Why VehicleMonkey exists
A used car is one of the biggest things most people ever buy, yet checking one properly is harder than it should be. The MOT history of almost every car in the UK is public and free. The trouble is that it comes as a long list of dates, mileage readings and tester notes, and most people don't know what to look for.
Many car check websites take that free data, show you a small part of it, then ask you to pay to see the rest. We don't think that's fair. The free part should be properly free, and it should be properly explained.
So we built VehicleMonkey around one simple idea: show people the facts, tell them what the facts mean, and let them make their own decision.
What you can do here
- Check a car for free. Enter a number plate in our MOT history check to see every test result, every mileage reading and every problem the tester found, with a short summary at the top.
- Work out running costs. Our car tools cover things like road tax and fuel costs, using the latest UK rates.
- Get clear answers. Our guides explain the things drivers ask about most, from what an MOT advisory means to what Cat S and Cat N really mean when you buy a car.
What makes us different
Everything is free
There is no paid report, no button to unlock the full result and no sign up. Every check and every tool on the site is free to use, as often as you like.
We explain, not just list
Raw data only helps if you know how to read it. Every check comes with a short summary that points out what matters, such as a mileage reading that has gone backwards or a fault that keeps coming back at each MOT.
We are honest about what free data can show
Some records, like outstanding finance and insurance write-offs, are held by private companies that charge for access. We can't show those for free, and we won't pretend to. Instead, our guides tell you where to get them, what they should cost and what to look for.
We show our sources
Every tool tells you where its information comes from. You can see the full list, and what each source can and can't tell you, on our data sources page.
Who is behind VehicleMonkey
VehicleMonkey is run by [YOUR NAME], [ONE LINE ON YOUR REAL BACKGROUND, FOR EXAMPLE YEARS SPENT BUYING AND SELLING USED CARS, WORKING IN THE MOTOR TRADE OR BUILDING CONSUMER TOOLS].
[TWO OR THREE SENTENCES IN YOUR OWN WORDS. WHAT MADE YOU START THE SITE? A REAL STORY WORKS BEST, SUCH AS A CAR YOU OR A FRIEND NEARLY BOUGHT BEFORE THE MOT HISTORY SHOWED A PROBLEM.]
Every guide has a named author and is checked against official sources such as GOV.UK, the DVLA and the DVSA before it goes live. You can read exactly how we do that in our editorial policy.
How we keep the site free
VehicleMonkey shows adverts from Google. They pay for our hosting, our data and the time it takes to build and test new tools.
Adverts never change what a tool shows or what a guide says. We don't take payment to recommend a product, a garage or a company, and nobody can pay to change a result.
We are not the DVLA or DVSA
VehicleMonkey is an independent website. We are not part of the DVLA, the DVSA or any other government body. For things only they can do, such as taxing a car, updating your V5C log book or making a SORN, please use GOV.UK.
Get in touch
Spotted a mistake, have an idea for a new tool or just want to tell us what you think? We read every message. Drop us a line on our contact page.