VIN Lookup vs. carVertical: U.S. Cars and Import Research
Compare a U.S.-focused $14.99 source report with carVertical’s international database approach. Start with the countries in the car’s history.
Enter your VIN. Check the car before you buy.
Identify the vehicle free, then choose whether to buy its reported history.
Title brands · Odometer records · Auction history, where reported
No subscription. No charge to check the VIN. Report contents vary by vehicle; applicable tax is shown at checkout.
See what the paid report includes →For a U.S. vehicle, VIN Lookup offers a free identity decode and an optional $14.99 original provider report with no subscription. carVertical’s U.S. pricing page listed $34.99 for one report on October 26, 2026, and the company describes a report built from international databases. For an imported car, start with the countries where it was registered and the records you need from each. An international source network is a reason to investigate coverage, not proof that any provider has every border-crossing event.
- A U.S. title question and a vehicle’s earlier foreign history may require different sources.
- VIN Lookup lists $14.99 for one report; carVertical’s U.S. page listed $34.99 on October 26, 2026. Confirm the total at checkout.
- A global database count does not establish coverage for one VIN.
One VIN. One $14.99 history report.
For $14.99, VIN Lookup delivers an original ClearVIN vehicle-history PDF for the VIN you enter. ClearVIN is on the U.S. Department of Justice’s list of approved NMVTIS data providers; VIN Lookup sells that original report. The report may include data beyond the NMVTIS core, but the records returned vary by VIN.
The VIN decode is free. No card is needed until you choose to buy; applicable tax is shown at checkout. A missing record is not proof that an event never happened.No account · Refund reviewed if not delivered, unopenable or wrong VIN by our error · Sold by VIN Lookup (SH LLC, Sheridan, WY)Original provider PDF
No subscription
Start with the countries in the vehicle’s history
Ask the seller where the vehicle was first registered, when it moved and which import or export documents accompany it. Make a timeline of those answers before choosing a report. A gap between the last foreign registration and the first U.S. title is a specific research problem, not something a generic green badge resolves.
VIN Lookup focuses on U.S. VIN research and provides the available provider document for the submitted VIN. carVertical describes international registry, insurer, law-enforcement and repair-source inputs. That stated reach can be relevant to import research, but you still need to check whether records are available from the countries and years that matter.
| Question | Useful next step |
|---|---|
| Does the U.S. VIN match the listing? | Run the free VIN identity check |
| What U.S. title or loss events were returned? | Inspect the report’s dated source entries |
| What happened before import? | Check the origin-country documents and provider coverage |
| Was the repair done correctly? | Arrange a physical inspection |
Compare reports. Then check your car.
Identify the vehicle free, then choose whether to buy its reported history.
Title brands · Odometer records · Auction history, where reported
No subscription. No charge to check the VIN. Report contents vary by vehicle; applicable tax is shown at checkout.
See what the paid report includes →Worked import case: keep a foreign mileage record separate from U.S. title history
Illustrative scenario — invented figures and circumstances, not a customer case or an observed provider result. A fictional imported car has a 2021 foreign inspection at 100,000 km and a 2023 U.S. title at 70,000 miles. You are considering VIN Lookup and carVertical for different parts of that history.
Normalize units before interpreting the timeline. This is an arithmetic exercise, not an observed report comparison or a guarantee that either product returns the foreign record.
| Observation in this scenario | What it establishes | Next check |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 foreign inspection | 100,000 km ÷ 1.609344 ≈ 62,137 miles | Preserve the original unit and verify the inspection document. |
| 2023 U.S. title | 70,000 miles; about 7,863 more than the earlier converted reading | There is no decrease in these two checkpoints; other mileage events remain unknown. |
| Coverage needed | Foreign inspection evidence plus U.S. title records | Check each exact offer’s geographic sources; neither a U.S. title match nor a sample proves coverage in the prior country. |
Example added . This scenario is illustrative.
Compare the price and the delivered document separately
VIN Lookup lists $14.99 for one report, $29.99 for three and $44.99 for five. Its complete public sample shows the source PDF format before a buyer commits. Different VINs may return different categories and document lengths.
On October 26, 2026, carVertical’s U.S. pricing page listed $34.99 for one report, $49.98 for two and $59.97 for three, with no consumer subscription. carVertical’s English pricing page noted on September 20, 2026 that VAT may apply, and its pricing is tied to the selected market, so if you buy in another market, record the currency, tax, total and package conditions before comparing them with these U.S. prices.
When to use more than one source
A second report earns its place when it can answer a material question, such as an unexplained mileage change before import. First compare the VIN, dates and origin of the available records. Two documents that repeat one title event are not two independent confirmations of the vehicle’s overall condition.
Choose VIN Lookup for its U.S. research workflow and original PDF when those fit the decision. Investigate other sources for country-specific gaps, then resolve ownership, import eligibility and title questions through the responsible authorities. Keep an independent vehicle inspection in the process regardless of the report brand.
Buying a French-registered car: request HistoVec and a fresh administrative certificate
Ask the owner to share the official HistoVec report before buying another history product. HistoVec draws on French registration-system information and can show ownership changes, recorded inspection results and mileage, specified damage procedures, and administrative status. The owner generates the link using registration details; a seller’s cropped screenshot loses that direct verification route.
For a vehicle already registered in France, request the administrative-status certificate, or CSA, dated less than 15 days before the transfer. Service Public distinguishes a recorded pledge from an opposition: an opposition must be resolved before the sale. The CSA is not issued for a vehicle still registered abroad. Check the relevant foreign records for that situation. These French checks do not establish a complete earlier overseas history; choose any additional paid report for a specific country-period gap, and use a U.S. report only for a relevant U.S. history.
HistoVec: owner-shared French vehicle history · French administrative-status certificate: scope and freshness
A Belgian Car-Pass needs an authenticity check and a look at the pre-import gap
For a Belgian used-car purchase as a private buyer, request the seller’s Car-Pass, less than two months old. Car-Pass says the obligation also applies when the private buyer is abroad. Scan its QR code or use its identification-number check and compare the official result with the document before paying.
For an imported car, inspect where the mileage timeline begins. Car-Pass receives Dutch records and manufacturer-held foreign readings, but explicitly says foreign mileage may still be unavailable. The first entry can therefore be the import inspection, leaving an earlier gap. Buying a second report is useful when it can add records for that gap; a recent, authentic Car-Pass alone does not fill it. Ask for origin-country service and inspection evidence. Do not buy a U.S. report for a vehicle with no relevant U.S. history.
Car-Pass buyer checks, authenticity and imported-mileage limits
Buyer checklist
- List the countries and registration dates.
- Match the physical VIN to all documents.
- Identify the missing period or event.
- Compare local currency, taxes and pack terms.
- Inspect the sample and source labels.
- Verify critical documents independently.
What this research cannot prove
- No same-VIN international coverage benchmark was performed.
- carVertical’s prices are from its U.S. pricing page on October 26, 2026; other markets can differ.
- This comparison is published by VIN Lookup, which sells reports.
Sources reviewed
Open the underlying public source and verify that its scope matches the question you are asking.
- Report prices and one-time purchase optionsVIN Lookup — publisher of this comparison
- Original sample report and coverage notesVIN Lookup
- Report purchase and delivery termsVIN Lookup
- U.S. prices read October 26, 2026 and report scopecarVertical
- VAT note and international source description, checked September 20, 2026carVertical
- HistoVec: owner-shared French vehicle historyService Public — French government
- French administrative-status certificate: scope and freshnessService Public — French government
- Car-Pass buyer checks, authenticity and imported-mileage limitsCar-Pass
- Approved NMVTIS Data Providers — checked October 26, 2026U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance
Frequently asked questions
Is VIN Lookup suitable for a U.S. car?
Its free VIN check and paid provider-report workflow focus on U.S. vehicle research. Confirm the actual VIN and returned coverage before relying on a category.
Does carVertical guarantee a complete import history?
An international source network does not establish complete coverage for a particular car. Check country-specific documents and the records actually returned.
Is VIN Lookup cheaper than carVertical?
For a U.S. buyer, yes at the list prices read October 26, 2026: VIN Lookup lists $14.99 for one report and $29.99 for three, and carVertical’s U.S. page listed $34.99 and $59.97. Compare the final totals: VIN Lookup’s list prices are before any applicable tax, and carVertical’s price depends on the market, currency and taxes.
Does a French HistoVec report replace a history check in the car’s earlier country?
No. It uses French registration-system information. Investigate the earlier country separately and obtain a current CSA when the French transfer requires it.
Does an authentic Car-Pass guarantee all mileage before Belgian import is recorded?
No. Car-Pass warns foreign readings may be unavailable. Check the pre-import period separately before accepting the advertised mileage.