Guide + free tools
How to check a used car before buying
Everything you can (and should) verify about a used car before you even go see it — by plate number alone, free: registry data, test status, recalls, and the warning signs hiding in its service history.
The quick answer
Enter the plate number in our free check to get the official registry data, last test date and validity, and open recalls — then complete the picture with the seller's service history and a pre-purchase inspection before signing. Five minutes online can save a wasted trip to a problem car.
The three free tools
The full check, step by step
1. Start from the plate: the official registry data
Before you even talk to the seller, run the plate through the free check and see the car as the Ministry of Transport records it: make, exact model, model year, powertrain, current ownership type (private, company, leasing or rental) and fee group. Any gap between the seller's story and the official record is an immediate red flag.
Car check by plate2. Check the test date and license validity
A car that passes its annual test on time, every time, says something about its owner. Check when the last test was recorded and how long the license is valid — an expired test or a delayed renewal can point to a car that's been off the road, a fault that blocks the test, or unpaid fees.
Test date check3. Make sure there's no open recall
An open recall means a safety fix the importer must perform free of charge — and that hasn't been done on this car yet. Check the specific plate and the model's recall history, and require the seller to close any open recall before the sale.
Recall check4. Ask for the service history — and read it right
Ask for the service book or invoices: regular annual services (oil and filters), the big mileage-based services, and any unusual repairs. A two-year gap, garages changing for no reason, or a flurry of "freshening up" work right before the sale are all signs to dig deeper. We have a full guide to reading a service history before buying.
How to read a service history before buying a used car5. Cross-check the mileage
Compare the odometer against the mileage recorded at recent annual tests and the car's age (the Israeli average is ~15,000 km a year). An odometer suspiciously low for the car's age or interior wear is one of the most common used-market frauds.
6. A pre-purchase inspection before signing
Everything online covers the recorded past — only a certified inspection center will find unreported accidents, water damage or mechanical wear. Book an inspection before the ownership transfer and make the deal conditional on its findings.
Used-car check FAQ
How do I check a car by plate number for free?+
Enter the plate in Unbroken Car's free check tool for a preview of the car's report: official registry data, last test date and validity, and recalls — straight from Ministry of Transport datasets, no signup.
What matters most when checking a used car?+
Four things before anything else: the official record matches the seller's story, the test is valid and renewed on time, there's no open safety recall, and the service history is continuous and consistent with the mileage. Only then is a paid inspection worth it.
How do I know if a car has an open recall?+
Use our free recall check: enter the plate and see open, untreated recalls on that specific car — including the fault, the fix and the importer's contact details. The repair itself is always free at the importer.
Do I still need an inspection if the online checks are clean?+
Yes. Online checks cover the recorded past — registry, tests and recalls — but an unreported accident or mechanical wear only shows up in a physical inspection. Use the online checks to filter out problem cars before paying for one.
How many kilometers a year is normal for an Israeli car?+
About 15,000 km a year on average. A five-year-old car with 30,000 km is either a genuine find or a doctored odometer — cross-check against the mileage recorded at annual tests and the interior wear.
Go deeper
Our guides are written around real Israeli maintenance and registry data:
Bought it? Give the car a health profile
Unbroken Car tracks your car's services, test and recalls — and warns you before things get expensive.