FRSC plate number verification then check the car's history before you pay.
Verify the plate on FRSC NVIS, then enter the car's 17-character VIN below for its history before you pay: mileage and accident records where available, theft and recalls. Full report ₦9,900.
900M+ Vehicles in database
₦9,900 Full report
FRSC plate number verification is a free check on the Federal Road Safety Corps NVIS portal: enter the plate and it tells you whether the number is valid and what type of vehicle it belongs to. It says nothing about the car's past. For that, check the VIN (chassis number), which Carlytics reads against 900+ million records in US, EU and worldwide databases.
How to verify a plate number on FRSC NVIS
Five minutes, free, and best done before you travel to see the car.
1. Copy the plate from the car
Ask the seller for a photo of the car with the plate clearly visible, or read it yourself at the viewing. Do not rely on a number typed in an advert: one wrong character gives you someone else's record.
2. Open Verify Number Plate
Go to the FRSC NVIS Verify Number Plate page. NVIS is the Federal Road Safety Corps' national vehicle information system; the plate check is the part of it anyone can use without an account.
3. Enter the number and submit
Type the plate exactly, letters and digits in the right order, and submit. The result shows whether the plate is valid on the FRSC record and the type of vehicle it was issued to.
4. Compare the result with the car
A plate issued to a saloon should not be on an SUV. If the vehicle type does not match, or the plate is not found, stop and ask for the vehicle licence and the proof of ownership before anything else.
What the FRSC check shows, and what it does not
NVIS answers one question: is this plate on the record, and for what kind of vehicle?
The result does not show the owner. Personal details are not published online; FRSC may share them at one of its offices if you give a valid reason. It does not show the car's mileage, its accidents, or anything that happened before the car was registered in Nigeria. Most used cars here lived abroad first, so most of their history sits outside the plate record.
The online record is also not perfect. When Techpoint tested the database, 20 of nearly 45 checks returned a message suggesting the plate did not match its vehicle or did not exist. A mismatch is a reason to verify in person at an FRSC office, not proof of fraud on its own. A clean result is not proof the car is clean either.
Cloned and borrowed plates
A plate can be genuine and still sit on the wrong car.
A cloned plate copies the number of a real, registered car. NVIS will say the plate is valid, because it is, but the car carrying it is a different one. FRSC officers in Anambra recovered a stolen vehicle during a routine NVIS check, which is why they urge owners to make sure their plates are registered correctly.
- The plate checks out, but the vehicle licence shows a different chassis number from the car.
- The plate looks newer or older than the car, or the screws have been disturbed.
- The seller is happy to share the plate number but avoids sending the VIN.
The defence is the same every time: match the chassis number on the licence with the number on the windscreen and the door pillar. The chassis number check shows where to find it.
Verifying the vehicle licence, then the VIN
The plate links the car to a Nigerian registration. The VIN links it to everything before.
The vehicle licence carries both the plate number and the chassis number. Once the plate checks out on NVIS, read the chassis number from the licence and enter it above. The preview confirms the make, model and year; the full report adds mileage and accident records where available, theft and recalls. For a car that came in from abroad, confirm the duty status on CVMS or VREG as well. For the general guide, see plate number verification; for the whole viewing, the used car checklist.
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 VIN report adds to the FRSC check
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.
Plate, licence, VIN: in order
Four checks before any deposit.
- 1
Verify the plate
Free on FRSC NVIS. The vehicle type must match.
- 2
Match the licence
Plate and chassis number on the licence must match the car.
- 3
Check the VIN
Decode, then the full report.
- 4
Inspect, then pay
Only when the plate, the papers and the car agree.
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 verify a plate number on FRSC NVIS?
What does the NVIS result show?
Can I find the owner of a car from its plate number?
What if NVIS says the plate does not exist or does not match?
How do I verify a vehicle licence?
Can Carlytics check a car by its Nigerian plate number?
How much is the VIN report?
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