Published by VehicleScore on 2026-10-23. VehicleScore sells the paid Hidden History report described here. This page is a buyer's guide, not an independent ranking, and it does not place VehicleScore first in a league table.
Buying a used car involves more than checking its MOT history. A useful history check helps you see outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, theft records, salvage history, vehicle identity, mileage, previous keepers, previous listings where they are held, available service records, and other dated changes. VehicleScore brings the records it holds into one report so those points are easier to read. It does not inspect the car.
Open the sample Hidden History report · Current UK pricing · What the free check includes
What makes a great car history check?
Use the sections below as a checklist. Each one says what the record can tell you, and where VehicleScore shows it.
Outstanding finance
Active finance can mean a lender still has an interest in the car. If you pay the seller and the agreement is still live, you may not get clear ownership. Hidden History can show a finance marker when the provider returns one. It does not show the remaining balance, and the free check does not include finance. Outstanding finance check.
Insurance write-offs
An insurer can record a car as Cat A or B, which must not return to the road, or Cat S or N, which can return after repair. The category does not describe the repair quality. Hidden History can show the category when a record is returned. A blank field is not proof the car was never damaged. Write-off check.
Stolen markers
A current stolen marker means the vehicle is recorded as stolen now. A historical marker means it was recorded as stolen and later updated. Those are different facts. Hidden History can show the marker the provider returns. The free MOT check does not. Stolen vehicle check.
Salvage history
Salvage records can include auction entries and photographs when VehicleScore holds them. They are not the same thing as an insurance write-off category. A car can have one, both, or neither. Images appear only where they are held. Salvage check.
Mileage
MOT mileage is the reading recorded at each test. A later reading lower than an earlier one is a discrepancy to question. It is not, by itself, proof the mileage has been altered. The free check includes the MOT mileage timeline. Mileage check.
Previous keepers
The keeper count says how many keepers are recorded, not why the car changed hands and not whether those keepers looked after it. A high count is a prompt to read the dates, not a reason on its own to walk away.
Vehicle identity
Identity checks compare the registration, VIN, specification, colour and plate changes returned for that vehicle. A plate change is not evidence of damage. Confirm the VIN on the car against the report before you buy. Specification check.
Service history
Service history is the servicing record a data provider can return, usually from participating dealers. It is a separate check at £8.95. It is not included in Hidden History, and a blank result does not mean the car was never serviced. Service history check.
Previous listings
Previous listings are earlier adverts and photos where a match is held. They can show how the car was described and pictured before. They are an optional paid addition, not part of the £13.95 Hidden History report. If no listing is held, that section stays empty.
Scrappage
A confirmed scrapped marker is a status the history provider returns. The mileage outlook is different: it compares the recorded mileage with a typical scrappage mileage for similar vehicles. That outlook is not an estimate that this car has been scrapped, and it is not a DVLA scrapped record. If no comparable mileage is held, the outlook is not shown.
VehicleScore Timeline Mode
Timeline Mode puts the dated vehicle events VehicleScore holds into chronological order, from the records on the Hidden History report and any optional checks you add. MOT tests, keeper changes, plate changes and other returned history events can sit on that line. Service records and previous listings join it only when those separate checks are bought.
The benefit is that you read one sequence instead of opening each check in isolation. The timeline only contains events that were returned. It does not mean every category is present, and it is not a claim that no other history product can show events by date.
The VehicleScore out of 999
The free check includes a VehicleScore from 0 to 999. The band describes how the public record compares with similar vehicles. A higher score is a cleaner public record on that comparison. It is not a mechanical inspection, a prediction of future faults, or a substitute for a finance, write-off or stolen marker.
- Outstanding
900–999The strongest records we see on public data. - Excellent
800–899A very clean record. Little in the public data pulls it down. - Very good
700–799Stronger than most similar vehicles. - Good
600–699A solid record. Age, mileage or MOT comments may take a few points off. - Above average
500–599A little stronger than similar vehicles. - Average
400–499In line with similar vehicles. Nothing stands out either way. - Fair
300–399Weaker than most similar vehicles. - Below par
200–299Noticeably weaker than similar vehicles on the public data. - Needs improvement
100–199Age, mileage or MOT history sits well below similar vehicles. - Very poor
0–99A weak public record. Check the MOT and mileage detail.
Read the score, then open the records underneath it. A car can score well on MOT and age data and still have a paid-history flag the free score does not include.
£10,000 data cover
Eligible consumer Hidden History checks include Experian data cover up to £10,000. Guarantee covers the specific verified data points included in the VehicleScore® Guarantee programme, including theft, write-off, salvage, outstanding finance and selected title/history records. Terms, eligibility requirements and claim limits apply. Trade vehicle checks do not include a financial data guarantee. The £10,000 data guarantee advertised with eligible consumer checks does not apply to trade checks. The cover is not a promise that every purchase, repair or mechanical fault is paid. Read the terms and conditions before you rely on it.
How does VehicleScore compare with other types of car history checks?
These are different kinds of check. The table uses VehicleScore product facts only. It is not a ranking of other companies.
| Check | What you can see | What it does not do |
|---|---|---|
| Free government MOT check | MOT status, test history and recorded mileages. | No finance, write-off, stolen or salvage result. |
| Free VehicleScore check | MOT history, Tax or SORN status, MOT mileage timeline, Vehicle details, VehicleScore® /999. | Does not include the paid history records below. |
| Hidden History, £13.95 | Finance, write-off category, stolen markers, salvage where held, VIN, plate and colour changes, keeper count, import or export flags, valuation, and eligible data cover. | Does not include service history or previous listings. A blank field means no record was returned. No physical inspection. |
| Service history, £8.95 | Servicing records the provider returns. | Separate from Hidden History. Not every garage visit is listed. |
| Previous listings | Earlier adverts and photos where a match is held. | Optional paid add-on. Empty when no listing is held. |
| Mileage outlook | Recorded mileage against a typical scrappage mileage for similar vehicles, when a comparison exists. | Not a confirmed scrapped marker and not a DVLA scrap record. |
How to read the sample report
The sample Hidden History report is a demonstration, not a car currently offered for sale. Use it to see where finance, stolen status, write-off category, salvage, keeper changes and the scrapped marker are shown. Read each section. Do not treat the score alone as the decision. Service history and previous listings are not part of that standard sample.
What you pay
The free registration check includes MOT history, Tax or SORN status, MOT mileage timeline, Vehicle details, VehicleScore® /999. Hidden History adds the paid records above at £13.95. Service history at £8.95 and previous listings are optional. Consumer Hidden History packs are £16.95 for 2, £19.95 for 3, £25.95 for 5, valid for 12 months. Data cover applies to eligible consumer checks, not to trade checks. Which sections are filled depends on the vehicle and the provider.