Vehicle owner tracing for lawful, evidenced purposes
A UK vehicle-owner tracing service for lawful purposes. Every request is screened, and results are released only to verified requesters.
Car Owners Check is a UK vehicle-owner tracing service run by a team of private investigators. A car owner trace is the process of identifying the registered keeper of a vehicle from its number plate. Where you have a lawful reason to identify the registered keeper, we review your request, test the purpose against clear criteria and, if it passes, carry out the trace and release the result to you in writing.
We are not a lookup website. A number plate does not give anyone an automatic right to the details of the car owner or keeper behind it, and we do not treat it as if it did. The DVLA holds the vehicle record and releases keeper details only for reasonable cause, and our approach follows the same principle. Every request is read by a member of our team before any work begins, and we decline requests that do not have a lawful basis.
Every request is screened for a lawful purpose
The registered keeper of a vehicle is a private individual in most cases, and their details are personal data protected by the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. For that reason, the first question we ask is not "what is the plate?" but "why do you need this?"
The "reason for search" field on our request form is mandatory. We assess it against the circumstances in which the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) itself accepts that there is "reasonable cause" to release keeper details, such as establishing who was responsible for an accident, dealing with an abandoned vehicle, or pursuing a legal claim. The DVLA's own application forms, including form V888 for individuals, require the same kind of explanation and evidence. Where we need evidence, such as an incident date, a police or insurer reference, photographs or a solicitor's letter, we will ask for it before we proceed.
When we can help
We act where there is a documented, lawful purpose. Typical instructions include:
- Damage to a parked vehicle or property, where the other driver left without giving details and you need the details for an insurance claim. See parking and accident damage.
- A collision where the other driver did not stop, after the matter has been reported to the police. See hit and run.
- A vehicle abandoned or left on private land, where the landowner needs to contact the keeper. See abandoned vehicles.
- Solicitors and legal proceedings, where a keeper must be identified to issue or serve a claim. See solicitors and legal proceedings.
- Debt recovery with legal standing, such as a judgment or a written agreement in default. See debt recovery.
Each of these pages explains what we will need from you and what we will not do. If you are weighing the DVLA route against ours, see DVLA form V888 or a tracing service.
When we will decline
We decline a request where there is no lawful basis, where we cannot verify your identity or your reason, or where the purpose appears to be personal. In particular, we do not trace:
- a former partner, a family member, a neighbour or an acquaintance;
- anyone who may not wish to be found, or whose movements the requester wants to follow;
- a driver after a road-rage incident or a dispute that has no legal claim attached to it;
- a vehicle for the purpose of finding out where someone lives.
We do not need to give detailed reasons for declining a request, and we keep a record of every decision. Our full criteria are set out in the acceptable use and lawful purpose policy.
Registered keeper, owner and driver
A trace identifies the registered keeper of a vehicle, which is the person the DVLA records as responsible for it. The previous owner of a car, or the owner shown on a finance agreement, is not necessarily the keeper. The keeper is not always the owner, for example where a vehicle is on finance or lease, and is not necessarily the person who was driving at the time of an incident. We explain this in every result, and we ask requesters not to assume that the keeper is the person they wish to pursue.
Who we are
We are a team of private investigators. Our service is operated by Forge Global Ltd. We handle personal data under the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, and we work to written criteria on lawful purpose. You can read more about us.
How a trace works
- You submit a request. You give your email address, name, the registration number and your reason for the search.
- We contact you within 24 hours. We acknowledge the request and tell you whether we can proceed, need more information, or are unable to act.
- We screen the purpose. We check your reason and supporting evidence, and verify who you are.
- We carry out the trace. If the request is accepted, we confirm the fee in writing and then undertake the work.
- We check the result and release it to you. Results go only to the verified requester, in writing, with conditions on how the information may be used.
The steps are described in detail on the how it works page.
Fees
Fees range from £50 to £200 per trace, inclusive of VAT. We confirm the fee in writing once your request has been accepted and before any work starts, so you will not be charged for a request that we decline. If you apply to the DVLA yourself, the DVLA charges its own fee. The pricing page explains what decides the fee and what happens if a trace produces no result.
What we do not offer
- We do not provide instant online lookups.
- We do not give out a home address on request, and we do not describe our service as a way of finding where someone lives.
- We do not carry out tracking, surveillance or location services.
- We do not guarantee that a trace will identify a keeper. Some requests cannot be completed.
We check every result against the information you give us before we release it, and we tell you how it was verified.
How we handle personal data
Forge Global Ltd is the data controller for the information you give us and for the personal data we process in carrying out a trace. We process personal data in line with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, and we are registered with the Information Commissioner's Office under registration number ZB164302. Our privacy notice explains what we collect, why, how long we keep it and the rights of the people concerned, including the person who is traced.
Start a request
If you have a lawful reason to identify the registered keeper of a vehicle, tell us what has happened and why you need the information. We will respond within 24 hours.
Car Owners Check is a trading name of Forge Global Ltd, registered in England and Wales, company number 06759854. Registered office: 18 Phipp St, London, England, EC2A 4NU.
Have a lawful reason to identify a registered keeper?
Tell us what has happened and why you need the information. We will reply within 24 hours.
Request a trace