Chassis number check before you pay for a car in Nigeria.
Enter the 17-character chassis number (VIN) for a free decode. The full report adds mileage and accident records where available, theft and recalls from the countries the car came from. ₦9,900.
900M+ Vehicles in database
₦9,900 Full report
In Nigeria the VIN is usually called the chassis number. It is the 17-character code on the windscreen, the door pillar, the customs papers and the vehicle licence. Carlytics decodes it free and builds a full vehicle history report from 900+ million records across 47+ countries for ₦9,900.
How to check a chassis number in Nigeria
Start with the number on the car and on its papers, then check it online before you travel or transfer money.
Where to find it
At the base of the windscreen on the driver's side; on the plate in the door pillar; often stamped on the bulkhead in the engine bay; and on the customs papers, the vehicle licence and the proof of ownership. All of them should show the same 17 characters.
Three warning signs
- The chassis number in the advert differs from the one on the car.
- The characters on the windscreen plate look scratched, re-riveted or misaligned.
- The seller will not send a photo of the papers before the inspection.
Message to send the seller
“Good day. Please send a clear photo of the chassis number on the windscreen and on the customs papers, and the current mileage. I want to check the car before I come for inspection.”
The chassis number on the customs papers
Nigeria Customs clears an imported car by its chassis number. Confirm the duty status on CVMS or VREG, and check that the model and year on the papers match the decode. Our tokunbo guide explains the papers to ask for.
Tokunbo cars: what the first character of the chassis number tells you
The first character shows where the car was built. With the papers, it tells you which records to look for before you pay.
Most used cars in Nigeria are tokunbo: they lived their first life in the US, Canada or Europe and were shipped here. The chassis number does not change on the way, so the records from the country the car came from stay linked to it. A Nigerian-used car started the same way; its Nigerian papers simply add a second chapter.
| Chassis number starts with | Built in | Records to look for in the report |
|---|---|---|
| 1, 4 or 5 | United States | Title records such as salvage, rebuilt or flood, and auction damage records, where available. |
| 2 | Canada | Title and damage records from US, EU and worldwide databases, where available. Check the theft records too: cars stolen in Canada have been found in Nigeria. |
| W, V, Z, S, T, Y | Germany, France or Spain, Italy, the UK, Switzerland and other European countries | Dated mileage and inspection records, often several per car, where available. |
| J or K | Japan or South Korea | The factory decode and recalls. Many of these cars reach Nigeria through the US or Europe, so check those records as well. |
| L | China | The factory decode of model and year, and recalls. See the Chinese car check for brands sold in Nigeria. |
Where the car was built is not always where it was used. A car built in Japan may have spent years in the US before it reached Lagos, so check the records from every country in its story. Our tokunbo guide and the Chinese car check go further.
Customs VIN valuation and the chassis number
Nigeria Customs works out the duty on an imported car from its chassis number. That makes the number on the customs papers a check in itself.
How VIN valuation works
For an imported car, Nigeria Customs values the vehicle by its VIN: the make, model, year and specification behind the chassis number decide the value the duty is worked out from. The customs papers record the chassis number the car was cleared under.
What to compare
- The chassis number on the customs papers and on the car must be identical, character for character.
- The make, model and year on the papers should match the free decode above.
- A car declared as an older or smaller model than the decode shows was valued as something it is not.
Confirm the duty status
Carlytics does not check customs duty. Confirm it with Nigeria Customs on CVMS (a paid check by VIN) or on VREG before you pay. Fake or mismatched customs papers can lead to the car being seized from the buyer.
The chassis number on Nigerian documents
The same 17 characters should appear on every paper that comes with the car. Ask the seller for each one, and compare them with the number on the windscreen and the door pillar.
| Document | What it records | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Customs papers | The chassis number the car was cleared and valued under | It must match the car exactly. Confirm the duty status on CVMS or VREG. |
| VREG certificate | The VIN registered on the national vehicle registry | The VIN on the certificate and on the car must be the same. |
| Vehicle licence | The chassis number of the registered vehicle | Check it against the windscreen and the door pillar, not only the plate. |
| Proof of ownership | The chassis and engine numbers of the car being sold | The name on it should be the seller's, or the seller should explain why not. |
| Police e-CMR certificate | The vehicle details held by the Central Motor Registry | Ask the owner for it before you pay; it is part of a clean change of ownership. |
| Insurance certificate | The vehicle the policy covers | A policy for another chassis number is a warning sign. |
One document with a different chassis number is enough reason to stop and ask. Two different numbers on the car itself is a reason to walk away.
Reading a chassis number, character by character
A chassis number has three parts. The free decode reads them for you; this is what each part means.
Characters 1 to 3
Who built the car and in which country. This is how you tell a car built in the US from one built in Europe or China.
Characters 4 to 9
What the car is: model, body, engine and safety equipment, written by the manufacturer. On cars built for North America the ninth character is a check digit.
Character 10
The model year on many makes. Not every maker uses it, so the report shows the model year, the production year and the first registration as separate fields where we have them.
Characters 11 to 17
The plant and the serial number of this one car.
The letters I, O and Q never appear in a chassis number, so a code that contains them has been copied wrongly. A number shorter than 17 characters is not a full VIN: ask for the one on the papers.
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 report shows for a chassis number
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 a chassis number in Nigeria, in order
Five steps before any deposit or transfer.
- 1
Read it on the car
Windscreen, door pillar and engine bay: all three must match.
- 2
Read it on the papers
Customs papers, VREG certificate, vehicle licence and proof of ownership.
- 3
Run the free decode
The make, model and year must match the advert and the customs papers.
- 4
Read the full report
Mileage, accident, flood and theft records where available, and recalls.
- 5
Confirm duty, then inspect
CVMS or VREG for the duty status, then an independent mechanic.
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
What is a chassis number?
Where is the chassis number on a car in Nigeria?
Can I check a chassis number online for free?
What does a chassis number check show?
Can I find the chassis number from the plate number?
Is a chassis number check the same as a VIN check?
How do I know the chassis number has not been tampered with?
Does the report include accident data?
Does a chassis number check confirm customs duty?
How much does it cost?
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