Vehicle Recall Check

Find out whether DVSA records an outstanding safety recall for a car, and exactly what to do if it does.

Free, no sign-up
DVSA recall data
Updated 4 Nov 2026

No registration, or checking a part?

GOV.UK's recall service also searches by manufacturer, model and year, and covers parts and accessories such as tyres and child car seats.

Search recalls on GOV.UK

Recall status

Enter a registration

You'll see whether DVSA records an outstanding manufacturer safety recall, and what to do next.

✓Official DVSA recall data
✓Free, instant, no sign-up
✓We don't keep a record of the reg

How to use the vehicle recall check

1 Enter the registration number to check DVSA's outstanding recall flag for that car.
2 If a recall is shown, contact a dealer for that make. Recall repairs are usually free.
3 No reg, or checking a part, child seat or caravan? Use GOV.UK's recall search by make, model and year.
4 If you think a car has a safety defect that is not recalled, report it to DVSA.

Assumptions and limitations

The result is DVSA's outstanding recall flag, returned by the official MOT history service. It is only as complete as the recall data manufacturers have sent to DVSA.
A result of No or Unknown does not prove that every manufacturer campaign is complete. Ask a franchised dealer, who can check the car's VIN.
Recalls on parts and accessories, such as tyres or child car seats, are not linked to a registration. Search them on GOV.UK.
We don't keep a record of the registrations you check. Answers are held briefly in memory so repeat checks are fast.

What a vehicle recall is

A recall happens when a manufacturer, usually working with DVSA, finds a safety defect in a model. Owners are contacted by letter using DVLA keeper records and asked to book the car into a dealer, where the fix is normally made free of charge.

Letters go to the registered keeper at the time, so a used car can easily have an open recall that its current owner has never heard about.

What to do if your car has a recall

Contact a franchised dealer for the make and tell them the registration. They can check the VIN against the manufacturer's records and book the work. If the recall notice says not to drive the car, do not drive it until it is fixed.

If you are buying a used car with an open recall, ask the seller to get it done first, or factor in the time to book it.

Checking recalls without a registration

GOV.UK's recall service also covers vehicles without a registration, and parts and accessories such as tyres, child car seats and seat belts. Search by manufacturer, model and year of manufacture.

Official guidance and sources

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Frequently Asked Questions

Enter the registration in the checker above. It shows whether DVSA records an outstanding safety recall for that car. You can also search GOV.UK by make, model and year, or ask a franchised dealer to check the VIN.

Usually not. GOV.UK says the manufacturer should fix or replace a recalled vehicle or part, and you usually will not have to pay for the repair or parts.

DVSA could not confirm the recall status for that vehicle, for example because the manufacturer has not supplied data in a way that can be matched to it. It does not mean the car is clear. Check with a franchised dealer or on GOV.UK.

No. Since 2023, outstanding recalls are shown on the MOT certificate so owners know about them, but an open recall on its own is not an MOT failure. You should still get it fixed.

Yes, on GOV.UK's recall service, which covers parts and accessories as well as vehicles without a registration. Those recalls are not linked to a car's registration, so they will not show in the reg check.

Figures and guidance last checked 4 November 2026. An independent free tool from Free Car Tax MOT Check; not affiliated with DVLA, DVSA or GOV.UK. Results are estimates to help you plan, not financial, legal or mechanical advice.