Plate number verification first with FRSC, then the VIN.
Verify the plate for free on the FRSC portal, then enter the car's 17-character VIN below for its history: mileage and accident records where available, theft and recalls. Free preview, full report ₦9,900.
900M+ Vehicles in database
₦9,900 Full report
A Nigerian plate number tells you about the registration, not about the car's past. Verify the plate with the Federal Road Safety Corps for free, then check the VIN (chassis number), which Carlytics reads against 900+ million records across 47+ countries.
How to verify a plate number in Nigeria
Two checks, both before you transfer any money: the plate with FRSC, the car with its VIN.
1. Verify the plate with FRSC (free)
Open the FRSC NVIS Verify Number Plate page, enter the plate number and submit. It confirms whether the plate matches the FRSC record. Some states also run their own vehicle registration portals.
2. Find the VIN
Ask the seller for a photo of the vehicle licence or the customs papers. The 17-character VIN (chassis number) is printed there and on the windscreen and the door pillar. They must all match.
3. Check the VIN
Enter the VIN above. The free preview confirms the make, model and year; the full report adds mileage and accident records where available, theft and recalls. See the chassis number guide for where to find it.
Warning signs
- The plate is verified, but the papers show a different car.
- The seller sends the plate number but will not send the VIN.
- The VIN on the windscreen differs from the one on the vehicle licence.
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.
Plate first, then the car
Four steps before any deposit.
- 1
Verify the plate
Free on FRSC NVIS.
- 2
Get the VIN
From the vehicle licence or customs papers, and on the car.
- 3
Check the VIN
Free preview, then the full report.
- 4
Inspect, then pay
Only when the plate, the papers and the car match.
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 a car by its Nigerian plate number?
How do I verify a plate number in Nigeria?
What does the FRSC plate check show?
Are there other official vehicle checks?
What if the plate does not match the car?
Where do I find the VIN once the plate checks out?
Why check the VIN as well as the plate?
How much is a VIN report?
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