If you need information about a particular car, you may use the License Plate Owner Lookup System. This service can help you get details conveniently. But is the License Plate Owner Lookup for free? How do you find a car owner using this service?
Service providers generally offer the License Plate Owner Lookup for free. Through this service, you will be able to gather information about a specific vehicle, including information that will lead you to its owner.
Typically, here’s how to find the owner of a vehicle using the License Plate Owner Lookup:
- Go to a website that offers a License Plate Owner Lookup service
- Enter the plate number into its search bar
- Gather details that will lead you to the owner of the vehicle
Read on to learn more about the License Plate Owner Lookup service, including the details you can gather from it.
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License Plate Owner Lookup for Free [How to Find the Owner]
Allows You to Gather Information About a Specific Vehicle
Service providers typically offer the License Plate Owner Lookup for free. This service allows you to gather information about a specific vehicle, which includes information that will lead you to its owner.
Steps on How to Find a Vehicle Owner Using License Plate Owner Lookup
In general, here’s how to find the owner of a vehicle using the License Plate Owner Lookup:
- Visit a Website That Offers a License Plate Owner Lookup Service
- Key or Type in the Plate Number into Its Search Bar
- Gather Details That Will Lead You to the Owner of the Vehicle
However, if you are looking for a service that will provide you with the vehicle owner’s name, you might be disappointed. There is a limit to the information you can gather through this service due to privacy-related reasons.
Every Driver Is Protected by the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (DPPA)
So, if you are looking for personal data such as the owner’s occupation, workplace, and contact details, these will not be readily available to you. After all, every driver is protected by the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (DPPA).
However, the details you can gather from the service are enough to help you track the vehicle owner.
State of Illinois License Plate Lookup
More on Steps on How to Find a Vehicle Owner Using License Plate Owner Lookup
Let’s briefly talk about each of the items mentioned above:
1. Visit a Website That Offers a License Plate Owner Lookup Service
Sites That Offer Free License Plate Lookup Service
Many sites offer a License Plate Owner Lookup service for free, including:
Practice Due Diligence Before Using Said Sites
It is, however, essential to practice due diligence before using these sites. Conduct a little research about these License Plate Owner Lookup services. Check their legitimacy. If you get feedback that the site was once reported as suspicious, try to look for another service provider.
Seek Assistance from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
If you want to be sure that the service provider is legit, it is best to seek assistance from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). However, their services come with a fee. But then again, you can be sure that your details from them are all legit.
2. Key or Type in the Plate Number into Its Search Bar
For sure, these websites won’t look the same. This means that you might have to browse a little and enter a few details before it can lead you to the information that you need. But one thing is for sure though, it will most likely ask you to type in the correct license plate number.
3. Gather Details That Will Lead You to the Vehicle Owner
Once you have entered the correct license plate number, you will be directed to information about the vehicle.
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Does the License Plate Owner Lookup Work?
The License Plate Owner Lookup works, and the service is quite convenient to use. By simply entering the license plate number, you will get a lot of information about a particular vehicle.
Every vehicle’s license plate number is linked to a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) in the public vehicle records. In the United States, there are roughly 300 million registered vehicles. This means that the public vehicle records total approximately 300 million too.
Some of the details you can get are the car model year, the car’s make, and the car’s registration date. But then again, any personal information about the vehicle owner is not accessible.
Is the License Plate Owner Lookup Service Available in All U.S. States?
The License Plate Owner Lookup Service is utilized across the 50 U.S. states. But it seems that the most updated details come from Wisconsin, Florida, Pennsylvania, Arizona, and New York.
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What Can I Get from a License Plate Owner Lookup Service
Some of the details you can get from a free License Plate Owner Lookup service are the following:
- Model Year
- Accidents
- Title of the Vehicle
- Status of the Vehicle
- Inspection
- Mileage Rollback and Odometer Readings
- VIN
Let me give a brief description of each item:
1. Model Year
The License Plate Owner Lookup [free] service lets you know the year the car was made. It also allows you to know its model and its make.
The service lets you know the original equipment used in making the vehicle. Also, you will know which U.S. state it was initially sold to.
2. Accidents
Through the License Plate Owner Lookup (free) service, it is possible to know if the vehicle was involved in an accident. These include road accidents resulting from human error, malfunctions, and even natural calamities.
3. Title of the Vehicle
The vehicle’s title refers to the legal document containing proof of ownership and other information. It is also called the Certificate of Title or the Certificate of Registration.
Typically, some of the details you will see in the title of the vehicle are the following:
- Date the title was issued
- Name of the vehicle owner
- Address of the vehicle owner
- Date when the odometer reading was done
- Odometer reading
- Color of the vehicle
- Year, make, and model
- VIN
But then again, due to the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act, some of the details mentioned above will not be given to you. These include the name and contact details of the vehicle owner.
4. Vehicle’s Status
The License Plate Owner Lookup service lets you know if the car was previously stolen. You will know if it was used as loan collateral, if it was recalled, and if it was involved in road accidents.
5. Inspection
The service also allows you to know if the car previously underwent inspection. You will learn about why it was inspected and what the findings were.
6. Mileage Rollback and Odometer Readings
The License Plate Owner Lookup service also lets you know if the car’s mileage was rolled back. You can also get a report of the latest odometer readings of the vehicle.
7. VIN
The service allows you to know the VIN. There is much information you can get about the vehicle with the VIN, including:
- Car’s registration
- Insurance coverage
- Thefts
- Warranty claims
Again, how do you find a vehicle owner using free License Plate Owner Lookup? Using the free License Plate Lookup, you can learn more about a vehicle and its owner. To find the owner using this method, go to a website that offers this service and provide the license plate. Then, you can gather all the necessary details leading to the owner.
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Other License Plate Owner Lookup Service Providers
Other service providers offer similar services, but they are not free. However, you can be sure that they are legit. They are the following:
- Online Service of the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
- Physical Office of the DMV
- Private Detective
1. Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Online Service
The DMV has an online service similar to other license plate owner lookup service providers; you key in the vehicle’s license plate number. However, DMV’s services come with a fee, and they also won’t give you any personal details about the vehicle owner.
2. DMV’s Physical Office
Aside from DMV’s online service, you also have the option to drop by their physical office. It also comes with a fee and, sadly, it’s a bit time-consuming too.
3. Private Detective
If you want to know complete information about the vehicle owner, the most effective way is to hire a private detective. It is costly to hire a private detective, but you will surely get an extensive report.
Is It Legal to Get Information About Another Person’s Vehicle?
Before getting information about another person’s vehicle, make sure you understand the legalities. Here is some information you should be aware of:
- Access to a Person’s Private Information
- The Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (DPPA)
- The Freedom of Information Act
1. Access to a Person’s Private Information
You should know that getting another person’s private information using his license plate number is not legal. When you use a License Plate Owner Lookup service, it only provides details about the vehicle. All personal information is kept confidential.
2. The Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (DPPA)
DPPA controls the data of vehicle owners in the United States. The act aims to prevent others from illegally using any personal information.
So, for instance, you want to gather information through the DMV. They will most likely ask you why you are interested in getting the vehicle owner’s personal information.
Passing a law on the privacy protection of vehicle owners happened in 1994. This was when people started getting information about doctors and patients involved in abortion issues. People obtained personal information through the doctors’ and patients’ vehicle license plate numbers.
3. Freedom of Information Act
The Freedom of Information Act gives you the right to get information about anything and anyone. This is as long as the information forms part of public records. If you try to get details using a vehicle license plate number, only those that form part of public records are given to you.
Why Would You Want to Find the Vehicle Owner by License Plate?
What are the reasons you would want to track the vehicle owner by license plate? Whatever your reason is, it has to be valid. Remember that you can’t do this with malicious intentions.
Some of the reasons why a person would want to track a vehicle owner are the following:
- Hit-and-Run Incident
- Road Rage
- Learn More About a Suspicious Vehicle
- Know More About a Second-Hand Car
- Learn More About the Car’s New Owner
- A Car Causing a Nuisance
1. A Hit-and-Run Incident
You would probably want to track down a person whose vehicle was involved in a hit-and-run incident. It’s good that you were able to get the license plate number, as it would help the police track them.
2. Road Rage
If you become a victim of road rage, you would most likely want to find the vehicle owner. Like a hit and run incident, you can use the license plate number to get the information you need. But it is also essential to report the road rage issue to the authorities.
3. Learn More About a Suspicious Vehicle
Sometimes, we can’t help but be suspicious about things. This, of course, can involve a suspicious car. Since you are concerned about your neighborhood, you feel the urge to learn more about that particular vehicle and its owner.
The last thing you would want to have is a theft or a criminal in your neighborhood. Getting information using the license plate number is possible.
4. Know More About a Second-Hand Car
If you are interested in buying a second-hand car, you most likely want to learn more about it. Was the mileage rolled back? What were the previous odometer readings?
Was the car used as loan collateral, or was it previously recalled? These are some things that you would want to check before coming up with a final decision.
5. Learn More About the Car’s New Owner
Sometimes, after selling our cars, we want to know how it is presently doing. This is especially true if you get attached to your first vehicle.
There are also times when, after so many years, you want to have your old car back. You are even willing to repurchase it, but you first want to ensure its status. In this case, you can use a License Plate Owner Lookup service for assistance.
6. A Car Causing a Nuisance
A vehicle illegally parked causes inconvenience. If a car is parked on your property for too long, you can check its information using the license plate owner lookup [free] service.
You can also have it reported to the authorities since it is not only all about the inconvenience. An illegally parked vehicle can be suspicious too.
Warnings About Using License Plate Owner Lookup [Free] Services
Many License Plate Owner Lookup service providers offer their services for free. But are they free?
It is essential to know how these service providers or third-party websites operate. Here are some of the factors that you should be aware of:
- Do They Provide Updated Information?
- How Do They Collect Information?
- What If Vehicle Owners Find out You Are Searching for Them?
- Are License Plate Owner Lookup Services Offered for Free?
1. Do They Provide Updated Information?
It is not guaranteed that the information given by License Plate Owner Lookup service providers is updated. There are instances when they provide outdated details; that’s why their services come for free.
2. How Do They Collect Information?
License Plate Owner Lookup [Free] service providers collect information from different sources. These include motor vehicle agencies, insurance companies, and gas filling stations.
3. What If Vehicle Owners Find Out You Are Searching for Them?
If vehicle owners find out that you are searching for them, you have to have a valid reason. Make sure you are not violating any laws. Or else they might take legal action against you.
Vehicle owners have the right too to contact the third-party website administrators. They can request the removal of their information.
5. Are License Plate Owner Lookup Services Offered for Free?
Some License Plate Owner Lookup service providers claim that they offer free services. But, in most cases, only limited information is covered by their free services. If you want an extensive report, they might ask for additional fees.
There are third-party websites that require you to pay a subscription fee. They claim that the fee covers server maintenance, data collection costs, and even their time updating their websites. Once you have paid the subscription fee, you can access all information.
But then again, the details you can get are limited. You still won’t be able to get any personal information about the vehicle owner.
Frequently Asked Questions – Finding the Vehicle Owner by License Plate Number
Can I Find the Owner of a Car with the License Plate Number?
You can’t find a vehicle owner straightforwardly with the license plate number, following the Data Protection Act. The authorities can only access any personal information. They include the police, the Driver and Licensing Agency, and the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Are License Plates Public Record?
License plate numbers form part of public records. If drivers are involved in hit-and-run incidents, it is easy to track them down as long as you have their vehicles’ license plate numbers.
Can I Find Someone’s Name by Their License Plate?
If you are trying to know the vehicle owner’s name by the license plate, this might not be possible through an internet search. Only government agencies have access to this, and they can’t divulge this information unless you coordinate with them to solve a particular case.
Conclusion – License Plate Owner Lookup for Free [How to Find the Owner]
Service providers offer the License Plate Owner Lookup for free. This service allows you to gather information about a specific vehicle, which includes information that will lead you to its owner.
In general, here’s how to find the owner of a vehicle using the License Plate Owner Lookup:
- Visit a Website That Offers a License Plate Owner Lookup Service
- Key or Type in the Plate Number into Its Search Bar
- Gather Details That Will Lead You to the Owner of the Vehicle
But if you are looking for a service that will provide you with the vehicle owner’s name, you might get a bit disappointed. There is a limit to the information you can gather through this service due to privacy-related reasons.
So, in case you’re looking for personal data such as the owner’s occupation, workplace, and contact details, these won’t be provided to you. After all, every driver is protected by the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (DPPA).
Should you want extensive and accurate information, you must coordinate with the proper authorities. It doesn’t come for free, but you are sure that all details given to you are legit.
Read next:
How to Find My License Plate Number by VIN
Can You Find an Owner by the License Plate?
How to Find Your License Plate Number by VIN and Other Methods
