How do I download my report as a PDF?
Press 'Download PDF' on the report page or in My Reports. The file saves as clearvin-original-report-<report id>.pdf after an integrity check.
Check the review date and linked sources for context. Live availability, prices and record coverage can vary by VIN, source, jurisdiction and time.
Press 'Download PDF'. On the report page it sits next to 'View report'; in My Reports, a single-report order shows both side by side, while a pack shows 'Open report' for each ready credit and the download button is on the report page it opens. The link goes to the report's download endpoint, which re-checks the stored file against its recorded SHA-256 hash and size, then hands your browser a signed link that lives for 60 seconds. The file saves as clearvin-original-report-<report id>.pdf.
- The report page and the report email both offer the download directly; in My Reports a pack opens each ready credit's report page first.
- Each click mints a fresh 60-second link, so the URL is not worth sharing.
- The terms let you keep a copy for your own use — not resell or publish it.
Where the button is
On a ready report page the actions row reads 'View report', 'Download PDF', 'My Reports'; on a phone the document card offers 'Download PDF instead' under the open button. In My Reports, a single-report order whose PDF is ready shows 'View report' and 'Download PDF' side by side; a pack shows 'Open report' for each ready credit, and the 'Download PDF' button is on the report page it opens. The report email carries the same pair, and its download link returns you to the report page with the download already triggered.
Behind the button, the server refuses to sign anything until the report is marked ready and the stored object still matches its recorded hash, size and PDF content type. Only then does it redirect you to a presigned URL that expires after 60 seconds, with the filename clearvin-original-report-<report id>.pdf attached.
What you may do with the saved copy
The terms license a purchased report for your own internal use in evaluating that vehicle — personal research or an internal business decision — and state that you may retain a copy for that purpose. They prohibit reselling, publishing, redistributing, scraping, systematically extracting or reverse engineering it, or using it to build a competing data product.
The terms do not spell out passing the file to a seller or a mechanic, so do not treat wide sharing as permitted. Keeping your own copy is the point: the saved PDF is the version you control, independent of account status or any later payment dispute.
Steps
- Open the report page or My Reports.
- Press 'Download PDF'.
- Check the saved file name starts with clearvin-original-report-.
- Store the copy with your other purchase records.
What this does not cover
- Downloads are rate limited to 30 per hour per visitor fingerprint.
- The signed link expires after 60 seconds; it is minted fresh on each click and is not shareable.
- The terms permit retaining a copy for your own internal use only — not resale or republication.
Sources reviewed
Open the underlying public source and verify that its scope matches the question you are asking.
Frequently asked questions
What is the downloaded file called?
clearvin-original-report-<report id>.pdf, with the report's own identifier in the name, so multiple vehicles never overwrite each other in your downloads folder.
Does downloading again cost a credit or a charge?
No. A download is recorded as an access event against the report; it does not spend a report credit and it does not create a payment.
Can I send the PDF to the seller or my mechanic?
The terms license it for your own internal use in evaluating that vehicle and let you retain a copy for that purpose, while prohibiting resale, publication and redistribution. They do not state a permission for onward sharing, so treat it as not allowed.
The download did nothing. What now?
If the report is not ready, or its stored file is missing from storage, the endpoint answers with a 'still being prepared' message instead of a file; if the file is there but fails its hash, size, content-type or immutability check — or storage cannot be reached — it refuses with a service error rather than serving a substituted document. Reopen the report page and try again, then contact support if it persists.