Mileage Check

What does a mileage check show?

A mileage check brings together mileage records from multiple sources so you can compare the vehicle's mileage over time. Our history report shows the recorded date, mileage and source, and highlights identified mileage issues.

Free mileage checks use readings from the MOT history. Paid history checks include additional mileage records from industry sources, including:

• British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA): readings recorded during a vehicle's use and when it is disposed of by member leasing and hire companies.
• Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMIF): readings submitted by member retailers and garages during activities such as stock audits, servicing and repairs.
• DVLA: mileage information submitted by keepers through V5C log book and V62 forms.

You can view a sample report to see how the dates, mileages and sources are displayed. Not every vehicle will have records from every source.

This gives you more information to compare with the advert, the dashboard and the seller's paperwork before buying.

How much does a mileage check cost?

Mileage information is part of a paid vehicle history report.

If you only want the readings recorded at MOT tests, you can get a free MOT check. The reason to consider a paid report is the additional records available and the other vehicle history checks included with your chosen report.

What is car clocking?

Clocking means deliberately altering a vehicle's recorded mileage to mislead someone about how far it has travelled. It usually involves reducing the displayed mileage to make the vehicle appear less used.

Someone might clock a car to sell it for more money, make wear seem less significant, or avoid excess-mileage charges on a lease. Older mechanical odometers can be physically altered, while digital mileage can be changed electronically. A digital display doesn't make a vehicle immune to clocking.

Replacing a faulty dashboard or correcting an error isn't, by itself, clocking. The important distinction is whether the mileage has been misrepresented, and whether any legitimate change is properly explained and documented.

How can I check if a car is clocked?

A mileage history report can help you spot readings that don't fit, including a decrease or a figure that conflicts with the seller's advert. Additional industry records may reveal a discrepancy between MOT tests that an MOT-only check wouldn't show.

There isn't one clocked car check that can prove every vehicle's genuine mileage. Compare the records with the car, its condition and supporting paperwork, and investigate anything that doesn't make sense before paying.

Does a mileage discrepancy mean the car has been clocked?

Not necessarily. A reading that goes backwards needs explaining, but it isn't proof that someone deliberately reduced the mileage.

For example, a record of 82,000 miles followed by 62,000 miles could indicate a problem. It could also be a recording error, a change between miles and kilometres, or a replacement instrument cluster. Ask for evidence that explains the difference.

Speak to the seller and ask whether they have paperwork that helps verify the genuine mileage. Servicing and repair invoices often include a date and mileage, which can help you work out whether a discrepancy is a recording mistake or a possible sign of clocking. Paperwork for an instrument-cluster replacement can also help explain a change.

Compare several records around the disputed reading rather than relying on one document. If the explanation doesn't fit the evidence, don't assume the lower figure in the advert is correct.

How can I avoid buying a clocked car?

• Compare the advert with the odometer when you view the vehicle.
• Read the mileage history in date order, checking the units as well as the numbers.
• Ask the seller about decreases, unusual jumps or long gaps. Compare their explanation with dated servicing and repair paperwork.
• Check whether the vehicle's condition fits its age and claimed use. An independent inspection can help if you're unsure.

If you can't get a convincing explanation for a discrepancy, pause the purchase. Carry out the wider checks in our Buying a Used Car guide too. Mileage is only one part of the vehicle's history.

Can a mileage check prove the car's actual mileage?

No. A consistent history is useful evidence, but it doesn't account for every mile driven or rule out every alteration between recorded readings.

The latest reading is from the date shown in the report, rather than a live reading from the vehicle today. A gap also doesn't prove that the car wasn't used during that period.

Why might a vehicle have little mileage history?

A newer vehicle may not have reached its first MOT, and other sources may not hold a reading for it. Imported vehicles or vehicles with periods outside the UK can also have gaps in the available UK records.

Ask for supporting paperwork rather than treating missing records as confirmation of low mileage.

What if an MOT mileage reading is wrong?

The original record needs to be corrected in the DVSA database. Follow the official MOT record correction guidance, which explains the process and evidence required. Northern Ireland tests use a separate DVA route.

Is mileage history the same as service history?

No. A mileage entry shows a reading recorded at a particular time. It doesn't prove that the vehicle was serviced or that the recommended maintenance was completed. Ask to see the service records separately.