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How to find your car's service history

How to find your car's service history

Full Car Checks

December 13, 2025

Chances are, you’ll know what service history you have had for your car during its time with you. However, there are a few scenarios in which you may need to check the service history. For example, perhaps you had work done many years ago or need to check what the recent results were. Alternatively, you could be thinking of buying a second-hand car, but just want to double-check history first.

Whatever the case might be, there’s some good news: finding the service history for a car isn’t actually tricky. So, in line with this thought, today, we’re looking at how to find the service history for any car. In turn, this should help inform your decisions going forward.

How to find your car's service history

Is it Possible to Check the Service History of a Car?

Yes! Many people assume that checking the service history of a car may not be possible. However, this isn’t the case, and in reality, there are several simple ways to check.

How to Check Service History

If you need to check your vehicle’s service history, there are a couple of steps to follow. Of course, the more you can check, the more thorough your understanding of a car’s history should become.

#1 Ask Past Owners

If you know the vehicle’s previous owners, don’t be afraid to ask for help. While some owners may not remember a car’s service history (or may not want to say), most will be upfront. This can offer perhaps the easiest way to check the car’s service history. However, the information may not always be 100% accurate, so keep that in mind.

#2 Check the Service Book

When providing a service, garages should usually note this in the car’s service book. As such, this handy document provides a useful all-in-one destination to find out about service history. Plus, the service book should also show where the service was carried out; this may allow you to find and get in touch with the garage in question if you have further questions, too!

#3 Contact the Manufacturer

In some cases, car manufacturers are starting to record services digitally. As such, if you can prove you own the car, the manufacturer may be able to provide a copy of digital records. However, this is generally reliant on the car being serviced at a dedicated garage for that brand. If not, you may find the manufacturer only has limited information to give.

#4 Run a Service History Check

If you’re having trouble finding your car’s service history, another good option is to run a service history check. While the specific information relating to service work may be limited, car history checks nevertheless provide a valuable resource. For example, these tools can highlight any advisories or major issues raised during MOT; plus, they also allow you to check the car’s stolen and write-off status, among other things.

Altogether, this helps ensure that you’re aware of as much of the car’s history as possible. In turn, even if you can’t find the service history specifically, it should help verify past owners’ claims or highlight any points of concern.