There are many occasions when you genuinely need to find the registered owner of a vehicle. Say you’ve had your eye on a used car, or you’ve been involved in an accident with another driver.

Fortunately, there are a few ways to find out this information, even if you only have a VIN or just the license plate number.

1. Contact Government Officials

If you have the vehicle’s license plate number and a legitimate reason for obtaining information about the vehicle owner (for example, the driver hit your car and took off), you might be able to get this information from two resources:

• The state DMV Office: The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in your state holds a database of all registered vehicles. You can request vehicle driver’s records including vehicle registration, driver’s licenses, occupational licenses, and more by visiting the office directly or online. You will need to pay a fee to access the information.
• Police department: The police can find the vehicle owner’s name via the license plate number. If the vehicle’s plate number is involved in an accident or crime, report it to the police and they will ascertain the guilty party’s information.

2. Use an Online Vehicle Check Service

If you’re unable to obtain the registration document from government officials, there are also online vehicle check services and private companies like VINCHECKUP.com and VinAlert. These services provide the details of a vehicle, including its ownership information, accident history, title records, service history, theft records, sale & lien records, and more – which gives you valuable insights before purchasing a car.

To perform the search, you’ll need to know the vehicle’s vehicle identification number (also known as VIN). The VIN is a unique 17-digit number assigned to every vehicle. You can find the VIN on the driver’s side dashboard, inside the driver’s side door jamb, or on the vehicle’s registration or insurance documents.

Just enter the VIN and you’ll get a comprehensive, real-time report about the vehicle and determine whether a vehicle has ever been stolen, junked, salvaged, or flooded. The service typically charges a fee so you’ll need to pay to access the report.

3. Google The License Plate Or VIN

If you have the vehicle’s license plate number or VIN handy, try running a Google search to see if it can reveal any information associated with the owner.

If the owner has ever tried to sell the vehicle online, Google is likely to pick up the post which might include the person’s name, contact details, as well as other important details about the vehicle, such as the make, model, and registration number.

4. Use a Private Investigator

If you’re serious about finding the vehicle owner, say you’re pursuing a compensation claim or trying to settle a dispute, you may want to consider hiring a private investigator. Private investigators have access to a wide range of databases and can track down the owner of a vehicle, even if it has changed hands multiple times.

Before you hire a private investigator, you’ll need to check the licensing requirements to ensure that the investigator you hire is properly licensed and insured.

Wrapping Up

Finding the owner of a vehicle is relatively straightforward if you have access to the registration document or an online vehicle check service. If you’re unable to track down the owner of the vehicle, you may want to consider using a private investigator. Whatever method you choose, make sure you have a valid reason for obtaining the information and be prepared to pay a fee if necessary.