France VIN check and lookup
Buying a car from France or one that was registered there? Check its VIN: accidents, mileage readings, theft and registration records from France and other countries.
Where the VIN is
In France the VIN is printed on the certificat d’immatriculation (carte grise), field E. On the car it is at the bottom of the windshield and on the door pillar; all copies must match.
"Véhicule endommagé"
A car declared VE or VGE (seriously damaged) after an accident may not be driven until an expert certifies the repair; the procedure stays in its record.
Contrôle technique
The contrôle technique is due four years after first registration, then every two years, and records the mileage each time.
Used cars and vehicle records in France
France has a free government history service, HistoVec: the seller generates the report and shares it, and it shows the number of owners, the technical inspections with the mileage, the theft status and whether the car went through the damaged-vehicle procedure after a serious accident.
Official checks in France
Links to the official services; each opens in a new tab.