra money for repairs. Thanks for your help.
Mercedes Benz autos are very expensive to maintain. Look for a Japanese vehicle.
Need to know who truck is titled in before I consider buying it.
Arizona tag CNA0353
Just got the car, title not changes over yet?would like to know something about the car
Clifton, you can find out quite a bit about your car by running a vehicle history report. Just enter the 17 digit vin number on the form at the top of this page and choose the vehicle history report option. You can find out the history of your car, if the title is clean and what your car specs are, in just a few moments.
I an hiring a man that I do not know. All I have is his truck plate numbe
He hit my car and left hit and run
I want to cancel my 7 day trial & have my debit card credited back for the amount I owe.
Cindy, we will process your request ASAP. Please allow a few days for the credit to be reflected on your statement.
I was on the highway with an aggressive driver riding up on people and weaving in and out of traffic. When I didn’t move out of his way he got up next me and threw a full can of soda at my car. No damage, but certainly scared the crap out of me. I wasn’t sure what happened. Got the guys license plate number and make and model of car. I should probably file a police report although I’m not sure what can be done since there was no damage.
You are correct Michell, your best bet is to contact the police and let them handle the situation
I believe my car was sold without my consent
THIS DUMP TRUCK WENT THROUGH MY DRIVE WAY DUMPING SCRAP DRYWALL , GLASS AND SCREWS.
Sandra, you might want to document this with some pictures of the debris that the dump truck left behind and then contact your local police to follow up with the situation
This vehicle ran a red light while I was making a legal u turn at the intersection. I had the Green Arrow and this vehicle did not stop at the red light and continued on thru the intersection, I had to stop so there wasn’t an accident. I would like to report this to the California Highway Patrol.
I used to own this car I would like to make them an offer for it.
This person hit my car, but gave false insurance information to the attending police officer.
Ron, in this type of situation, typically either the police or your auto insurance company will handle this and follow up with the person that was at fault that gave false information regarding an car accident
i purchased car temp registerted it waiting on seller to get me titlt and havent heard back and its been over a year need a title how to go abouit situation
This car was left in my driveway 1 1/2 years ago and the owner moved back to Bulgaria. I need to get a new title. Please advise
I have a towing company and two many vehicles from Private Properties. Many of the vehicles have either no license plate or misuse of plate, making it impossible for me to send notification per the requirements by State DMV. The state makes it extremely difficult if the vehicle was registered out of state as they will not give you any information and thus the wild goose chase so to speak begins.
I bought the car but I forgot to get her copy of license and can’t find the phone number ! Would like to go back and get copy of license for duplicate title since she lost it during moving !
You tell us the possible reasons for an owner search, but do not provide links (clear to the eye) on where to click to go to the VIN or License Plate search area to find the information.
Please advise.
The car with the plate no 8cy0557 hit my car in a parking garage in Bethesda, md. A photo of the car and the plate no
Is very visible
I’m trying to find a previous owner of a vehicle that was used by a possible witness in a possible crime deemed a suicide from 10 years ago in a case where the LE have closed the case and won’t disclose any records to the family. We don’t have any beef with law enforcement as a whole, but this particular agency has been almost willfully unhelpful with the family. It appears that the car has been sold and we don’t need to know the current owner unless the information that the previous owner sold it is incorrect. Would you be able to help with this? I have the vin number, and specifically need to know who owned the car in 2012. I hope you can help.
The man hit my van and I need to get my car fixed looking to get insurance info
Kate, if this was a hit and run scenario then you may want to reach out to your local police or highway patrol to have them follow up on this for you. By getting a police report and filing a hit and run you can inform your auto insurance company and get your car repaired
Bought a car from this chick and can’t get title transferred over cause can read the vin on title and it’s not in Her name trying to find the other owner
I am trying to find previous owner of my rv. The previous owner bought it and did not take delivery from dealer. We believe there may have been damage/structural issues that were not disclosed to us upon our purchase
Tom, we do have limited information regarding mororhome RV information. If you have the 17 digit VIN available we can try running it through our vehicle database to see if we can find anything for you
Lost title!! Need to get another one.
I Lost My Car Title
If you’ve lost your car title it’s simple to obtain a new one. Just go online to your state motor vehicle website and make a request to obtain a duplicate car title online. You will need to download the “duplicate car title form” and fill out the required areas along with your driver’s license information and vehicle registration information. There will be a small fee for processing and a duplicate car title will be mailed to you within a few weeks.
I sold a 1968 red firebird in 1968 to a man in Alexandria, virginia. I would like to find the car again for possible purchase to own again.
I sold my 2007 vette to a naples florida dealer…5 times ive asked him to come get the second set of keys to give to the new owner but he refuses. Since they are expensive i would prefer to give them to the owner rather than throw them away
I sold my car to a man who test-drove it and paid me via PayPal on March 15, 2022. This was via Facebook Marketplace. His profile picture on Facebook and Pinterest is the same man I sold the car to. On April 1, 2022, he filed a dispute with PayPal saying he did not make the transaction.
Garland, you may want to file a police report or seek legal counsel to help you resolve this situation if you cannot resolve this through PayPal directly. You should also take note that there are a lot of scams out there that use Craigs List, eBay, FB Marketplace and Paypal, to name a few.
The car hit my car trying to find ownerof car for insurance
This truck has been stolen. We think it may have been sold through fraud.
The person who owns this car damaged my vehicle and I am trying to locate for insurance info.
Alpha, before obtaining an vehicle related information about a car, truck, SUV or motorcycle must read through our terms of service and make sure that you select a reason why you are performing this car ownership search, according to your state’s privacy laws
How to get a copy of an old registration of a vehicle sold. It’s needed for an insurance claim. They won\’t accept my old insurance card. In the state of NJ
Diane, this not a typical request and it’s something that you will want to take up with the DMV directly
I’m getting receiving parking citations for a car that doesn’t belong to me. I have the license plate info, how do I find out who the car actually belong to?
Antrila, you can contact the issuing agency to let them know you are receiving these citations for a car that doesn’t belong to you. Unfortunately we cannot assist you directly for the reasons outlined in our terms of search for vehicle related information
I bought a car from a friend who had a open title on it. He lost the title prior to me buying it and can’t remember the lady’s info. Can I get the name so I can get a new title made.
Verity, you can visit a DMV office and make your request to transfer the title to you. You will need some documentation such as a bill of sale or a signed title from the seller. Every state’s requirements for a vehicle title transfer are somewhat similar but it’s best to discuss this directly with the motor vehicle department in your state of residence
Trying to find info on car
I was hit by a guy in a crosswalk who tried to drive off but stopped when I pulled out my camera and had it directly on his plates and he turned back to look at me. I told him I wasn’t the suing type, but he did smell like alcohol and he was also old so I didn’t feel like ruining his life, but not this is the third day and I went to a chiropractor (hoping to get an x-ray) and he said there’s definite damage, but I don’t have his name or insurance information because I was still in shock and it took time to feel the chunks of cartilage moving around inside my elbow and possibly and fracture or split tendon, Im not going near a hospital right now with all this coiid stuff, cant someone just prescribe and x-ray and I can go some where besides a hospital? And the police report allows the dmv to get his name address and insurance information.
R.C. that is a very unfortunate situation. Since you have the ability to obtain the information you’re looking for via the motor vehicle department, how can we assist you?
There’s a car that’s been abandoned and has been there for about 3 months. It’s on a residential street and has 4 flat tires, is there anyway I can fine out who the owner is?
This truck ran into my house on January 3, 2022 causing major damage to the iron hand rail and bricks. Some kind of oily fluid was on the walkway which was tracked into my house. I just want their insurance to repair the damage.
Bettye, you should report this to the police and document all the damage to your property. This is the best practice to move forward to getting compensated and your property fixed. Then you can give the police report to your auto insurance company and let them know what happened. Both the auto insurance company and the police will be able to help you navigate this situation
This vehicle has been parked in front of my Mom’s house for three months and has not moved