A Vehicle Identification Number is a unique 17-digit number that is attached to all motorized vehicles. It is a way of identifying the vehicle; the way a Social Security number is used to identify humans. You need it to register your car or buy insurance, and the police can use it to identify your vehicle in the event that it is stolen. If you would like to find out the past history of the car, such as who the previous owners were you can do a VIN number search for free.
Get the VIN of the car. Call your private seller and ask for the VIN number of the car. It is also usually located on a metal tag on the dashboard of the car. If you are looking for the VIN on a motorcycle check the front forks.
Go to a VIN checking website. A few that you can use include freevincheck.info or checkmycar.com. As of 2011, these are all free to use and do not require a credit card.
Enter the VIN number on the website and click on the search button. The VIN report can be emailed to you, or you can download it. Compare the results from all the VIN check sites.
