No owner data policy

What we show

The vehicle a license plate is registered to: its VIN, year, make, model, trim, body style and engine. Later we may add vehicle history, such as title brands, salvage and auction records and safety recalls. All of it is about the vehicle.

What we never show

• The registered owner’s name
• Any address, phone number or email address
• Driver’s license numbers, Social Security numbers or photos

We do not hold this information, we do not buy it, and nothing on this site, in our ads or in search results promises it.

Why

Personal information in state motor vehicle records is protected by the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act of 1994, which allows its release only for specific purposes. A person looking up a plate out of curiosity is not one of them. Beyond the law, a plate lookup that reveals where someone lives can be used to stalk or harass them. We will not build that.

If you need the owner

For a crash, a hit-and-run or an abandoned vehicle, report it to the police, who can identify the owner. Our guide can you find a car’s owner by plate covers what to do in each case.

Not a government service

Plate Decoder is an independent business. It is not affiliated with, authorized by or endorsed by any DMV, BMV, Secretary of State, tag office or other government agency.