American used car check before it is yours.
A US tokunbo or a car you are buying in America: enter the 17-character VIN to confirm the car. The full report adds title and damage records, odometer readings and recalls, where available for the VIN. ₦9,900.
900M+ Vehicles in database
₦9,900 Full report
An American used car check reads the 17-character VIN of a car built or used in the United States. A VIN starting with 1, 4 or 5 was built in the US. Carlytics checks it against 900+ million records in US, EU and worldwide databases for title and damage records, odometer readings and theft records where available, and recalls. Full reports ₦9,900.
What US records may show
A car's American years can leave records. The report shows the ones held for that VIN, where available.
Title brands
In the US a car's title can be branded salvage, rebuilt or flood after serious damage. A branded car can be repaired and shipped, and arrive in Lagos looking clean. Title records appear in the report where available for the VIN. Our salvage and flood car check explains each brand.
Damage at sale
Damaged cars in the US are often sold through auctions that record a damage classification, such as front end, rear end or water. Where we hold such a record, the report shows it with its date.
Odometer at sale
Sales and inspections can record the odometer. A reading in America that is higher than the dashboard in Nigeria is the question to ask. See the car mileage check.
Recalls
Recall campaigns recorded for the make, model and year. Recalls often concern safety items such as airbags or brakes, so check whether the work was done.
Buying through an agent in the US
Many Nigerians buy American cars through an agent who bids, pays and ships for them.
Before you send money to an agent, ask for the VIN and the full sale details of the car: photos, the stated damage, the title type and the odometer reading. Run the VIN through the preview to confirm the make, model and year, and read the report before you commit. A car with a branded title or a damage record where available is not automatically a bad buy, but the price and the repair budget should reflect it.
Agree in writing what happens if the car is not as described, and never pay a deposit for a car “on the way” before you have the VIN, the report and the shipping papers. When it lands, the customs papers must carry the same VIN; see the customs papers check.
Miles, not kilometres
The easiest mistake on a US car, and sometimes not a mistake.
A car built for the American market counts miles. One mile is 1.609 km, so 100,000 miles is about 160,934 km. An advert that quotes “100,000” may mean either. Check the unit on the dashboard, convert the readings in the report, and compare like with like. A dashboard that reads only in kilometres on a car built for the US can mean the instrument cluster was changed or reprogrammed, and then the mileage needs proof.
Flood season cars
Hurricanes and floods in the US damage cars every year. Some are dried out, repaired and sold abroad.
A flood car can look perfect and fail months later, when corrosion reaches the wiring. Look for silt under the carpets, rust on the seat rails and a damp smell, and read the title and damage records where available. The salvage and flood car check lists the signs.
What we cannot show
Knowing the limits of a check is part of using it well.
- US police theft lists. Our theft check covers the stolen-vehicle databases we hold from the US, the EU and worldwide.
- US insurer claims that never became a title brand or a sale record.
- Repairs done privately, with no record anywhere.
- The car's Nigerian chapter: duty, plate and owners. Use CVMS, VREG and FRSC NVIS for those.
Checking a Toyota, Lexus or Honda from the US? See the Toyota VIN check, Lexus VIN check and Honda VIN check.
When the car lands in Nigeria
The checks are not over when the car leaves America.
When the car arrives, read the VIN on the windscreen and the door pillar again and compare it with the shipping papers and the customs papers. They must be the same car you checked before you paid. Look at the odometer and note the reading with the date, so you can compare it with the last reading in the report. Then confirm the duty status on CVMS or VREG before the car is registered.
If you are buying a US car that has already landed, from a seller in Lagos or anywhere else, ask for the same papers and run the same checks. A seller who cannot show where the car came from, or whose VIN differs from the customs papers, is selling a problem. Our tokunbo guide covers the clearing steps.
What the report shows for an American car
Here is what to expect from a ₦9,900 report on a car with a 17-character VIN.
In the report
- A factory decode: make, model, model year, engine, fuel, body style and plant.
- Dated mileage records where available for the VIN, from the countries the car lived in.
- Accident and damage records where available for the VIN, for example salvage and write-off titles and auction damage classifications.
- A check against stolen-vehicle databases from the US, the EU and worldwide.
- Safety recall campaigns recorded for the make, model and year.
- Market value, known model issues and running-cost context.
Before you check
- Have the 17-character VIN ready. It is on the windscreen, the door pillar and the customs papers; a plate number alone is not enough.
- Confirm the customs duty status on Nigeria Customs CVMS or on VREG. The report does not cover customs duty.
- Book an independent mechanic to inspect the car before you transfer any money.
No record found is not proof that a car is undamaged or that its mileage is correct.
Checking an American used car, in order
Quick checks first.
- 1
Get the VIN
From the seller or the agent, before any payment.
- 2
Decode the VIN
The make, model and year must match the sale details.
- 3
Read the full report
Title, damage and odometer records where available, and recalls.
- 4
Check the papers
Title and bill of sale abroad; customs papers on arrival.
- 5
Inspect, then pay
An independent mechanic, then the transfer.
What we check before you pay for a car in Nigeria
One VIN, the records from the countries the car has lived in. These are the checks that matter most for a tokunbo car, a Nigerian-used car or a new Chinese model.
Accident and damage
The report includes accident and damage records where available for the VIN, such as salvage and write-off titles and auction damage classifications. An accidented car repaired abroad and shipped to Lagos can look clean on the lot; the record from its first life is where the repair shows. No record found is not proof the car was never damaged.
Mileage rollbacks
We put the dated mileage records we hold for the VIN in order, where available, so you can compare them with the dashboard. The weak point on a tokunbo car is the gap between the last reading abroad and the day it reached Nigeria.
Specs & equipment
We decode the factory specification from the VIN: make, model, year, engine, fuel, body and plant. Check it against the advert and the customs papers before you agree a price.
Safety recalls
We list safety recall campaigns recorded for the make, model and year. A car bought abroad and shipped to Nigeria rarely comes with its recall letters, so ask a dealer of the brand to confirm the work was done.
Flood damage
Check whether the car carries flood or weather damage records where available. Flood cars from US storms have been repaired and shipped to Nigeria before, and a flood car can fail electrically long after the sale.
Stolen car check
We check the VIN against stolen-vehicle databases from the US, the EU and worldwide. Cars stolen abroad have been shipped to Nigeria and seized from the buyer, so run this check before any transfer.
Photos
Where available, we include earlier photos of the car, for example from auctions. They can show damage, repairs or a different colour that the seller has not mentioned.
Market value
We estimate a fair market value from comparable cars, so you can tell whether the asking price is reasonable for the year, mileage and specification.
Trusted in 47+ countries, including the ones Nigeria imports from
Carlytics brings together vehicle records from 47+ countries, with 900M+ vehicles in its database, across Europe and North America, plus factory decoding for cars built in China, Japan and Korea. For a tokunbo car, that is where its earlier life was recorded.
Access data from national registries,
insurance databases, law enforcement and more.
How It Works
Carlytics checks a 17-character VIN in seconds by cross-referencing 900M+ records from 47+ countries. Enter the VIN from the windscreen, the door pillar or the customs papers, check the free preview, then unlock the full vehicle history report for ₦9,900.
From VIN to report in a few minutes. Check the free preview before you pay.
Enter the VIN
Type the 17-character VIN (chassis number) from the car or its papers. A Nigerian plate number is not enough on its own.
Check the preview
Confirm the make, model and year match what the seller told you before you pay anything.
Get the full report
Mileage and accident records where available, theft, recalls and value, in one report with a PDF you can forward.
Decide with evidence
Take the report to the inspection, ask the seller about every gap, and only then transfer money.
Why check a VIN before buying a car in Nigeria?
Nigeria spent ₦1.58 trillion importing passenger cars in 2025, and most of them arrived used. A car's history abroad does not follow it to Nigeria on paper; it follows it through the VIN.
Mileage on tokunbo cars
An odometer can be wound back between the last reading abroad and the sale in Nigeria. Dated mileage records, where available, show whether the dashboard fits the car's past.
Accidented and flood cars
Salvage and flood cars are bought cheaply abroad, repaired and sold here as clean tokunbo. Accident and damage records, where available, show what happened before the car was shipped.
Stolen abroad
Vehicles stolen in Canada have been traced to Nigeria and handed back to their owners. A theft check before payment protects you from losing the car and your money.
Year and model on the papers
Customs rules and duty depend on the year of manufacture and the exact model. The decoded year and specification help you test what the papers say.
Ready to check your vehicle?
Enter the VIN number below to get a free instant report.
Sample Vehicle Report
Every Carlytics report covers 24 sections including decoded specs, mileage history, safety recalls, theft status, market value, and cross-border import records. The full report costs ₦9,900 and is available instantly as an interactive page and downloadable PDF.
Here's an example of the comprehensive vehicle report you'll receive. Our reports provide detailed information to help you make informed decisions about any vehicle.
Toyota Corolla (2012)
1.8 L • Petrol • Automatic • Sedan
Vehicle Information
Official records
Vehicle Summary
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I check a car that is still in America?
Does the report show US accidents?
Why are there no US records for my VIN?
Is the mileage in miles or kilometres?
Does the report include US police theft records?
How much is the report?
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