Previous Owner Check
See how many previous keepers a car has had and when it last changed hands. Compare it with what the listing says, and know exactly which questions to ask the seller.
Works with current-style and personalised UK plates. Spaces are optional.
Keeper count
How many previous keepers on record
Latest change
When the current keeper took over
Last sale
When the previous keeper sold the car
Three facts that tell the car's story
Understand the keeper count and the latest change, then compare the listing against the record.
Previous keeper count
The number of previous keepers recorded for the vehicle. Useful for testing claims like 'one owner from new' or 'two careful owners'.
Current keeper start date
The date the current keeper took over. Some vehicles have incomplete date history, and the report only shows what is recorded.
Previous keeper sold date
The date the previous keeper sold the car. Set it beside the seller's account of how long they have had it.
Does the previous keeper count include the current keeper?
No. A figure labelled “previous keepers” excludes the current keeper. A total keeper count includes them, so check which figure you are reading.
2
previous keepers
+ 1
current keeper
= 3
registered keepers so far
If you buy this example car and register it, you become its fourth registered keeper. Compare like-for-like figures when checking an advert.
A short stay is a question, not a verdict
Most keeper histories are unremarkable. Cars are sold because circumstances change, and a high keeper count on an older car is often just a sign of age.
Where the current keeper has only had the car for a short time, it is worth a conversation. It could be a dealer or trader passing it through, a car that did not suit someone, or a life change. Occasionally it is a sign that someone found a problem and moved it on. The record alone cannot tell you which, so treat it as a prompt to ask, and look at it alongside the MOT, mileage and finance results.
If the record and the seller's account match, that is reassuring. If they don't, ask why before you travel or pay a deposit.
How to read the latest keeper change
ExampleJan 2024
Previous keeper sold the car
Jan 2024
Current keeper took over
The advert
Seller says they have had the car for five years
The record shows a more recent change. Ask the seller to explain the difference.
Illustrative example only. Not data from a real vehicle.
The registered keeper isn't always the owner
A keeper check counts registered keepers. Legal ownership is a separate question.
Registered keeper
The person or business recorded on the V5C as responsible for the vehicle: taxing it, insuring it and receiving any notices. This is what the keeper count measures.
Legal owner
Whoever holds title. For a car on HP or PCP that is usually the finance company until the final payment. Lease and company cars work similarly. The finance check in the Full Check covers this side.
Questions worth asking the seller
Take these with you, alongside your report.
How long have you had the car?
Compare the answer with the most recent keeper change date on the report.
Why are you selling it?
A clear, specific reason is reassuring. Vague answers deserve a follow-up.
Do the V5C details match the vehicle?
Check the original logbook in person and compare the registration, VIN and vehicle details.
Do you have service records from earlier keepers?
Paperwork that spans several keepers helps confirm the car has been looked after.
Is there any finance on the car?
The keeper is not necessarily the owner. The Full Check runs a finance check too.
Quick V5C logbook checklist
Check the paperwork alongside the vehicle and your history report before handing over any money.
See the original logbook
Ask to inspect the V5C in person, rather than relying on a photo or a screenshot. Check for the DVL watermark.
Match the vehicle details
Compare the registration, make and other vehicle details with the car. Check the VIN and engine number against the V5C.
Compare the keeper count
Check the previous keeper figure against the advert and report, remembering to add the current keeper when working out the total.
Resolve discrepancies before paying
Ask the seller to explain any differences. The V5C records the registered keeper; it is not proof of legal ownership.
Keeper history, in context
The keeper check comes as part of the Full Check, so you see it next to finance, stolen, salvage, valuation and mileage results.
Enter the reg
Type the registration from the listing or the car itself.
Choose Full Check
Keeper count and the latest keeper dates are included alongside the other checks.
Compare and ask
Check the record against the seller's story before you commit.
Previous owner questions
It shows the number of previous keepers the vehicle has had, the date the current keeper took over and the date the previous keeper sold the car. It doesn't list dates for every earlier keeper, so use it to test what the seller tells you about the most recent change.
Not necessarily. The V5C logbook records who is responsible for the vehicle day to day, not who owns it. A car on hire purchase or PCP, a company car or a lease vehicle can have a registered keeper who is not the legal owner. That is why the Full Check also includes a finance check.
No. People sell cars quickly for ordinary reasons: a new job, a growing family, a car that simply did not suit them. Dealers and traders also appear briefly in some histories. A short holding period is a prompt to ask the seller a question, not evidence of a problem.
Dates depend on what is held in the records we can access for that vehicle. For some vehicles, particularly older ones or those with unusual registration histories, the current keeper start date or previous keeper sold date may be missing. The report shows the recorded dates rather than filling in gaps.
No. The keeper check is included in both the Basic Check and the Full Check. The Full Check adds finance, salvage, valuation and mileage checks. You can see what each option includes on the pricing page.
'One owner from new' normally means one owner in total so far. 'One previous keeper' means a keeper before the current one: two registered keepers in total. If you buy that car and become its next registered keeper, you would be the third. Adverts sometimes use 'owner' and 'keeper' loosely, so compare the wording with the V5C and report. A registered keeper is not necessarily the legal owner. Pre-registration by a dealer can also affect the count; ask for an explanation of any mismatch before paying.
Know the story before you hear the pitch
Keeper count and the latest keeper dates are part of every Full Check.