You can’t look up who owns a car from its number plate online. A car’s registration is linked to its keeper, so their name and address are personal data, and the DVLA only releases them to someone with a “reasonable cause”, such as an accident or a car abandoned on their land. This guide explains when you can get a keeper’s details and how, what to do after an accident, and what you can find out about a car’s previous owners without their names.
The short answer
- Online: no service, official or otherwise, can legally give you a keeper’s name and address from a registration.
- From the DVLA: you can apply by post with form V888, if you have a reasonable cause. It costs £2.50 or £5.
- About a car you’re buying: our change of ownership check shows how many keepers a car has had and when it last changed hands, without any names.
Why can’t I find a car’s owner online?
The Information Commissioner’s Office says a vehicle registration is, in most circumstances, personal data, because it can be linked to the person who keeps the car. So the DVLA’s free online check shows the car’s tax, MOT and basic details, but not who keeps it. Any website claiming to give you a keeper’s name and address from a number plate should be treated with suspicion.
When the DVLA will give you a keeper’s details
The law allows the DVLA to release a vehicle’s keeper details to anyone who shows “reasonable cause”. GOV.UK gives examples it accepts:
- finding out who was responsible for an accident
- a vehicle abandoned on your land
- a vehicle parked on your private land
- tracing someone who drove off without paying for goods or services
- suspected insurance fraud
Curiosity, a dispute with a neighbour or wanting to contact a seller doesn’t count.
How to apply with form V888
- Download form V888 from GOV.UK. There’s no online service.
- Give your reason and evidence. For damage, include a photo of it, a repair invoice or estimate, the details of what happened and any police crime reference number. For a car on your land, include a photo showing its number plate and proof of your connection to the land.
- Include proof of your address dated within the last 3 months.
- Pay the fee by cheque or postal order made payable to “DVLA Swansea”: £2.50 for an accident or damage, or a vehicle abandoned, trespassing or parked on your property; £5 for other reasons.
- Post it to Vehicle Record Enquiries, DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1AJ.
If the DVLA accepts your reason, it sends you the name and address of the person registered as the keeper on the date in question. You must use them only for the reason you gave: obtaining or passing on personal data unlawfully is a criminal offence. Private parking companies can only get keeper details if they belong to an accredited trade association, such as the British Parking Association or the International Parking Community.
After an accident: what the other driver must give you
You often don’t need the DVLA at all. Under section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, a driver involved in an accident that causes injury or damage must stop and, if asked, give their name and address, the name and address of the vehicle’s owner, and its registration number. If they don’t give their details at the scene, they must report the accident to the police as soon as they reasonably can, and within 24 hours. Failing to do either is an offence.
If a driver didn’t stop, report it to the police and your insurer with the registration number. Your insurer can pursue it, and you can apply on form V888 yourself.
Can I find out who previously owned my car?
Not usually by name. As the current keeper, you can ask the DVLA on form V888 for the number of previous keepers and any changes to the car, such as its colour or engine. It will only release a previous keeper’s details where you can show why you need them and the law allows it, for example for court proceedings. A free subject access request gets you only the data the DVLA holds about you and your own vehicles.
What a history check shows instead
For a car you’re buying, how many owners it has had, and how recently, matters more than who they were. A car that has changed hands several times in a year can be a warning sign. Our change of ownership check and full car history check show:
- how many previous keepers the car has had
- the dates it changed hands
- when its last V5C logbook was issued
- plate changes, and whether it’s been stolen, written off or still has finance owing
No names or addresses: just the history you need to decide whether to buy. See Silver and Gold check prices, and our guide to how many owners a car has had.
Is the registered keeper the owner?
Not necessarily. The V5C logbook records the registered keeper: the person responsible for taxing the car and receiving fines. The government has said buyers often mistakenly believe the V5C proves ownership, and it doesn’t. A car on finance, for example, belongs to the lender. Our outstanding finance guide explains why that matters.
Frequently asked questions
Can I find out who owns a car by its registration number for free?
No. Keeper details aren’t available online, and a DVLA request on form V888 costs £2.50 or £5 and needs a reasonable cause.
Can the police tell me who owns a car?
The police won’t usually give out keeper details, but report a crime or a failure to stop to them, and give your insurer the registration after an accident.
How do I find the owner of a car parked on my land?
Apply on form V888 with a photo showing the number plate and proof of your connection to the land. The fee is £2.50.
Can I find out how many owners a car has had?
Yes. Our change of ownership check shows the number of previous keepers and when the car last changed hands.
Is it legal to find out who owns a car?
Yes, through the DVLA with a reasonable cause. Obtaining keeper details any other way, or using them for another purpose, can be a criminal offence.
- GOV.UK: request information from DVLA
- GOV.UK: form V888 (updated 9 October 2026)
- Road Traffic Act 1988, section 170
- How many owners has my car had?
- Change car ownership in the UK
- DVLA vehicle check vs a full history check
See how many keepers a car has had, and when it last changed hands, with our change of ownership check.
