Car history check by VIN, before you pay.
Enter the 17-character VIN or chassis number of the car you are about to buy. The full report shows mileage readings, accident records where available, theft and recalls for ₦9,900.
900M+ Vehicles in database
₦9,900 Full report
A car history check in Nigeria starts with the 17-character chassis number, because a tokunbo car's past was recorded abroad under that number. Carlytics reads the VIN against 900+ million records in US, EU and worldwide databases and returns a vehicle history report: dated mileage readings and accident records where available, a theft check and recalls, for ₦9,900.
What the car history check shows
The history comes from records about this one car, collected in the countries it lived in before Nigeria.
- Dated mileage readings where available, so you can compare the dashboard with the car's past.
- Accident and damage records where available, 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.
- The factory specification, market value and known model issues.
Before the report, the VIN is decoded at no charge: make, model, year, engine and plant, read from the 17 characters. An advert for a 2018 car whose VIN decodes as 2014, a “V6” that decodes as a four-cylinder, or a “Direct Belgium” car whose VIN says it was built in the US are all questions for the seller before you travel.
What the report costs: ₦9,900
One payment for one car, paid when you are about to buy it.
Why a history report, not only the papers
Nigerian papers record a Nigerian registration. They do not record a wound-back odometer in Germany, a salvage auction in the US or a flood repair before shipping. Those events were filed under the VIN in the country where they happened, and that is where the report reads.
One payment, no subscription
One report costs ₦9,900. If you are comparing several cars, a bundle of 3 costs ₦22,000 and a bundle of 5 costs ₦33,000. There is no monthly plan. See the sample report to see every section before you pay, or the pricing page for the bundles.
When to run it
Run the history check on the car you are about to buy, after the VIN matches the advert and before you transfer money. A report costs far less than a wound-back odometer or a repaired accident car. If the mileage is your main worry, our car mileage check explains the readings; for crash damage, see the accidented car check.
Official checks to run alongside the history
Some checks are run by the government, not by Carlytics, and each covers one part of the car's story in Nigeria.
FRSC plate verification
The Federal Road Safety Corps NVIS portal confirms whether a plate number matches the FRSC record. Our plate number guide walks through it.
VREG
VREG, the national vehicle registry, shows whether a VIN is registered and its duty status, online or by USSD on *7031#.
CVMS (paid)
Nigeria Customs CVMS confirms by VIN whether the car was cleared through customs. It is a paid service; a fee of ₦15,000 was reported when it launched in October 2025.
Police e-CMR
The owner should hold a Nigeria Police Central Motor Registry (e-CMR) certificate for the car. Ask to see it.
Make sure the history belongs to this car
A history report is only as good as the VIN you enter. Read the number yourself first: these checks catch most altered or copied numbers.
Count and read the characters
A full VIN has exactly 17 characters. The letters I, O and Q never appear, because they are too easy to confuse with 1 and 0. A number with 16 or 18 characters, or with an O in it, was copied wrongly or made up.
Check the check digit
On cars built for North America the ninth character is a check digit, calculated from the other sixteen. If one character has been changed, the sum no longer works. The decode tells you whether it adds up.
Compare three places on the car and every paper
Read the VIN on the windscreen plate, on the door pillar and, where it is stamped, in the engine bay. Then compare it with the customs papers, the vehicle licence and the proof of ownership. Scratched or re-riveted plates, uneven stamping or one paper with a different number are reasons to stop. Our chassis number guide lists every document, and the VIN decoder page explains each character.
Not sure which check to use? Our comparison of the VIN checks used in Nigeria sets out what each one covers.
Official checks worth doing in Nigeria, and what they show
Each official check covers one part of the car's story. Do them alongside the report.
| Check | What you enter | Where | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customs duty status | The VIN | Nigeria Customs CVMS (cvms.nigeriatradehub.gov.ng) | Whether the vehicle was cleared through customs, with an official receipt. A paid service. |
| National vehicle registry | The VIN | VREG, Federal Ministry of Finance (vreg.gov.ng, USSD *7031#) | Whether the VIN is registered on VREG, and its duty status. |
| Number plate | The plate number | FRSC NVIS (nvis.frsc.gov.ng) | Whether the plate matches the FRSC record. |
| Police vehicle certificate | Owner and vehicle details | Nigeria Police e-CMR (cmris.npf.gov.ng) | The police Central Motor Registry certificate the owner should hold. |
What the official checks leave out
Each check covers one record. None of them puts a car's dated history from Europe, the US or China next to its Nigerian papers. That is the part the report adds.
Official checks and a Carlytics report side by side
| Topic | Official checks | Carlytics report |
|---|---|---|
| Mileage | Not shown | Dated mileage records for the VIN, where available, from several countries |
| Accidents and damage | Not shown before purchase | Accident and damage records where available for the VIN |
| Customs duty | CVMS or VREG | Not included: confirm it there |
| Theft | Police certificate held by the owner | Stolen-vehicle databases from the US, the EU and worldwide |
| Specification | Not shown | Factory decode from the VIN |
One Carlytics report costs ₦9,900, with a free preview first.
What the car history report shows
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.
A car history check, in order
Confirm the car first, then read its history before you transfer money.
- 1
Get the VIN
A clear photo of the windscreen plate and the customs papers from the seller.
- 2
Read it yourself
17 characters, no I, O or Q, the same on the car and on every paper.
- 3
Decode the VIN
The make, model, year and engine must match the advert.
- 4
Run the official checks
The plate on FRSC NVIS and the VIN on VREG.
- 5
Read the full history
Mileage, accident and theft records where available, before you transfer money.
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
How do I check a car's history in Nigeria?
Can I check car history with the chassis number?
What does a vehicle history report show?
Why check the history of a tokunbo car before buying?
Why does my chassis number not decode?
How much is the car history report?
Can I pay with a Nigerian card?
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