History checks for imported cars

In the UK, most people run a quick history check before they buy a used car. Buy one abroad and that habit needs a rethink, because the car's past is recorded in another country, in another language, and often in a different kind of document. The good news is that the checks exist. You just have to know where each country keeps them, and do them before the car is paid for and shipped.

Japan

Auction sheet and export certificate

USA

The title, plus a history report

Europe

Registration papers and service history

UK checks

See UK records only

Why the checks come first

Once a car has been paid for and loaded onto a ship, most problems become your problems. A branded title, a hidden repair or money still owed to a lender are all far easier to walk away from at the listing stage than at the port. A car with a messy history can also be slow or difficult to register in the UK, which turns a bargain into a long job.

History is one part of the picture. Mileage is another, and it has its own guide: checking the mileage on an imported car. For the wider checks on the seller, payment and condition, see buying a car abroad safely.

Cars from Japan

Japan has no Carfax-style report that most buyers rely on. Instead, the history comes from two documents you should see for every car.

The first is the auction sheet. The auction's own inspector grades the car, draws a map of any marks and damage, and adds notes. An R or RA grade means accident damage has been repaired. That is not always a reason to walk away, but it is a reason to ask for more photos and a translation of the notes. Our guide to Japanese auction grades explains how to read one.

The second is the export certificate, which records that the car's Japanese registration has ended. Check that its chassis number matches the car and the auction sheet. Send us a copy before the car ships and we will check the details too. The export certificate guide covers what it shows and why the original matters.

Cars from the USA

The US has the most developed history market of anywhere we ship from. Two things matter most: the title, and a history report.

The title is the car's ownership document, issued by the state. It can carry a brand that tells you something serious has happened. The ones to watch for include salvage, rebuilt or reconstructed, flood, and junk or parts only. Read the title itself, not just the listing, and ask for a photo of both sides if you are buying from a distance.

A history report from Carfax or AutoCheck pulls together records such as accidents, title changes, service visits and past registrations. The government-backed NMVTIS system also holds title brand records, and the NICB's free VINCheck can show whether a car has been reported stolen or written off by participating insurers. No report is complete, so use them alongside the title and good photos, not instead of them.

Cars from Europe

Europe is more of a patchwork. Each country keeps its own registration records, and there is no single history report that covers them all. Some countries have commercial history services of their own, and roadworthiness test reports can tell you a lot about how a car has been kept.

In practice, the best evidence is usually the paperwork: the registration document, the service book with stamps and invoices, and any test reports. Ask the seller for copies before you pay, and check that the chassis number on every one of them matches the car. Our guide to importing a car from Europe covers the route once you have bought.

Outstanding finance

A car with money owed on it may not be fully the seller's to sell. Our general advice is to make sure there is no outstanding finance before you buy. In the US, finance usually shows as a lien recorded on the title, and the car cannot be exported cleanly until it is cleared or the lender agrees in writing. Elsewhere, ask the seller for proof and use whatever check is available locally.

If the seller still owes money, agree how it will be settled from the sale and when you will get clear paperwork, before any money changes hands. Our guide to shipping a car with finance outstanding covers both sides of this.

Stolen car checks

The simplest protection is the chassis number. Check it on the car, on the registration or export document, on the invoice and on any history report, and make sure they all agree. A number that has been tampered with, or paperwork that does not match, is a reason to stop.

For US cars, the theft records in VINCheck and the history reports are a useful extra step. Elsewhere, buy from an established auction or dealer where you can, and be wary of a private seller who cannot show the registration document in their own name.

What a UK HPI check can and cannot see

UK history checks, such as HPI, are built on UK records: finance agreements with UK lenders, insurance write-offs recorded here, and cars reported stolen in the UK. That is exactly what you want for a car that has spent its life here.

A car bought abroad has none of that history. Before it is registered in the UK, a UK check has little or nothing to find, and after registration it starts from a blank page. A clean UK result on a fresh import tells you about its time here, not about its life in Japan, the US or Europe.

Once the car is on UK plates, a UK check becomes useful again, especially if you sell it later or buy an import that is already here. Our guide on whether a car is an import explains how to spot one, so you know when to look for the overseas paperwork too.

Your history checklist

Questions people ask

Found a car abroad and want a second opinion on its paperwork? Send us the details on the quote form and we will price the whole job.