Customs papers check match the VIN before you pay.
Enter the VIN from the customs papers. The decode shows the make, model, year and engine to compare with the papers and the car. Then confirm the duty status on CVMS or VREG. Full history report ₦9,900.
900M+ Vehicles in database
₦9,900 Full report
To check customs papers in Nigeria, match the VIN on the papers with the VIN on the car, compare the model and year with a VIN decode, then confirm the duty status on Nigeria Customs CVMS or VREG. Carlytics decodes the VIN and shows its history; it does not hold customs or duty data.
What we check and what we do not
Two different questions: are these the right papers for this car, and was the duty paid?
What the VIN decode answers
Whether the papers describe this car. We decode the VIN into its make, model, model year and engine, and the report adds the records held for it in US, EU and worldwide databases: mileage and accident records where available, theft and recalls.
What only Customs can answer
Whether the duty was paid. We hold no customs or duty data. Nigeria Customs runs CVMS, the Customs Verification Management System, for exactly that, and VREG holds the duty status against the VIN.
Match these four things
Nigeria Customs values and clears an imported car by its VIN. So the papers, the car and the decode must agree on four points.
| Compare | How | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| VIN (chassis number) | Every one of the 17 characters | One character different means the papers are for another car. |
| Make and model | The model, not just the brand | A car declared as a smaller or older model was valued as something it is not. |
| Year | The year on the papers against the decoded year | One year apart can be model year vs year of manufacture; more needs explaining. |
| Engine | Engine size and fuel | A different engine can mean a different car, or a swapped engine nobody declared. |
The year deserves extra care. Nigeria Customs publishes an age limit for imported used cars, counted from the year of manufacture, and the year is part of the value the duty is worked out from. Our car year check explains the difference between the model year and the year of manufacture.
Confirm duty officially
Two official places to check, both keyed on the VIN.
Nigeria Customs CVMS
The Customs Verification Management System confirms a vehicle's duty payment status. It was deployed across all customs commands and anyone can use it; the fee at launch was ₦15,000. Enter the VIN and it issues a downloadable receipt with the confirmed details and a QR code. Keep it with the car's papers: the next buyer will ask for it.
VREG
VREG is the national vehicle registry, a Federal Ministry of Finance policy from 2021 that keeps vehicle records against the VIN. See our VREG verification guide.
Red flags
Any one of these is reason to stop before you pay.
- The VIN on the customs papers differs from the VIN on the car, even by one character.
- The papers describe a different year or a cheaper trim than the decode shows.
- The seller refuses a CVMS check, or offers a receipt without a QR code.
- The papers are photocopies only, or “with the agent”.
- The VIN plate on the windscreen looks scratched, re-riveted or replaced.
Fake or mismatched customs papers can lead to the car being seized. For the full import story, read the tokunbo guide; for the plate, the plate number verification page.
Which papers you should receive
What you are handed depends on whether the car is newly cleared or already registered.
A car just cleared through customs
The customs papers the car was cleared under, with the chassis number, make, model and year. The seller or the clearing agent should also be able to show the duty status on CVMS or VREG. The car has no Nigerian plate yet.
A car already registered in Nigeria
The original customs papers still matter, because they show how the car entered the country. Ask for them together with the vehicle licence, the proof of ownership and the police e-CMR certificate, and check that the chassis number is the same on all of them. Our Nigerian used car check lists every document.
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 an imported 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 customs papers, in order
Five steps before any deposit or transfer.
- 1
Read the VIN on the car
Windscreen and door pillar; both must match.
- 2
Read the VIN on the customs papers
Compare it with the car, character for character.
- 3
Decode the VIN
Compare the decoded make, model, year and engine with the papers.
- 4
Confirm the duty status
Run the VIN on Nigeria Customs CVMS (paid) or check it on VREG.
- 5
Keep the receipt
Save the CVMS receipt with its QR code with the car's papers.
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 Carlytics check customs duty?
How do I verify customs papers in Nigeria?
What if the year on the customs papers is wrong?
What does VREG show?
What happens if the customs papers are fake?
How much is the full report?
Last updated