About Cardna

The free UK vehicle check tool powered by official DVLA and DVSA data

Cardna is a free, no sign-up vehicle information service built for UK drivers and used car buyers. Enter any UK number plate and get an instant, comprehensive check covering everything from CO₂ emissions and road tax cost to a full MOT history going back years.

We built Cardna because we believe everyone deserves access to official vehicle data without having to pay for it. The basic facts about any registered UK vehicle — its emissions, tax status, MOT history and more — should be freely available to anyone who needs them.

What Cardna checks

✓ Vehicle make, colour, year of manufacture and engine capacity
✓ Fuel type and Euro emissions standard
✓ CO₂ emissions in g/km with visual band chart
✓ Annual road tax cost and VED band based on registration year
✓ Current tax status and renewal due date
✓ MOT expiry date with alert if due within 60 days
✓ Full MOT history — every test, pass/fail result, mileage and advisories

Where the data comes from

All vehicle data is sourced directly from two official UK government APIs in real time:

DVLA Vehicle Enquiry Service — the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency provides vehicle details, tax status, CO₂ emissions and fuel type directly from the official DVLA register.

DVSA MOT History API — the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency provides complete MOT test history including every test date, result, mileage reading and any advisories or failure reasons.

Cardna does not store, modify or interpret this data. What you see is exactly what the official government records hold at the time of your search.

What Cardna doesn't check

While our free check covers substantial official data, some important checks require a full vehicle history report and are not available from DVLA or DVSA records:

Insurance write-off history (Category S or N), stolen vehicle status, outstanding finance, previous keeper count, number plate changes, auction and salvage history. Private sellers in the UK have no legal obligation to disclose any of these — a full history check is strongly recommended before any used car purchase.

Who Cardna is for

Cardna is useful for anyone buying or selling a used car, checking their road tax cost or MOT expiry, or simply wanting quick access to official vehicle data. Our free check takes seconds and gives you the facts you need to make an informed decision.

Is Cardna really free?

Yes — completely free, with no account required and no hidden charges. Cardna is funded by advertising and by optional paid full history reports for users who want to go beyond the free DVLA and DVSA data. The free check will always remain free.

Contact us

For any questions, partnership enquiries or feedback, please email hello@cardna.co.uk — we'd love to hear from you.