License Plate Lookup

LicensePlateData, a FREE License Plate Lookup Service

LicensePlateData.com allows you to lookup any license plate in all 50 US states. You may use this service to learn more about a specific vehicle you've seen in your neighbourhood, or you may report a bad driver, and or you are interested in the vehicle's basic infromation (ex: Year, Make, and Model). If other users have reported the vehicle (ex: Bad Driver) or left a comment, you'd be able to see that information.

Please use this serivce at your own risk, we do not warrant the validity of this information, nor we guarantee accuracy of the details.

What does a license plate lookup result provide?

When you lookup on a license plate on LicensePlateData, you will be able to access a report about the vehicle, government recalls, vehicle service history (ex: body shops and mechanics) and more. If the license plate has been previously reported by another user, you will see the comments and feedback about the driver.

COMING SOON! Vehicle History Reports, you will be able to access full vehicle history reports, this will include indepth details about the vehicle. Full vehicle history reports show accidents, owners (not full owner information), service history, lemon law, odometer readings/problems, and more.

Is it legal to lookup someone's license plate?

It is prefectly legal to run a license plate as it is a matter of public records. But if you are trying to retrieve Personally Identifiable Information (PII), then you should have specific Driver's Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) reasons for it. The permissible use cases are as follows:

• for government agencies;
• in connection with matters of motor vehicle or driver safety and theft;
• in normal course of business to verify the the accuracy of information provided by the car owner;
• in connection with any matter before a court or arbitration proceeding;
• in research activities (excluding personal information);
• for insurance purposes;
• for providing notice to owners of towed cars;
• by any licensed private investigative agency or licensed security service;
• by employers to verify commercial driver information as required by U.S. Code Title 49, subtitle VI, chapter 313;
• by private toll transportation facilities;
• for response to requests from deparments of motor vehicles;
• bulk distribution for surveys, marketing or solicitations (requires opt-in);
• by written consent of the owner;
• for other reasons (varies by state).

The short answer is: YES running a license plate lookup is perfectly legal, unless you want to find out PII, which is still legal if you have a DPPA permissible use.

Have a question? See if it has been answered on our Frequenlty Asked Questions page.