ServiceStamp Now Offers Vehicle History Checks: The UK's Most Complete Used Car Check

By the ServiceStamp Team | Updated May 2026 | 8 min read

We're excited to announce that ServiceStamp has expanded its offering. You can now run a full vehicle history check, a service history check, or combine both for the most complete used car check available in the UK. Here's everything you need to know.

---

Big News From ServiceStamp

Since we launched, ServiceStamp has been the UK's go-to destination for car service history checks. Thousands of buyers and sellers have used us to verify maintenance records, confirm service intervals, and check official manufacturer dealer data before making some of the biggest financial decisions of their lives.

Today, we're taking a significant step forward.

ServiceStamp now offers full vehicle history checks, covering outstanding finance, stolen vehicle status, insurance write-off categories, mileage verification, MOT history, previous keepers, VIN checks, and more. And crucially, we're the only provider that lets you combine a vehicle history check with a service history check in a single place, giving you the most complete picture of any used car available anywhere in the UK.

Whether you want a standalone vehicle history check, a standalone service history check, or a full car check that covers both, ServiceStamp now has you covered.

---

Three Ways to Check a Used Car on ServiceStamp

We've designed our new offering around how buyers actually make decisions. Not everyone needs everything at once, so we've made it flexible.

Option 1: Vehicle History Check (Standalone)

Our standalone vehicle history check is a full car reg check that searches multiple official databases, including the DVLA, the Police National Computer (PNC), the Motor Insurance Anti-Fraud and Theft Register (MIAFTR), the National Mileage Register, and Experian's finance register, and returns an instant, comprehensive report on the car's legal and financial status.

What's included in our vehicle history check:

• Outstanding finance check: is there an active PCP, HP, or logbook loan on the car? If there is, the finance company still legally owns the vehicle and can repossess it from you, even if you bought it in good faith. This is one of the most common and costly traps for private buyers in the UK.
• Stolen car check: searched against the Police National Computer. A stolen vehicle will be seized regardless of whether you purchased it legitimately.
• Insurance write-off check: reveals whether the car has been declared a total loss and its category: Cat A, Cat B, Cat S (formerly Cat C), or Cat N (formerly Cat D). Write-off markers are permanent and stay with the vehicle for life.
• Mileage check: cross-references mileage readings from MOT records, DVLA data, and the National Mileage Register to identify clocking, the illegal practice of winding back the odometer to inflate a car's value.
• MOT history check: every test result, advisory notice, and recorded mileage from the DVSA database. An invaluable independent mileage trail and a window into the car's recurring issues over time.
• Previous keeper check: how many registered owners has the car had, sourced directly from the DVLA, and how long did each keeper hold it?
• VIN check: verifies the Vehicle Identification Number across the car's plates, V5C logbook, and official records to identify VIN cloning and plate fraud.
• Number plate and colour change history: records of previous registrations and colour changes that can indicate a hidden past.
• Import/export status: whether the car has been imported to or exported from the UK.
• Safety recall check: any outstanding manufacturer safety recalls that haven't been completed.

Our vehicle history check is available as a standalone report for buyers who want to verify the legal and financial status of a car quickly and affordably.

Run a vehicle history check now →

---

Option 2: Service History Check (Standalone)

Our service history check is what ServiceStamp has always done best, and it remains a standalone option for buyers and sellers who specifically want to verify maintenance records.

A service history check retrieves official manufacturer dealer records using the car's registration number and shows:

• Service dates and recorded mileages
• Which garages carried out the work
• Service types and what was covered at each visit
• Evidence of key maintenance items: oil changes, brake fluid replacements, timing belt work, filter changes
• Gaps in the maintenance record that might indicate the car has been neglected

No other vehicle history check provider in the UK includes service records. HPI, carVertical, CarVeto, the AA and the RAC all confirm that their car history checks do not cover service history. At ServiceStamp, it's what we were built for.

Run a service history check now →

---

Option 3: Full Car Check (Vehicle History + Service History Combined)

This is the big one. Our full car check bundles a complete vehicle history check with a full service history check, giving you everything you need to know about a used car before you buy.

No other provider in the UK offers this combination.

Why does combining both checks matter so much?

Because a vehicle history check and a service history check answer completely different questions, and both questions matter:

• The vehicle history check tells you whether the car is legally and financially safe to buy. Is it stolen? Is there finance on it? Has it been written off? Has the mileage been tampered with?

• The service history check tells you whether the car is mechanically safe to buy. Has it been serviced regularly? Were oil changes done on time? Has the brake fluid been replaced? Is the timing belt up to date?

A car can pass every vehicle history check and still be in appalling mechanical condition. HPI themselves acknowledge that their check does not include service records. "HPI clear" does not mean well maintained. It simply means nothing flagged on the legal and financial databases at the time of the check.

Equally, a car with a spotless service history can have outstanding finance attached to it, meaning the finance company can repossess it from you after purchase.

You need both. Our full car check gives you both, in one place, in minutes, for less than the cost of a tank of fuel.

Run a full car check now →

---

Why We Built This

We've been talking to our users. And one thing came up consistently: people were coming to ServiceStamp to check the service history of a car, and then going elsewhere to run their vehicle history check. Or they were running a reg check somewhere else first, and then coming to us for the service records.

That made sense when we only offered service history checks. But it meant our users were navigating two different platforms, paying for two separate reports, and manually piecing together the full picture themselves.

We wanted to fix that.

The used car market in the UK is enormous: millions of transactions every year, with billions of pounds at risk from fraud, hidden damage, clocked mileage, outstanding finance, and undisclosed write-offs. According to figures reported by Auto Express, roughly 1 in 3 used vehicles checked had some form of issue that could have cost the buyer dearly.

And that's just the legal and financial risks. The service history risks are separate, and equally real. A car that's never been properly serviced can develop expensive mechanical problems that no vehicle reg check will ever flag.

We built the full car check because we believe buyers deserve a single, affordable, comprehensive check that covers everything. Not two separate reports from two separate providers. One check. Complete peace of mind.

---

What Makes ServiceStamp Different

There are a number of vehicle history check providers in the UK. HPI has been offering car history checks since 1938 and is the best-known name. carVertical offers European-wide data and accident photos. CarVeto has 35 years in the motor trade. The AA and RAC offer their own branded checks. There are dozens of providers offering reg checks, number plate checks, and car background checks at various price points.

We're not here to criticise any of them. They offer genuine value.

But here's what none of them offer: a service history check.

Every vehicle history check on the market, regardless of who provides it, searches legal and financial databases. Outstanding finance, stolen, write-off, mileage, keepers, MOT history. These are all important. But they don't tell you whether the car has been maintained.

ServiceStamp is the only provider in the UK that offers both a vehicle history check and a service history check. We're the only place where you can run a complete car check, covering both the legal status and the maintenance record, in a single report.

That's not a marketing claim. It's a genuine gap in the market that we're now filling.

---

Who Our New Checks Are For

Private buyers purchasing a used car. Whether you're buying from a private seller, a dealer, or at auction, our vehicle history check and full car check protect you from the most common and costly used car buying mistakes: outstanding finance, hidden write-offs, clocked mileage, and mechanical neglect.

Sellers wanting to prove their car's value. A full car check from ServiceStamp isn't just for buyers. Sellers who can show a clean vehicle history check result alongside a complete service history record are in a significantly stronger position to achieve the asking price. Transparency builds trust, and trust sells cars.

Car dealers and trade buyers. For dealers buying stock at auction or from private sellers, a fast, reliable vehicle history check and service history check is an essential part of due diligence. ServiceStamp makes it quick, affordable, and comprehensive.

People checking their own car. Knowing what's recorded against your own car's registration, including service records, MOT history, and legal status, is useful at any point. Whether you're preparing to sell, checking before a long journey, or simply curious about your car's history, a ServiceStamp check gives you the full picture.

---

The Keywords That Brought You Here, And What They Mean

We know that many of you found this page by searching for terms like HPI check, car history check, vehicle history check, reg check, number plate check, car reg check, free car check, car background check, or full car check. You might have been looking for a stolen car check, an outstanding finance check, an insurance write-off check, or a mileage check. You might have wanted to know what Cat S or Cat N means on a car check. You might have been trying to find out how to check if a car has been clocked.

All of those checks, and more, are now available at ServiceStamp.

And unlike every other provider offering those checks, we also offer something they don't: a full service history check using official manufacturer dealer records. So whether you're looking for a vehicle history check, a service history check, or a full car check that combines both, you now have one place to go.

---

How to Run a Check on ServiceStamp

Getting started takes less than a minute:

1. Visit ServiceStamp.co.uk
2. Enter the registration number of the vehicle you want to check
3. Choose your check type: vehicle history check, service history check, or our full car check combining both
4. Receive your instant report: no dealer visit, no ownership verification, no waiting

Our reports draw from official data sources including the DVLA, DVSA, Police National Computer, MIAFTR, National Mileage Register, Experian, and manufacturer dealer databases, giving you the most accurate, up-to-date information available.

---

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a vehicle history check? A vehicle history check, also called an HPI check, car history check, car reg check, or number plate check, is a report that reveals the legal and financial status of a used vehicle. It covers outstanding finance, stolen status, insurance write-off history, mileage verification, MOT history, previous keepers, and more. ServiceStamp now offers full vehicle history checks at servicestamp.co.uk.

What is the difference between a vehicle history check and a service history check? A vehicle history check covers the car's legal and financial status: stolen, finance, write-off, mileage, keepers. A service history check covers its maintenance record: when it was serviced, where, and what was done. Both are essential when buying a used car. ServiceStamp is the only UK provider offering both.

What is a full car check? A full car check is our combined report that includes both a vehicle history check and a service history check, giving you complete coverage of a used car's legal, financial, and mechanical history in a single report.

Does an HPI check include service history? No. HPI, and all other vehicle history check providers, confirm that their reports do not include service records. A service history check is a separate product, and ServiceStamp is the only provider in the UK offering both in one place.

What does "HPI clear" mean? HPI clear means a vehicle history check found no outstanding finance, stolen markers, or write-off records at the time of the check. It does not mean the car is in good mechanical condition or has been properly serviced.

What is an outstanding finance check? An outstanding finance check searches Experian's finance register to confirm whether the car has an active PCP, HP, or logbook loan against it. If finance is outstanding, the finance company legally owns the car and can repossess it even after you've bought it.

What are Cat S and Cat N write-offs? Cat S (formerly Cat C) means the car was written off with structural damage, to the chassis or crumple zones. Cat N (formerly Cat D) means non-structural damage. Both can be repaired and returned to the road, but the write-off marker is permanent.

What is car clocking? Clocking is the illegal practice of reducing a car's recorded mileage to make it appear lower-mileage than it is. Our vehicle history check cross-references mileage from MOT records, DVLA data, and the National Mileage Register to identify discrepancies.

Can I run a free car check on ServiceStamp? Enter any registration number at ServiceStamp.co.uk to get started. Our paid reports, including the vehicle history check, service history check, or combined full car check, are available instantly at affordable prices.

How quickly do I get my report? Instantly. Enter the registration number, choose your check, and your report is delivered in seconds.

---

Related Guides

• What is a full service history?: understanding FSH and why buyers pay more for verified maintenance records.
• Complete guide to vehicle service history: a step-by-step guide to reading records and spotting red flags.
• Check service history before buying a used car: a pre-purchase walkthrough for buyers.

---

ServiceStamp is the UK's only provider offering vehicle history checks, service history checks, and a combined full car check in one place. Visit ServiceStamp.co.uk to run your check today.