AutoCheck gives you a vehicle history report based on the VIN, showing accidents, title problems, service records, and ownership changes

AutoCheck is a vehicle history database owned by Experian that pulls records from insurance companies, auto auctions, DMVs, and service centers. When you enter a VIN, AutoCheck returns a report showing whether the car has been in accidents, had flood or fire damage, been declared a total loss, changed owners, or had title issues. The report also includes service records from some repair shops and odometer readings tracked over time.

AutoCheck is one of two major VIN report services — the other is Carfax. Both pull from similar sources, but they don't always have the same records. A car might show an accident on one report and not the other, depending on which insurance companies or repair shops reported the incident. Neither service sees everything: private repairs, cash-only accidents that weren't reported to insurance, and some state DMV records don't always make it into either database.

The report costs money to view — typically $25 to $35 for a single report, though prices vary. Some dealerships and used car sites include AutoCheck reports for free when you're shopping there. If you're buying from a private seller, you'll usually pay for the report yourself.

Key Takeaways

  • AutoCheck reports show accidents, title problems, flood damage, total loss declarations, and ownership history pulled from insurance companies and DMVs.
  • AutoCheck and Carfax pull from different sources, so a car might appear clean on one report and show damage on the other — check both if possible.
  • The report costs $25 to $35 per VIN, though dealerships and some used car websites provide them free.
  • AutoCheck records don't include private repairs, cash-only accidents, or all state records, so a clean report doesn't may provide the car has no damage history.
  • The report includes a score rating the car's history risk, but the individual records in the report matter more than the score itself.

What information appears in an AutoCheck report

An AutoCheck report is organized into sections. The title section shows whether the title is clean, salvage, rebuilt, branded, or has other problems. A salvage title means the car was declared a total loss by an insurance company; a rebuilt title means it was salvaged and then repaired and re-registered. Both significantly lower the car's value and can make it harder to insure or resell.

The accident and damage section lists reported collisions, fire damage, and flood damage. Each entry includes the date, the source (insurance claim, police report, auction record), and sometimes the severity. A single fender-bender and a major structural collision both appear here, so you need to read the details, not just count the number of incidents.

The ownership and registration section shows how many owners the car has had and when the title transferred. Multiple ownership changes in a short time can signal a car that's been flipped quickly or had problems the previous owners wanted to escape. The report also flags if the car was registered as a fleet vehicle, rental, or lease return.

The service records section includes odometer readings and repair records from participating shops. This helps you spot inconsistencies — for example, if the odometer jumped backward between readings, or if the mileage seems too low for the car's age. Not all repair shops report to AutoCheck, so missing service records don't mean the car wasn't maintained.

How AutoCheck scores differ from the actual report details

AutoCheck assigns a score from 1 to 100, with higher numbers indicating fewer red flags. The score is meant to give you a quick sense of the car's history risk. However, the score is less useful than reading the actual report, because it weights all problems the same way. A car with one minor fender-bender and a car with a salvage title might have very different scores, but the salvage title is the deal-breaker for most buyers.

Use the score as a starting point — a score below 50 warrants close attention — but make your decision based on what actually happened to the car, not the number. A score of 75 with a rebuilt title is riskier than a score of 60 with only a minor accident and no structural damage.

AutoCheck vs. Carfax: which report to trust

Both AutoCheck and Carfax pull from insurance claims, DMV records, and auto auctions, but they have different data-sharing agreements with those sources. Carfax is more widely known and is often provided free by dealerships, while AutoCheck is less common but sometimes catches accidents Carfax misses, and vice versa.

The best practice is to order both reports if you're seriously considering a car. They cost roughly the same, and seeing both gives you a more complete picture. If one report shows an accident and the other doesn't, that doesn't mean one is wrong — it means that particular incident was reported to one source but not the other. Ask the seller about any discrepancies and request repair records or photos if available.

If you can only afford one report, Carfax is more widely used by dealers and private sellers, so you're more likely to find it already included in the listing. But neither report is definitive, and both miss incidents that weren't reported to their sources.

What AutoCheck doesn't show

AutoCheck reports are based on reported incidents, so they have blind spots. Private repairs paid in cash don't appear in the report. If a car was hit in a parking lot and the owner paid out of pocket to fix it, AutoCheck won't know. Similarly, accidents that were never reported to police or insurance don't show up. Mechanical problems, wear and tear, and maintenance neglect also don't appear — the report shows history, not condition.

Some state DMV records aren't shared with AutoCheck, so title problems in certain states might not appear. Flood damage in particular can be underreported, especially if the car was repaired and resold before the damage was fully documented. This is why a pre-purchase inspection by a mechanic is essential: the report tells you what's been officially recorded, but a physical inspection tells you what's actually wrong with the car.

How to use an AutoCheck report when buying a used car

Order the report early in your shopping process, before you fall in love with a car. If the report shows a salvage or rebuilt title, or multiple major accidents, you can eliminate the car without wasting time on a test drive. If the report is clean or shows only minor incidents, move forward with a test drive and a pre-purchase inspection.

During negotiations, use the report as a reference. If the car has accident history, use it to justify a lower offer. If the report shows a rebuilt title, factor in the cost of specialized insurance and the difficulty of reselling the car later. Ask the seller to explain any red flags — sometimes there's a reasonable explanation, and sometimes the seller's story doesn't match the report.

Bring the report to your mechanic's inspection. Point out any accidents or damage history so the mechanic knows where to look closely. A car with reported frame damage needs a thorough structural inspection; a car with flood history needs checks for electrical and rust problems.

Where to order an AutoCheck report

You can order AutoCheck reports directly from AutoCheck.com. You'll need the VIN, and you can buy single reports or packages of multiple reports at a discount. Many used car websites, including some dealer sites, provide AutoCheck reports free when you view a listing — check the listing details to see if one is already included.

Some credit monitoring services and car-buying platforms bundle AutoCheck reports with their other tools. If you're using a service like TrueCar or Edmunds, check whether AutoCheck reports are included in your membership or subscription.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get an AutoCheck report for free?

Some dealerships and used car websites include free AutoCheck reports with their listings. If you're buying from a private seller, you'll typically pay $25 to $35 for a single report. Some car-buying platforms and credit monitoring services include AutoCheck reports as part of a paid membership.

What does a rebuilt title mean on an AutoCheck report?

A rebuilt title means the car was declared a total loss by an insurance company, then repaired and re-registered. It's legal to drive and own a rebuilt-title car, but it's worth significantly less, can be harder to insure, and may be difficult to resell. Have a mechanic inspect any rebuilt-title car thoroughly before buying.

If AutoCheck shows no accidents, is the car definitely safe to buy?

A clean AutoCheck report means no reported accidents or title problems in their database, but it doesn't may provide the car has no damage history. Private repairs, unreported accidents, and mechanical problems won't show up. Always get a pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic regardless of what the report says.

Should I buy a car if AutoCheck and Carfax show different information?

Differences between reports usually mean one source has a record the other doesn't — not that one is wrong. Ask the seller about the discrepancy and request repair records or photos if available. If one report shows a major issue like a salvage title and the other doesn't, contact both companies to clarify before proceeding.

Does AutoCheck show how much damage a car had?

AutoCheck reports the type of damage (collision, flood, fire) and sometimes the severity, but not repair costs or detailed damage descriptions. The report might say "collision reported" without specifying whether it was a minor fender-bender or major structural damage. A mechanic's inspection will give you a much clearer picture of what was damaged and how well it was repaired.