License Plate Lookup Virginia

By Mohamed SkhiriUpdated November 10, 2026Checked against the Virginia DMV's records pages and forms CRD-93 and CRD-01

Virginia's records law in one paragraph

The Virginia DMV says the release of its information is governed by Virginia Code sections 46.2-208 through 214. It may release driver, vehicle and personal information only under the conditions those statutes set, and whatever it releases can be used only for the purpose it was released for. That second rule is worth noticing: even a lawful Virginia plate lookup doesn't give you information to use however you like. Asking for one reason and using it for another puts you outside the law.

Form CRD-93: the records request

The Information Request, form CRD-93, is how an individual asks for a Virginia vehicle record. For vehicle requests, the form says the subject of the record is the vehicle owner, where the DMV has one. To complete it you give:

• your full name and address,
• your Social Security number,
• the reason you want the record, and
• the fee: $9 per vehicle record on the DMV's fee schedule, plus $5 for a certified copy.

The DMV decides whether your reason qualifies under the statutes. A crash, an insurance claim, a court case or a towed vehicle typically does; idle curiosity doesn't. That's why a Virginia tag number search for a stranger's car usually stops at the reason line.

The buyer's option: a Prospective Purchaser Inquiry

Virginia does something most states don't. If you're thinking of buying a vehicle, the DMV's Prospective Purchaser Inquiry, form CRD-01, gives you the vehicle's history for $12, and no owner's personal information is released as part of it. It answers the questions a buyer actually has about the car, without opening the privacy question at all. For anyone who wants to look up a Virginia license plate before a purchase, it's the right tool; bring the VIN, which is what identifies the car.

Pair it with a free VIN decode and recall check and a look at the title itself, and you'll know more about the car than any website could tell you from the plate.

VA license plate lookup owner: what to expect

Owner details are the protected part of the record. Virginia's statutes decide who gets them, and companies that need records regularly must sign a Commercial Information Use Agreement and be approved by the DMV before they get any access at all. For an individual, the route is the CRD-93 with a reason that fits the law. Anything else, including sites that promise to look up a license plate in Virginia and show the owner instantly, is either selling something different or can't deliver it.

The right move in common Virginia situations

After a crash or hit-and-run

Call the police and give them the plate. They identify the vehicle through law enforcement systems, and the crash report is what your insurer works from. That's the fastest route a crash victim has, and it doesn't depend on a mailed request.

A car left on your property

Contact local police or a licensed tow operator, who have the standing to reach the owner. Don't try to trace the owner yourself.

Your own vehicle

Your registration card and title already show the plate and VIN. If you need a copy of your own record, the same DMV records page explains how to request it.

Is there a free Virginia license plate lookup?

Not one that legally returns an owner. The cheapest official vehicle record is $9, and the buyer's inquiry is $12. A free Virginia license plate lookup online typically decodes the VIN into make, model and year, which you can do yourself at no cost, and stops there. The same goes for the spelling some people use, a Virginia licence plate lookup: the rules don't change with the spelling.

Virginia plate lookup FAQ