How to Read Your Vehicle History Report

What it shows

Year, make, model, trim, engine size, drivetrain, transmission and body style decoded straight from your 17-character VIN.

Why it matters

Specs verify the listing matches the actual vehicle. VIN cloning — pasting a stolen car's VIN onto a similar model — and trim misrepresentation (selling an SE as an SEL) are common fraud patterns this section exposes.

What it shows

Each title brand applied by state DMVs: Clear, Salvage, Rebuilt/Reconstructed, Flood, Fire, Hail, Lemon, Total Loss, Junk, Dismantled — sourced from NMVTIS brand codes reported to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Why it matters

A branded title permanently lowers value and can void insurance. A 'Clear' title with no brands is what every buyer wants; anything else needs negotiation or a walk-away.

What it shows

Collision and airbag-deployment records — when available. Important: the federal NMVTIS database federal does NOT capture crash data, so this section is frequently empty even for damaged vehicles.

Why it matters

An empty Accidents section does NOT prove a clean history. It simply means no reporting insurer or police source logged a collision. Always pair this with a physical inspection.

What it shows

Entries from the National Insurance Crime Bureau and law enforcement showing if the vehicle was reported stolen, where, and whether it was recovered.

Why it matters

Buying an unrecovered stolen vehicle means it can be seized and returned to the rightful owner — you lose both the car and your money.

What it shows

Records from junk yards, salvage yards and recyclers: the date a facility obtained the vehicle, its disposition (sold, crushed, parted out), and whether it was marked for export.

Why it matters

Presence here means the vehicle was damaged enough to enter the salvage stream. Rebuilt salvage cars can be safe if repaired properly, but they carry a branded title and lower resale value.

What it shows

When an insurance carrier declares a total loss, the date, the reporting entity and the vehicle's disposition.

Why it matters

A total-loss event is the trigger for a salvage/rebuilt title. Seeing it here confirms why the title is branded and helps you assess whether repairs were done to a safe standard.

What it shows

Outstanding liens (the vehicle is collateral for a loan) and impound records from state agencies.

Why it matters

A lien can follow the car, not the borrower. If you buy a car with an active lien, the lender can repossess it. Impound records also signal potential abandonment or fraud.

What it shows

A chronological series of mileage readings from DMV inspections, insurance and sale events — each with a date and source.

Why it matters

Odometer fraud costs U.S. buyers nearly $1 billion a year. A reading that goes DOWN over time, or jumps impossibly, is a hard red flag that the displayed mileage is fake.

What it shows

Historical auction and dealer sale events with dates, odometer at sale and sale price — pulled from NMVTIS-reporting auction lots.

Why it matters

Real transaction history is a stronger valuation anchor than listed asking prices. Watch for the car being sold cheap 'as-is' through a salvage lane before being cleaned up for resale.