How to Locate Motor Vehicle by VIN Number

PDF download Download Article
PDF download Download Article

A Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is like a fingerprint: each vehicle has its own unique number. If your vehicle has been stolen, you can find it by running a vehicle history report. Because finding a stolen vehicle is difficult, you should use all available methods and involve the police.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Finding a Vehicle with Its VIN

PDF download Download Article
  1. Your vehicle’s VIN should have 17 characters and be something like “2T3CU6EEOAUC12345.” You can normally find it on a sticker by the right hood latch or on the bottom left-hand side of the windshield. But if you don't have the car in your possession, you can also find it in other places like: [1]
    • The title or registration. Contact your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles if you don’t have a copy on you.
    • Your insurance documents. If your insurance documents were in the vehicle, you can contact your insurer and ask for the number.
    • The owner’s manual. Sometimes a VIN is listed there.
  2. A vehicle’s VIN will be entered into a database whenever someone registers, titles, or services a vehicle. You can get a vehicle history report from a variety of companies, such as AutoCheck or CarFax. Although there are companies that offer “free” reports, their reports contain only generic information.
    • Visit a website and order by paying with a credit card. The report should pull up automatically.
    Advertisement
  3. It should show a chronological list of places where the vehicle was titled, registered, and serviced. Look for the most recent service or registration: your vehicle might be there. [2]
  4. The vehicle might have been in an accident and junked. The National Insurance Crime Bureau has created a website you can search to see if the vehicle has been reported as stolen or salvaged.
    • VINCheck will peruse all reports of stolen, salvaged, and lost vehicles from the past five years. It will show the current location, if available.
  5. You might find that the vehicle is currently in a different state or county. Contact the police in that area and explain that your vehicle has been stolen. Offer to fax them a copy of your police report and vehicle history report. They should investigate and get the vehicle back.
    6. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Reporting to the Police

PDF download Download Article
  1. The police will need as much identifying information as possible. Collect the following: [3]
    • The vehicle’s year, make, and model.
    • The vehicle’s color.
    • The license plate number. You might not remember it, so call your insurer and explain that the vehicle is missing. They should be able to give you the license plate number.
  2. The police will appreciate any leads you have about the thief. If you saw someone, write down what they looked like—gender, age, race, height, hair color, etc. Also note any distinguishing features, such as a limp. [4]
  3. Call them as soon as possible. Report that you are the owner and that your vehicle has been stolen. They will take down the information about the vehicle.
    • Request a copy of the police report, which you will need to show you insurer.
    • If you are without transportation, ask the police to mail the report to you.
  4. If you didn’t see the thief, you can still search for security video footage from nearby businesses. Stop in with a copy of your police report and tell them someone stole your vehicle. Ask if you can see the security footage for the day in question.
    • If you want, you can let the police contact the business owners about security footage. However, police are often swamped and might not get around to it.
    • Many communities also have community security cameras. Stop into your town office to ask if you can view it. [5]
    5. Advertisement
Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Using Other Methods to Find a Vehicle

PDF download Download Article
  1. If your vehicle gets ticketed, the information should be entered into the city’s database. You’ll search by license plate number (not VIN). Go online and enter the information. If you can find the vehicle, call the police. [6]
  2. Many thieves try to sell vehicles, usually online. They might publish photographs and other identifying information. Scroll through the listings to see if you can find your vehicle. The following are popular online marketplaces:
    • Autotrader
    • Craigslist
    • Cars.com
    • eBay Motors
  3. Cab drivers are always driving around, so they can keep an eye out for your vehicle. Call up your local taxi cab company and describe your vehicle. Offer a reward if anyone finds it. [7]
    • Offer a large enough reward so that cabbies will have an incentive to check. If possible, offer more than $100.
  4. Many vehicles come equipped with Onstar or similar technology that can track your vehicle using GPS. You should call the company to report that your vehicle is missing. [8]
    • Call OnStar at 1-888-4-ONSTAR. The company can remotely block the engine from starting. [9]
    5. Advertisement


Tips

Submit a Tip
All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
Name
Please provide your name and last initial
Submit
Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

You Might Also Like

How to
Find Out the Owner of a License Plate: A Simple Guide
Where Do You Find a Car's VIN?
Your Definitive Guide to Vehicle Tag Transfers in Florida
How to
Install a Front License Plate
Easy Ways to Register a Car from Out of State in California
How to
Take a Name off a Car Title
How to
Remove a License Plate
How to
Fill Out a Car Title Transfer
How to
Use a VIN Number to Check a Car's Options
How to
Transfer a License Plate
How to
Register a Car Without a Title
How to
Check Vehicle History for Free
How to
Replace a Texas Driver's License
How to
Register a Car in Illinois
Advertisement

References

  1. ↑ http://www.dmv.org/vehicle-history/find-vin.php
  2. ↑ https://reolink.com/what-to-do-when-car-is-stolen/#way5
  3. ↑ https://www.cars.com/articles/how-to-get-your-stolen-car-back-1420681096920/
  4. ↑ https://www.cars.com/articles/how-to-get-your-stolen-car-back-1420681096920/
  5. ↑ https://reolink.com/what-to-do-when-car-is-stolen/
  6. ↑ https://reolink.com/what-to-do-when-car-is-stolen/
  7. ↑ https://reolink.com/what-to-do-when-car-is-stolen/
  8. ↑ https://reolink.com/what-to-do-when-car-is-stolen/
  9. ↑ https://www.onstar.com/us/en/services/security.html

About This Article

Article Summary X

To locate a motor vehicle by its vehicle identification number or VIN, look for a 17-character code made up of letters and numbers. You’ll find it in your title or registration document, or in your insurance document. Once you have your VIN, use a company like AutoCheck or CarFax to get a vehicle history report. These reports note whenever a vehicle has been registered, titled, or serviced, meaning they can help you track it down. Look for the last location noted on the report and contact the authorities in that area to report it. If you couldn’t find anything on the report, try searching for your VIN on the Vincheck website. This includes records of vehicles that have been in accidents. For tips on what additional evidence you should provide to the police, keep reading!

Did this summary help you?
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 370,259 times.

Reader Success Stories

  • Don Haines

    Mar 5, 2019

    "This story had a lot of contact info that I was completely unaware of. I had the information I needed when I got to ..." more
More reader stories Hide reader stories
Share your story

Did this article help you?

Advertisement