How to check if a car has been written off
Run a vehicle history check on the registration before you pay anything. It reads the insurance industry’s register of write-offs, which is the only reliable source. The log book and the car itself can help, but neither is enough on its own.
Updated 14 October 2026
1. Run a history check on the registration
Write-offs are recorded on the insurance industry’s register when the claim is settled, and stay there for good. A history check shows the category, the date and often what was damaged.
Do it before you travel to see the car, and again on the day if days have passed. It takes a minute and costs far less than the mistake it prevents.
2. Look at the log book
When an owner keeps a Cat S car the DVLA records the category in its V5C. A Cat S marker on the log book is a clear answer.
No marker is not proof of a clean car. A Cat N car keeps its existing log book, a car can be written off after the log book was issued, and log books can be forged. That is why the register check comes first.
3. Read the MOT history
The MOT history is free and goes back years. A long gap followed by a fresh test, or a sudden change in mileage pattern, can line up with a write-off and repair. It does not prove one, but it tells you where to ask.
4. Look at the car
Paint that does not quite match between panels, overspray on rubber seals, uneven gaps around doors and the bonnet, new bolts on old wings, and a tidy engine bay on a tired car are all worth asking about.
None of these prove a write-off and a good repair shows none of them. The check is still the answer; your eyes are a second opinion.
5. Ask the seller directly
Ask in writing: has this car ever been recorded as an insurance write-off? A dealer must not mislead you about it, and a written answer from a private seller is useful if things go wrong later.
Doing it in Odomint
An Odomint Check reads the write-off register and shows the category with a plain-English explanation, along with outstanding finance and stolen markers, and the full MOT history free. The check comes with Experian’s data guarantee, which applies when the check is bought before the car.
Common questions
Is a written-off car shown on the V5C?
A kept Cat S car has its category recorded in the V5C by the DVLA. Cat N cars keep their existing log book, so the register check is the only reliable way to know.
Can I check if a car is written off for free?
The MOT history is free and can hint at one, but the write-off register itself is only available through a paid vehicle history check.
Does a dealer have to tell me a car was written off?
A dealer must not mislead you about it, and you have rights under the Consumer Rights Act if a car was misdescribed. Ask in writing either way.
Check any car before you buy it
MOT history, every advisory and the full mileage record are free for any UK registration. An Odomint Check adds outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, stolen markers and salvage history, with a £10,000 data guarantee.