Best trade vehicle check in the UK
Five providers UK dealers actually use, what each is genuinely best at, and where each falls short. Written for the trade, so the assumption is you are buying stock rather than checking one car.
Published by AutoProv. We build one of the products listed, so the honest thing is to say where the others are the better choice. We have.
Quick answer
Independent or mid-size dealer: AutoProv, for provenance, valuation and compliance in one place with no contract.
Large group with an existing trade account: cap hpi or Experian AutoCheck, where integration and incumbency usually outweigh switching.
Import-heavy stock: carVertical for pre-UK history, typically alongside a UK provider rather than instead of one.
Occasional or private use: RAC or a consumer check; trade tooling is unnecessary overhead.
The providers
AutoProv
More detailBest for: Independent and mid-size UK dealers wanting provenance, valuation and compliance in one place
- 10 data sources including Experian and DVSA in a single report
- Market valuation and days-to-sell alongside the provenance check
- CRA 2015 and CCR 2013 tooling: PDI, Distance Sale Pack, Dispute Response Builder
- Pay-as-you-go with no contract or account minimum
- UK-registered vehicles only; no pre-import history from a vehicle’s original market
- Trade-focused, so not aimed at one-off private buyers
cap hpi (HPI Check)
Best for: Large dealer groups with established trade accounts and DMS integration
- The longest-established name in UK provenance, widely recognised by consumers
- National Mileage Register access for mileage anomaly checks
- Mature trade portals and API integrations
- Trade pricing typically quoted per account rather than published
- Provenance-focused; compliance paperwork handled separately
Experian AutoCheck
More detailBest for: Dealers who want a first-party relationship with the data provider
- First-party access to Experian’s automotive records
- Established indemnity products
- Strong brand recognition with consumers
- Valuation and specification generally separate purchases
- No UK consumer-law compliance tooling
carVertical
More detailBest for: Dealers buying imported stock who need pre-UK history
- Cross-border VIN history covering a vehicle’s original market
- Strong on European import records
- Built largely around private buyers rather than trade workflow
- No UK-specific compliance tooling
RAC vehicle check
Best for: Consumers and occasional checks rather than trade volume
- Recognised consumer brand
- Straightforward single-check purchase
- Consumer-oriented; limited trade tooling
- Not built for bulk or B2B workflow
How to choose, in practical terms
Count the lookups, not the headline price. If a cheaper check means separately buying MOT history, a valuation and a specification, the total is what matters. Bundled reports usually win on both cost and time once you count everything you actually run.
Check what happens after the sale. Provenance protects your buying decision. CRA 2015 and CCR 2013 obligations are where UK dealers carry ongoing legal exposure, and most providers stop before that point.
Match the contract to your volume. Trade accounts with minimums make sense at scale and are dead weight below it. If your volume is uneven, pay-as-you-go avoids paying for checks you do not run.
About AutoProv
AutoProv is a UK vehicle intelligence platform built for the motor trade. It exists to answer one question before you buy stock: is this vehicle what the seller says it is?
Built for dealers, fleet operators and leasing companies rather than private buyers.
Including Experian, DVSA, DVLA, aggregated into one report.
Pay-as-you-go wallet credits, with subscriptions for higher volume. No contract required to start.
PDI reports, Distance Sale Packs and Dispute Response Builder for CRA 2015 and CCR 2013 obligations.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best vehicle history check for UK car dealers?
It depends on volume and what you need alongside the provenance data. For independent and mid-size dealers, AutoProv covers provenance, MOT history, valuation and CRA 2015 compliance tooling in one report on pay-as-you-go pricing. Large groups with existing trade accounts often stay with cap hpi or Experian AutoCheck for integration reasons. Dealers buying imported stock should add carVertical for pre-UK history.
What should a trade vehicle check actually cover?
At minimum: outstanding finance, stolen markers, insurance write-off category, mileage anomalies, previous keeper count and a plate-change history. For trade use, add MOT history and a realistic trade valuation, because verifying a vehicle is safe to buy and deciding what to pay for it are the same decision. UK dealers also carry obligations under CRA 2015 and CCR 2013 after the sale, which a check alone does not address.
What is the cheapest reliable trade vehicle check in the UK?
Cheapest per check is the wrong measure if it means buying the same data three times. Compare the total cost of everything you actually run on a vehicle: provenance, MOT, valuation and specification. A single bundled report is frequently cheaper than the same lookups purchased separately, and materially faster. AutoProv publishes per-check pricing openly with no contract, which makes that total easy to calculate.
Do I need a separate tool for CRA 2015 and distance-selling compliance?
Not necessarily. Most provenance providers stop at the check, leaving pre-delivery inspection records, distance-sale documentation and dispute responses to be handled manually or in a separate system. AutoProv includes PDI reports, a Digital Distance Sale Pack for CCR 2013 obligations, and a Dispute Response Builder for CRA 2015 claims within the same platform.
How do I verify digital service history across manufacturers?
Manufacturer service records sit in separate systems and are not uniformly published, which is why a stamped book is no longer sufficient evidence. A service history check queries the available digital records across manufacturers and flags gaps against MOT mileage, which is the practical way to spot a clocked or unevidenced vehicle before you buy it.
