What Car Do I Have? Find Out Everything from Your Registration
Your registration number is a direct key to the DVLA's official vehicle records. Whether you have just bought a car, inherited one, or simply want to confirm the specs, a reg lookup gives you authoritative answers in seconds.
What a Registration Lookup Returns
Running your registration number through a DVLA-connected check returns the following official data points:
- Make — the manufacturer (e.g. Ford, Volkswagen, Toyota)
- Model — the model name as registered (e.g. Focus, Golf, Yaris)
- Engine capacity — in cc (e.g. 1598cc for a 1.6-litre)
- Fuel type — petrol, diesel, electric, hybrid, or LPG
- Transmission — manual or automatic (where recorded)
- Colour — body colour at time of first registration
- Date first registered — the official registration date
- CO2 emissions — relevant for road tax and ULEZ
- Euro standard — emissions classification
Finding Your MOT History
The same check returns your car's full MOT test history from the DVSA database — every test back to 2005, including the mileage at each test. This is useful for verifying the car's genuine mileage progression over time and checking what advisory items have appeared repeatedly.
Using Your Reg for Insurance and Parts
Insurance comparison sites and parts suppliers ask for your registration number because it lets them look up the exact vehicle specification from the same DVLA data. When you provide a reg rather than typing in make and model manually, the system pulls the official spec and reduces the risk of selecting the wrong insurance group or ordering parts for the wrong engine variant.
Private Plates and Grey Imports
If your car has a private plate, the registration lookup will still return the car's true data — the DVLA links the private plate to the vehicle's underlying record. Grey imports (cars originally registered abroad and later brought to the UK) sometimes have slight discrepancies between what the plate implies and the actual specification — a full check will surface any anomalies.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find out exactly what car I have by registration?
Enter your registration number on VEHIXA or the DVLA's free vehicle enquiry at gov.uk/check-vehicle-tax. The DVLA record will confirm make, model, engine size, fuel type, colour, and year of first registration.
What is my car's exact model variant?
The DVLA record shows the model as registered, though it may not always include the specific trim level (e.g. "SE", "Sport", "Titanium"). For trim-level specifics, the full Experian vehicle identity data from a full report is more detailed, or check the original V5C document.
How do I find out what engine is in my car?
A DVLA registration check returns the engine capacity in cc and fuel type. The V5C logbook (Box D.3) also shows the engine number. For the specific engine code (important when ordering parts), check under the bonnet — the code is usually stamped on the block or listed on a sticker.
I bought a car with a private plate — how do I find out the real age?
Run a check on the private registration. The DVLA record will show the true date of first registration regardless of what plate is currently fitted. The plate and the car's age are recorded separately.
What is the difference between year of manufacture and year of registration?
Year of manufacture is when the car was built. Year of registration is when it was first put on the DVLA register. For new cars, these are usually the same year. For grey imports or late-registration stock cars, the registration year can be one to two years after manufacture.
Find out exactly what car you have
Enter any UK registration for instant make, model, engine, MOT history, and more.
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