How to Check a VIN in Florida

Florida's official VIN and title check

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) runs the Motor Vehicle Information Check. Cost: no fee listed.source

• Title status and the date the title was issued
• Title brands
• Whether the title is paper or electronic
• The lienholder's name and address and the lien date
• When the registration expires

Search by VIN or Florida title number. It covers Florida titles only — FLHSMV warns that a flood-damaged vehicle from another state can be sold in Florida with a clean title, and points buyers to NMVTIS for out-of-state history.

NICB VINCheck (free, all states)

The National Insurance Crime Bureau's VINCheck is free. It shows whether a vehicle was reported stolen and not recovered, or declared salvage (including flood-damaged) by an insurer — but only if the car was insured when the loss happened, so a clean result is not proof of a clean history.source

NMVTIS title history (approved providers)

The National Motor Vehicle Title Information System is the federal title database overseen by the U.S. Department of Justice. An NMVTIS report shows the current title state and last title date, brand history (such as junk, salvage, or flood) applied by any state, the latest odometer reading, and total-loss and salvage history. It does not include repair history or recalls. Consumers buy NMVTIS reports from the approved providers list.source

Checking for a lien in Florida

Run the VIN through FLHSMV's Motor Vehicle Information Check: if a lien is recorded, it shows the lienholder's name and address and the date of the lien. After a lien is paid off electronically, the screen updates to show no lien information, usually within 5 to 10 business days.source

Checking title status and brands

FLHSMV's Motor Vehicle Information Check shows the title status, issue date, whether the title is paper or electronic, and any brands for a Florida-titled vehicle. For brands applied in other states, use an NMVTIS report.source

Physical VIN verification for out-of-state vehicles

What a VIN check won't show

Public VIN and title checks don't show the owner's name, address, or other personal information: the federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act (18 U.S.C. 2721) and state law limit release of personal information in DMV records to permitted uses.source

More free checks

Decode the VIN for factory specs with the free VIN decoder, look up open safety recalls with the recall check, and if you want salvage-auction and listing history in one place, see the vehicle history report.

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