Market news and warnings
LED headlight bulbs and the MOT: what changes on 14 October 2026
Approved LEDr bulbs in halogen headlamps can pass the MOT with their approval sticker on the car. Which bulbs qualify and what still fails.
Caroat roadbook
The UK car market, checked.
Current investigations and practical guides for buying, checking and running a vehicle in the UK.
Check the car while you read
Enter a registration for its free MOT, tax, mileage and specification record.
Latest from UK roads
New and recently updated
Article finder
Find clear answers
Search by question, vehicle risk or subject. Every result links to a full page, not a summary card.
- Related checkCheck MOT history
- Related checkSpot cloned plates
Market news and warnings
How do you appeal a private parking PCN at POPLA?
Appeal the operator first, then POPLA if they refuse. What evidence to send for cloned plates, timed signs, and the 10-digit code.
- Related checkWatch the V5C logbook
Buying and vehicle history
I sold the car. Why did I still get a parking ticket?
Private operators ask DVLA who the keeper was on that day. What proof of sale POPLA expects, and when to tell DVLA.
- Related checkRun a paid history check
Buying and vehicle history
What does a clear vehicle history check mean?
Clear usually means no finance, stolen or write-off markers were found. See what that does and does not prove before you buy.
- Related checkStart a free vehicle check
Buying and vehicle history
UK used car market ranked most transparent, according to carVertical
According to carVertical’s Market Transparency Index, the UK ranks first among 30 countries. See the score, the six factors, and what it means for buyers.
- Related checkCheck car insurance
Tax and ownership costs
Check If a Car Is Insured: MIB Public Single Checks Explained
How the Motor Insurers' Bureau lets the public run free own-vehicle checks and £10 one-off accident searches, plus why DVLA cannot confirm insurance.
- Related checkFree number plate lookup
Buying and vehicle history
Free UK Reg Checker: Number Plate and Vehicle Reg Check
How a free UK reg checker and number plate lookup works, what public records it shows, what it hides, and when to run a full history check.
- Related checkCalculate car tax by reg
Tax and ownership costs
How Much Is My Car Tax? Check UK Road Tax by Registration
Find your exact vehicle tax amount by number plate, what sets 2026/27 road tax rates, and why leftover tax never transfers on a used car.
- Related checkCheck vehicle specs
Tax and ownership costs
Insurance Group 1 and 2 Cars: The Cheapest UK Groups Explained
What UK insurance groups 1 and 2 mean, typical cheap-to-insure city cars, group 1 vs 2 differences, and what still raises a young driver quote.
- Related checkStart a free vehicle check
Buying and vehicle history
Caroat vs carVertical: UK vehicle checks compared
A source-checked comparison of single report prices, UK data, international coverage, report formats and important limits.
- Related checkStart a free vehicle check
Buying and vehicle history
Caroat vs Motorscan: UK vehicle checks compared
A source-checked comparison of pricing, free records, finance data, specialist fields, guarantees and report limits.
- Related checkLook up a registration
Market news and warnings
Digital Driving Licences: DVLA & GOV.UK App Changes Explained
How official UK digital driving licences work in the GOV.UK One Login Wallet, dynamic QR code verification, roadside police checks, and backup rules.
- Related checkCalculate car tax rates
Tax and ownership costs
Does It Matter Whose Name the Car Tax Is In? UK DVLA Rules Explained
Whether someone else can pay your UK car tax, how V62 replacement logbooks affect Direct Debit auto-renewals, DVLA phone logging, and refund rules.
- Related checkCheck vehicle MOT history
Buying and vehicle history
MOT Passed After a Fail: What Retest History Really Means
How same-day repairs, 30-day retests, and unresolved failures work in DVSA records, and how testing cycles reveal true vehicle reliability.
- Related checkCheck recurring MOT advisories
Reliability and common problems
Recurring MOT Advisories: Which Faults Should Stop You Buying?
How repeated MOT warnings for corrosion, oil leaks, brake lines, and emissions reveal chronic maintenance neglect and expensive repairs.
- Related checkCheck vehicle MOT history
Buying and vehicle history
Stricter UK Driving Test Rules: DVSA 10-Day Cancellation Limits
How the DVSA 10 working days test cancellation and refund rule works, caps on booking amendments, bot crackdown measures, and exemptions.
- Related checkStart with the recorded history
Buying and vehicle history
What a UK vehicle history check cannot tell you
The limits of recorded history, including mechanical condition, repair quality, ownership, service records and cloned identity.
- Related checkCheck a car before travelling
Buying and vehicle history
When should you run a vehicle history check?
Use free records before travelling, paid history before a deposit, and identity checks at the viewing before final payment.
- Related checkCheck vehicle stolen markers
Market news and warnings
CAN Bus & Headlight Theft: The New Keyless Car Hack Explained
How thieves exploit CAN bus wiring behind headlights to steal modern keyless cars in minutes, and how to protect your vehicle.
- Related checkCheck vehicle details
Tax and ownership costs
Can you have two insurance policies on one car?
The legality of dual car insurance in the UK, how contribution clauses split claims, the indemnity principle, and cooling-off refunds.
- Related checkCheck vehicle keeper record
Tax and ownership costs
Can you insure a car you don't own?
UK rules for registered keepers, legal owners, insurable interest, company cars, and avoiding illegal fronting fraud.
- Related checkCheck write-off status
Buying and vehicle history
Category S vs Category N write-offs explained
The difference between structural Category S and non-structural Category N damage, V5C logbook markers, and safety checks before buying.
- Related checkCheck MOT advisories
Tax and ownership costs
Does fixing a chipped windscreen affect your No Claims Bonus?
How comprehensive glass cover works, windscreen excess costs, ADAS sensor calibration, MOT chip limits, and renewal declarations.
- Related checkCalculate electric car tax
Tax and ownership costs
Electric car road tax: What every EV owner now pays
The 2026/27 EV road tax rates, registration-date rules, payment options and £50,000 expensive car threshold.
- Related checkCheck outstanding finance
Market news and warnings
FCA car finance mis-selling: How to claim your payout
Who may qualify for motor finance commission compensation, how to complain free and why payments are currently paused.
- Related checkCheck vehicle history
Market news and warnings
Ghost broking: How to spot fake car insurance scams
How ghost broking scams operate on social media, the severe penalties for driving with fake policies, and how to verify legitimate brokers.
- Related checkCheck running costs
Tax and ownership costs
How penalty points and driving convictions impact insurance
How DVLA endorsement codes like SP30 and IN10 increase insurance premiums, disclosure rules, and the 5-year declaration window.
- Related checkCheck car insurance
Tax and ownership costs
How to check if a car is insured on AskMID
How to check your own vehicle on the Motor Insurance Database for free, check third-party details after an accident, and handle upload delays.
- Related checkRun a free vehicle check
Market news and warnings
Is the Naomi car buyer message a scam?
How fake buyers pressure private sellers into paying for reports through suspicious links, and which warning signs matter.
- Related checkCheck MOT mileage
Market news and warnings
Mileage rollback: How MOT and VIN checks find clocked cars
How official MOT readings, service records, VIN identity and physical wear can expose a mileage inconsistency.
- Related checkCheck SORN and tax
Tax and ownership costs
SORN and insurance rules: What you must know
Rules for keeping a car off the road, why SORN does not cancel insurance automatically, laid-up cover, and re-taxing steps.
- Related checkCheck MOT before test driving
Buying and vehicle history
Test driving a used car: Temporary insurance rules
Insurance rules for private seller test drives, dealer trade policies, Driving Other Cars limitations, and short-term cover.
- Related checkSee the free record
Buying and vehicle history
UK car data check: How vehicle data works
Where UK vehicle records come from, what public data covers and when a commercial history check adds useful evidence.
- Related checkCheck vehicle specifications
Tax and ownership costs
UK car insurance groups explained: 1 to 50
What insurance groups mean, how Thatcham ratings work and why similar cars can attract different premiums.
- Related checkCalculate car tax and running costs
Tax and ownership costs
UK Fuel Duty Rise: How the 5p Cut Phased Reversal Affects You
How fuel duty is calculated, when the temporary 5p cut ends, and what the return to standard rates will add to UK pump prices and running costs.
- Related checkCalculate road tax
Tax and ownership costs
UK road tax calculator and price check by registration
Understand the UK road tax eras, CO2 bands, electric car changes and payment options for a specific vehicle.
- Related checkCheck a car before buying
Market news and warnings
Used car right to reject: 30-day consumer rights guide
The UK rules for rejecting a faulty used car, including the first 30 days and the six-month repair period.
- Related checkCheck tax and SORN status
Tax and ownership costs
What is Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE)?
How the UK Continuous Insurance Enforcement law works, how DVLA and MIB detect uninsured cars, and the penalties for non-compliance.
- Related checkRead MOT advisories
Reliability and common problems
Common used car problems and how to spot them
Warning signs for suspension, brakes, engines, gearboxes and electrical faults before you buy.
- Related checkCheck stolen markers
Buying and vehicle history
How to check if a used car is stolen
Check vehicle identity, paperwork and police markers before buying a car that could be recovered from you.
- Related checkCheck write-off history
Buying and vehicle history
Insurance write-off categories explained
What Category A, B, S and N mean, which cars can return to the road and what evidence a buyer should inspect.
- Related checkRun a finance check
Buying and vehicle history
Outstanding finance check on a used car
What a UK outstanding finance check shows, what free MOT and tax miss, and how to buy without taking on someone else's loan.
- Related checkCalculate vehicle tax
Tax and ownership costs
Running costs
Road tax, fuel, insurance, mileage and maintenance guides for estimating what a vehicle costs to keep.
- Related checkCheck a diesel vehicle
Market news and warnings
The Diesel Dilemma in 2026
Clean air charges, emissions-system repair costs and resale pressure facing older diesel owners.
- Related checkBrowse checked makes
Reliability and common problems
UK used car model guides
Research vehicle generations, engines, common faults and ownership considerations by make and model.
- Related checkCheck a car before viewing
Buying and vehicle history
Used car buying guides
A practical starting point for checking condition, records, ownership and paperwork before buying.
- Related checkCheck outstanding finance
Tax and ownership costs
Used car credit crunch and bad credit finance traps
How high-cost used car finance can hide the true repayment total, with safer checks to make before signing.
- Related checkReview MOT history
Reliability and common problems
Used car reliability: What lasts and what breaks
How to judge reliability using maintenance evidence, MOT history, common faults and the way a car was used.
- Related checkCheck London ULEZ status
Tax and ownership costs
ULEZ and Clean Air Zones in 2026/27
Which emissions standards matter, where charges apply and how to check a vehicle before entering a zone.
- Related checkCheck vehicle details
Market news and warnings
Why your car insurance got more expensive in 2026
The vehicle, repair, theft and personal risk factors that can move a UK insurance quote sharply.
- Related checkCheck road tax rates
Tax and ownership costs
Can a motorhome really pay £1 road tax?
Why some owners are quoted a £1 HGV rate, who can use it and why private motorhomes usually cannot.
- Related checkStart a free car check
Buying and vehicle history
How to check a used car before you buy
A practical checklist covering history, mileage, MOT records, finance and paperwork before you pay.
- Related checkLook up a registration
Buying and vehicle history
What can you find from a UK registration number?
From MOT and tax to mileage, identity and history checks, see what a UK registration can reveal.
Browse the roadbook
Four useful sections
Use the record
Useful Caroat tools
How we research
Records first, claims checked
We use official records, legislation, regulators and named industry sources wherever possible. Important claims are checked against their original source before publication.
Vehicle databases can contain delays or errors. A clear result means no record was found in the sources checked. It does not prove that no issue exists.
About Caroat and our data