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What Can You Do With LookupAPlate?
License Plate Lookup
Search a vehicle by license plate across all US states completely FREE.
Vehicle Details
Discover technical specifications of the vehicle, including make, model, sale history, accident history, recalls (if any), and more.
Report Bad Drivers
Submit comments, upload pictures and videos of traffic violations, rash driving, drunk driving, road rage and more.

Free License Plate Lookup for all U.S. states

LookupAPlate is a free nationwide license plate lookup service and a community platform to report unsafe driving and bad drivers. With over 294 million registered vehicles in the US, searching a license plate number may feel like searching for a needle in a haystack, but we’ve got you covered. 

LookupAPlate lets you quickly identify the vehicle by license plate number. You can view key vehicle specs, check recalls, submit bad driving reports, and request vehicle ownership details from our partner service (for valid reasons). You don't even need to sign up or create an account - just enter the license plate number and select the state to get started.

Scenarios that might require conducting a reverse license plate number search:

There are various instances where searching for a license plate becomes necessary. Here are some scenarios:

  • When the VIN isn’t available, the license plate number can help you identify the vehicle and obtain missing information. 
  • For pre-due diligence, especially when buying a used vehicle from a private party or online.
  • To obtain detailed vehicle records, history, service history, active recalls and accident records or to check if it was ever reported stolen.
  • To check if the vanity or personalised license plate is available for registration.
  • To check if there was an odometer rollback or if the vehicle has a salvage title.
  • Towing or insurance companies may need to search to identify the owner of the abandoned or damaged vehicle.
  • To check if there are any open recalls on the vehicle. 
  • To report bad drivers or leave public comments on online forums/platforms.

Typically, what data can you find with a license plate search?

The license plate search can yield detailed information about the vehicle and potentially the owner. However, some information might be restricted depending on who you are and for what reason you are searching.

In general, you can expect to find the following data:

  • Vehicle technical specifications include make, model, color, year of make, engine capacity, safety rating, and features.
  • Fuel efficiency, active recalls and warranty.
  • Vehicle sketch.
  • * Service history, lien records, title history, salvage, or total loss history. 
  • * Sale records and market value. 

To obtain Personal Identifiable Information (PII), such as the vehicle owner’s name, address etc., a valid reason that complies with DPPA regulations is necessary (more on that below). 

What are our data sources?

The license plate data comes from multiple official and reliable sources including but not limited to NMVTIS, various car auction websites, car manufacturers, dealers and others. 

How to use LookupAPlate?

Searching for license plates on LookupAPlate is quick, user-friendly and, of course, FREE. Additionally, unlike other websites, you can search directly without providing personal information or registering.

  1. Navigate to LookupAPlate.com in your browser. (You can also bookmark the page for easy access)
  2. Enter the license plate number in the search box and select the state from the drop-down.
  3. Click on the “Search” button.
  4. On the next page, you can view the vehicle details and see if there are any community-uploaded images, videos or feedback against the plate.
  5. You can also add your comments, images or videos to the same page against the plate.

And that’s about it - we told you it’s easy.

If not LookupAPlate, the traditional option is to fill out a DPPA-2 form with the local DMV office. This process can be time-consuming, especially when you just need vehicle-related information and are not interested in the ownership records.

Can anyone look up a license plate?

Yes, it’s perfectly legal to run someone’s license plate, provided you have a valid reason as defined in the Federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (DPPA). DPPA basically prohibits and regulates sharing of the personally identifiable vehicle owner data like name, address, photo and phone number without a legitimate reason.

As per DPPA, the permissible uses are:

  • For motor vehicle or driver safety and theft
  • By Government agency
  • For litigation/Pre-litigation
  • For debt recovery
  • For insurer and claim investigation
  • By licensed private investigator or agency
  • For employment
  • By consumer authority
  • Others; vary from state to state

Why should you report bad drivers?

As per the 2019 NHTSA report:

  • American roads had 228,679,719 licensed drivers and 299,267,114 registered vehicles.
  • A staggering 82% of drivers agree to commit or engage in road rage.
  • 6,756,000 police-reported vehicle crashes, 36,096 fatalities, and nearly 2,740,000 Americans were injured.
  • One person is killed every 15 minutes, and about five people are injured every minute in traffic-related incidents.
  • 40.88 million Americans received traffic citations.

Clearly, American roads are seeing an increasing number of bad drivers and reckless driving. When you encounter someone driving rashly or a bad driver, you can make a difference by reporting the plate on our website.

Publicly naming and shaming the plate owner may just be what it takes to deter them from bad driving!

Search license plates by states

Recent reports

MAMBA33  license plate in CA
MAMBA33
2013 DODGE Challenger
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Dangerously cut me off, and nearly crashed into four cars from speeding. Posted on December 1, 2024
9MYF117  license plate in CA
9MYF117
2024 HYUNDAI Sonata
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Hit my Macan and ran, I chased him for a bit to get the license plate, but he did not pull over. ... Posted on December 1, 2024
TK243LUH  license plate in IN
TK243LUH
2013 CHEVROLET Silverado
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I am a pizza delivery driver in an electric vehicle. Unprompted, the truck began to "roll coal", ... Posted on December 1, 2024
1A18TBN  license plate in AL
1A18TBN
2015 GMC Sierra
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Pulled into Taco Bell parking lot, occupied 3 spaces, forced self into drive thru line halfway up. Posted on December 1, 2024
7LJP009  license plate in CA
7LJP009
2015 NISSAN Rogue
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Failed to come to a stop before turning right on red, almost hit cyclist. Posted on December 1, 2024
9MWS972  license plate in CA
9MWS972
2024 TOYOTA RAV4
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The driver would not let others merge into the left lane. They often would speed up only to not l... Posted on November 30, 2024
GNH97  license plate in FL
GNH97
2019 RAM 1500
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Hit my car after red light and sped off! Posted on November 30, 2024
SGH7208  license plate in GA
SGH7208
2011 HONDA Pilot
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Switched lanes without looking. Posted on November 30, 2024
8JHN743  license plate in CA
8JHN743
2019 HONDA Civic
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Hit and run accident. Left without giving information. Posted on November 30, 2024
WBURR  license plate in MD
WBURR
2007 TOYOTA Camry
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Car has been totaled 😢 almost 3 years in April 2025 😢😢😭 Posted on November 30, 2024