Florida VIN Check: Everything You Need To Know
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If you’re purchasing a used car, it’s critical to avoid getting scammed. One of the best ways to feel confident in your purchase is to check out the VIN and the car’s history. However, the process tends to vary from state to state. If you call Florida home, you might wonder - what is a VIN check in Florida? How can you conduct this search in this sunny state?
If you’re interested in learning more about the VIN check process in Florida, you’ve come to the right place. The more you know about how to check out a car before purchase, the more confident you can be in your investment. Read on to learn more about what a VIN check provides, how to perform a VIN lookup in Florida and other valuable information.
What Does A VIN Check Provide?
A Vehicle Identification Number is a Social Security Number for a car. By using a VIN check in Florida, you can examine the complete history of the machine, such as any crashes it’s gotten into and legal issues with the title. A VIN check provides information you typically would not get from a seller and saves you from potential scams.
According to lendingtree.com, critical information to glean from a VIN check includes:
- Any unrepaired recalls in the system
- Holds or liens on the title that could prevent the sale of the vehicle
- Whether or not the car matches the VIN check report
These items will determine whether the seller is lying to you.
Also, VIN verification is required for many counties in Florida. It must occur before you may title and register an out-of-state vehicle.
A VIN check in Florida is a simple way to feel more confident in your purchase. However, not everyone understands how to complete a VIN check. Luckily, the process is so simple anyone can do it.
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How Do You Perform a Florida VIN Check?
There are options for free and paid VIN checks. It’s even possible to do them through the Florida government, though if you already live in Florida, it’s typically much easier to complete the process online through companies that exist with the sole purpose of helping others check out a particular VIN.
Here are a few helpful sites to access a VIN check for free:
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Vehicle History
- National Insurance Crime Bureau
- Driving-Tests
These will allow you to complete the process with no attached fees.
If you want to try a paid site, there are a few options for that as well. A few of the most common include CarFax, CheckthatVIN, ClearVIN, VINSmart, VINData, and EpicVIN. All sites are less than $20 to complete the process and are very detailed and approved by official organizations.
How Much Is A VIN Inspection in Florida?
One of the most exciting things about a VIN inspection in Florida is that they don’t cost any money. Some do, but for the most part, they are free to complete if you don’t want too much information with the inspection. Even the priciest version of the VIN from sites like CarFax are never more than $20 for a more detailed account of the car’s history.
If you plan on completing a VIN through the internet, ensure you are vigilant to avoid getting scammed. A VIN inspection involves some sensitive information, and scammers might try to glean even more from you like a Social Security Number. Do not ensure information on a website unless you are certain you are using an approved one for the process.
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Do I Need to Do A VIN Check?
Although it might seem like a pain to complete a VIN check, it should be something you do whenever you purchase a car. Many different things can be hidden if a vehicle transfers titles multiple times and a VIN will show what is hidden beneath the surface. It’s always worth the additional effort.
A VIN check will reveal the following, according to dirtlegal.com:
- Title washing, as when a car is in an accident, and it disappears from the title
- Active thefts to prevent you from purchasing a stolen car
- Odometer tampering, as sellers do to get you to pay more
- Hidden liens, which can be a pain when transferring a title
- Ownership history to see if the car was part of a rental fleet or something similar in its lifetime
These can impact your ability to buy a car.
Not all this information will be visible on the surface in the title and the sale. A VIN check is necessary to make everything clear in your eyes before laying down any money.
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Can You Get Personal Information from A VIN Number?
If you complete a VIN check in Florida, you get background information on where the car has been and what it’s been put through in its life. What happens when the VIN passes on to you? Will others be able to see your personal information if they complete a VIN check when you finally decide to sell the car?
According to lemonpros.com, the VIN only collects general information about the car’s history, so your data is safe. Also, a VIN is not public information. Thus, unless someone gets their hands on the data, there is no way for them to look up information about your machine.
Final Thoughts
A VIN check in Florida is an excellent choice if you want to feel confident about your used car purchase. By using a Vehicle Identification Number, you will see information such as recalls that have not been fixed, incorrect odometer readings, whether the car is stolen, and more. It’s a valuable peek at what the seller wants to hide from you to make more money.
We hope this information is helpful! Unfortunately, in our world, it’s far too common for people to scam others instead of doing honest business. A VIN is a form of defense you can wield against potential scammers when investing in a used car.
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