Service History Check
Check available car service history by registration number. View recorded service dates, mileage and maintenance details.
Service History Reports £7.59 — Coverage Varies by Vehicle
What does a service history check show?
A service history check helps you find recorded maintenance for a vehicle. Use it when checking a used car, reviewing your own car's paperwork or preparing to sell. Depending on the records available, your report can show:
- Service dates: when recorded servicing or inspections took place.
- Mileage: the odometer reading logged with each available entry.
- Maintenance details: recorded work, such as an oil change or filter replacement.
- Dealer or garage details: where the work was recorded, when supplied by the source.
- Additional vehicle information: specification details, warranty work or recall work where supplied.
The detail varies between manufacturers and individual records. A report shows the entries available from the source; it does not certify the car's current condition or prove that every required service was completed.
How to check service history by reg
- Enter the registration number. Use the UK number plate of the vehicle you want to check.
- Follow the report purchase steps. Check that the vehicle details match the car you are researching. The service history report costs £7.59, with no subscription.
- Review the available records. Compare service dates, mileage and recorded work with the seller's invoices and service book.
Use the vehicle's own maintenance schedule to assess service intervals. Requirements vary by model, engine, age and usage.
Example service history report
This illustrative example shows how to read service entries. It is not a live vehicle lookup or a guarantee of the records your report will contain.
SEAT Ibiza — illustrative example
15,019 miles · Example dealer, York
- Inspection with oil change
- Dust and pollen filter
0 miles · Example dealer, Crewe
- Delivery inspection recorded
A delivery inspection is not a routine service. These two entries alone do not establish full service history. Check for supporting invoices and compare the dates with the manufacturer's schedule.
Which vehicles and service records are covered?
Availability depends on the manufacturer, vehicle and the servicing information recorded in the systems searched. A supported make does not guarantee that records will be available for every car, or that every visit will appear.
Manufacturer and dealer records
Digital service records can contain dated entries from a manufacturer's service network. The level of detail varies: some entries describe individual jobs, while others contain only a service date and mileage.
Independent garages and older records
Work recorded only on a paper invoice or in a service book may not appear in a digital report. Keep records from independent garages alongside any manufacturer history, particularly when checking older cars.
What if no service history is found?
No records found means the lookup has not returned service entries. It does not prove that the car has never been serviced. Ask the seller for invoices and the service book, or contact the garage or manufacturer to find out what records they can provide.
How to assess full or partial service history
Full service history usually means there is evidence of servicing in line with the manufacturer's schedule. That evidence may combine digital records, invoices and a stamped service book.
Full dealer service history describes a complete servicing record from authorised dealerships. Partial service history means some supporting records are missing.
A gap in this report may reflect missing data rather than missed maintenance. Ask for supporting evidence before drawing a conclusion about the vehicle.
Before buying, check these four things
- Vehicle identity: match the registration and, where shown, VIN to the car and its paperwork.
- Dates and intervals: compare the available entries with the maintenance schedule for that exact vehicle.
- Mileage: compare service readings with MOT history. Investigate discrepancies, including possible entry errors or miles/kilometres differences.
- Specific work: look for evidence of scheduled items such as timing belt or fluid changes where applicable. A general service entry may not confirm that a particular job was done.
Service history check questions
Can I check my car's service history online?
Yes, where digital records are available. Enter the registration number to start a service history check. Paper-only servicing and entries outside the systems searched may require invoices, a service book or help from the servicing garage.
Can I check service history for free?
You can review paperwork you already have and ask the seller for service invoices. A manufacturer or garage may also be able to help, depending on its access requirements and charges. Our service history report costs £7.59.
Is service history the same as MOT history?
No. Service history records maintenance. MOT history records test results and mileage at the time of testing. You can check MOT history on GOV.UK, but those results do not establish that routine servicing was completed.
Does a service history check prove a car is well maintained?
It provides evidence of recorded work. It cannot establish the quality of every job or the car's present condition. Review the wider paperwork and consider an independent inspection before buying.
Will the report show every service?
Not necessarily. The report depends on the records available from the systems searched. Missing entries may exist in other systems or on paper, so compare the report with the vehicle's other maintenance records.
Can I find service history without the service book?
A digital lookup can help recover available entries. You can also ask the seller, manufacturer or servicing garage about replacement records. They may require vehicle details and evidence that you are entitled to access the information.
Does this replace a full vehicle history check?
Service records answer questions about recorded maintenance. For other checks, including the options for finance and write-off information, see our car check service and review what each report includes.