Can I trace previous owners of my car to find out if was in an accident?
Can I ask anyone for the previous car owner details of my car? I believe it was in an accident - the car has paint damage and has been repaired at some point prior to my purchase. The dealer has asked me prove I did not cause the paint damage and will not admit liability as they got the car from another garage and sold it to me last November. I am hoping find out if their was an accident or ask the previous owner. Can I use the DVLA form V888 for this?
there is one previous owner
there is one previous owner
Asked on 8 September 2025 by Patrick Gallagher
Answered by
David Ross
You can use the V888 form to request information on the history of your vehicle, including details of previous keepers, but you are required to show 'reasonable cause' for this information and it is for the DVLA to decide if you have reasonable grounds. An alternative option would be to pay for a vehicle history check - if the repairs were carried out through an insurance claim this should show up on the history report.
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