Don't buy a car without this.

Cross-checked against the MIAFTR insurance stolen-vehicle database AND the police stolen-vehicle register. If it's flagged on either, you'll know before you hand over cash.

Current categories A, B, S and N (plus legacy Cat C and D for vehicles written off before October 2017): the insurer's verdict on total losses, stripped-for-parts, structural damage, and cosmetic write-offs. Plus insurer name, loss date, and specific damage areas (front nearside, rear offside, engine, interior).

Live check against lender records. Vehicles with finance still owing can be repossessed from the new owner. Reports show agreement type (HP / PCP), lender, agreement date, and contact number.

DVLA scrap markers: ever scrapped? Ever scrapped and then returned to the road? Both are red flags that deserve extra scrutiny on condition and paperwork.

Full DVSA mileage trail: gaps, decreases, zero-deltas between MOTs. The classic clocking signals.

Every MOT test DVSA has on record. Pass / fail / advisories, defect detail, reading each time.

Vehicle Identity Check flag. Indicates the vehicle was once a Cat A or Cat B write-off that's since been re-identified for the road. Uncommon but load-bearing when present.

Q-plate means DVLA couldn't confirm age or identity at first registration (kit cars, rebuilds, imports with unclear provenance). Worth understanding why before you buy.

Was it imported from overseas, and from where (including Northern Ireland as a distinct signal)? Was it ever logged as exported from the UK? Foreign imports can have accident history UK records miss.

Every colour DVLA has on record for this vehicle. A recent respray can be cosmetic, or can be covering accident repair. Worth cross-checking against write-off data.

How many hands it's passed through, plus current keeper's acquisition date and ownership duration. A 3-year-old vehicle with five owners is a story in itself.

Log of every VRM the vehicle has been registered under. Plate transfers leave fingerprints.

Annual road tax, CO2 g/km with DVLA band letter, MPG combined, and projected annual fuel cost at 12k miles. Everything you need to budget the ownership cost, not just the purchase.

BHP, engine size, fuel type, transmission, body style, doors, seats, Euro emissions status, and insurance group. DVLA + manufacturer data in one place so you don't have to cross-reference three websites.

Next MOT due, next road tax due, and SORN status. Know whether the vehicle you're viewing is legally road-drivable today.