Buying a used car is an economically viable alternative to buying a brand-new vehicle, but it comes with its own risks. One of these risks is not knowing the car’s actual history, such as whether it has been in accidents or how much routine maintenance it has gone through. In such situations, conducting a title search on a vehicle can be beneficial to learn about the actual recorded history of the car. Find the VIN The VIN or Vehicle Identification Number is a 17-digit combination of numbers and letters assigned to each vehicle. This number can be found in the vehicle’s insurance information documents, such as the insurance card or insurance policy. Since every state mandates that a car has insurance coverage, finding the VIN through the insurance documents is fairly easy. But if the insurance documents are not available, the VIN can also be found on the car’s registration card or sticker. These are usually found on the front windshield on the driver’s side. Besides this, the VIN can also be found on the driver’s side below the windshield, the driver’s side door or door jamb, the front of the engine block, or the front end of the frame.

Title searches are a common way to find out the history of ownership of any private asset, be it a vehicle, house, or piece of land. This important documentation reveals a lot of facts about the asset, including regular maintenance, repairs, major accidents, etc. In the country, vehicular title search tools look through thousands of public and third-party databases to provide useful and updated information with just a few clicks. Title search process Performing a title search is a rather straightforward task. It can give one insight into the vehicle’s history, including accident history, title changes, ownership history, vehicle recalls, any history of tampering or airbag deployment, lien information, flood damage, repair records, and more details. 1. Find the VIN To perform a title search, one needs to start by looking for the VIN (vehicle identification number). The VIN is a 17-digit alpha-numeric code that offers information such as world manufacturer identifier (WMI), vehicle description, vehicle identifier, check digit, model year, plant code, manufacturer identity, and sequential number. The VIN can be found inside the car on a small inscribed metal plate on the driver’s side dash or near the door latch. It can also be retrieved from documents such as the vehicle title, owner’s manual, registration card, or insurance documents.