Vehicle data services
Number plate lookup API integration for Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento and bespoke sites
A number plate lookup API turns 'enter your reg' into a vehicle record your store can act on: make, model, engine, K-Type. We integrate DVLA, UKVD/VDG and cap hpi lookups into Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento and bespoke platforms, with caching, validation and a lawful basis for storing the result.
The data vendors sell the API. Almost nobody integrates it properly. A reg box in the header is the easy part; the work is deciding what the lookup should do next. On a parts store it has to resolve the VRM to a TecDoc K-Type and filter the catalogue. On a garage site it has to pre-fill a quote or booking form with make, model, engine size and MOT expiry. On a dealer site it feeds a part-ex form. On a tyre site it has to return OE tyre sizes. Each of those is a different integration with a different provider mix.
Each platform has its own way in. On Shopify we build a theme app extension backed by an app proxy, storing the vehicle in customer metafields and cart attributes. On WooCommerce it is a plugin with a REST endpoint, a block or shortcode, and transient caching. On Magento/Adobe Commerce it is a module exposing a GraphQL resolver with the vehicle held in the customer session. On a bespoke stack it is a service in your codebase with the provider behind an interface, so you can swap UKVD/VDG for cap hpi without touching the front end.
The provider choice matters. DVLA's free Vehicle Enquiry Service returns make, colour, fuel, engine capacity, CO2, tax and MOT status but no model, no VIN and no engine code, and as of September 2026 DVLA is not accepting new VES registrations. Commercial providers resell the same DVLA fields plus model, derivative, engine code and, critically, a K-Type. They bill per lookup, so we cache against VRM and date, rate-limit the endpoint and block bot traffic before it costs you money.
How it works
End to end
- 01
Capture and validate the VRM
Uppercase, strip spaces, then validate against UK formats: current (AB12 CDE), prefix, suffix, dateless and Northern Ireland. Reject obvious junk before it reaches a paid lookup.
- 02
Check the cache
Look up VRM plus date in your own store first. Repeat visitors, refreshes and multi-tab sessions should never trigger a second billable call. Set a retention window that matches your provider's terms.
- 03
Call the licensed provider
UKVD/VDG, cap hpi or an aggregator such as One Auto API returns make, model, derivative, body, fuel, engine cc and kW, engine code, transmission, drive, build-date range, partial or full VIN, a cap ID and a K-Type or list of candidate K-Types. Use DVLA VES only where tax and MOT status is all you need.
- 04
Resolve ambiguity
Where the provider returns several K-Types for one VRM (common on engine variants sharing a model description), narrow by engine code, VIN prefix or kW, or ask the customer: 'Is your car the 1.6 TDI 105 or 110?'
- 05
Hand the vehicle to the platform
Write the vehicle into the session or account (My Garage), pass the K-Type to the catalogue so K-Type resolves to article linkages and then to your SKUs, or pre-fill the quote, booking or part-ex form on a service site.
- 06
Log, limit and comply
Record the lookup with its lawful basis, apply per-IP and per-session rate limits, handle HTTP 429 from the provider with backoff, and monitor spend per day so a scraper cannot run up your bill overnight.
Deliverables
What you get
- Reg lookup widget matched to your theme, with UK VRM validation and accessible markup
- Lookup microservice with provider abstraction, caching and rate limiting
- Provider account setup, key management and UAT-to-live cut-over
- Vehicle persistence: My Garage on storefronts, pre-filled forms on service sites
- K-Type hand-off to your catalogue or fitment layer
- Cost dashboard: lookups per day, cache hit rate, spend by provider
- Privacy notice wording, retention policy and data-processing record for the lookup
- Documentation and a handover session for your developers
Data sources
Providers we integrate
We are provider-neutral: we pick the source that fits your budget, licensing position and the fields you actually need.
| Source | What it returns | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| DVLA Vehicle Enquiry Service (VES) API | Registration, make, colour, fuel type, engine capacity, CO2, year of manufacture, month of first registration, tax status and due date, MOT status and expiry, type approval, wheelplan, revenue weight, Euro status, export marker, last V5C issue date. No model, VIN, mileage or keeper data. | Free (DVLA reserves the right to charge). One API key per company, per-client usage plan, HTTP 429 on breach. If you combine VES data with data that identifies a person you take on the data-protection responsibility. Not accepting new registrations as of September 2026, so new builds should plan on a commercial provider. |
| UK Vehicle Data / Vehicle Data Global (VDG) | Make, model, derivative, engine code, partial VIN (full on some packages), colour, CO2, tax, MOT, mileage history, tyre sizes, spec and options, valuations, EV battery data, and a TecDoc K-Type alongside the DVLA fields. | Pay-as-you-go, subscription or contract; credits valid 12 months; no setup fee. Vehicle Data (UK) package listed at £0.153 per lookup PAYG or £0.081 on subscription, ex VAT (published price, check current). Per-lookup billing; data cannot be bulk-scraped or resold as a database. |
| cap hpi (Solera) | VRM lookup licensed directly from DVLA, CAP codes and IDs (the de-facto UK vehicle taxonomy used by leasing, insurance and DMS), New Vehicle Data spec and options, tyre data via the Carweb acquisition, valuations and HPI Check provenance. | Access via cap Web Services and data files. Pricing on quotation. The right choice when you also need cap IDs for a DMS, valuation or leasing integration. |
| DVSA MOT History API | Every MOT test since 2005 for a VRM: date, result, expiry, odometer reading, defects and advisories by category. Useful alongside a reg lookup for garage quoting and MOT reminders. | Free. OAuth 2.0 client credentials plus API key; 500,000 requests a day, 15 a second; keys unused for 90 days are revoked. |
| MotorCheck API | Vehicle Identity (100+ fields), Specification, Running Costs, Valuation, History Check, Factory Build Spec for 22 brands, plus lookup tables for 57 countries. | OAuth2 client credentials, 99.5% uptime SLA, free trial; pricing on request. Worth considering where Irish registrations are in scope. |
Data quality
Where this goes wrong, and what we do about it
DVLA 'model' is free text from the V55 form, so 'GOLF GT TDI 140', 'GOLF GT TDI' and 'GOLF' all appear for the same car.
Never key anything off the DVLA model string. Use the provider's derivative and K-Type, and keep the raw DVLA text for display only.
DVLA holds no engine code. Commercial providers infer it from VIN and model tables, and same-capacity engines (VAG 2.0 TDI CBAB vs CBBB) take different parts.
Treat the engine code as a candidate, not a fact. Where linkages depend on it, confirm with the customer or with the VIN prefix before showing a part as a definite fit.
One VRM returns two or more overlapping K-Types, or a superseded sibling K-Type, giving parts that almost fit.
Store the full candidate list, disambiguate with kW, engine code or a prompt, and flag lookups where the provider's chosen K-Type changed between calls.
Grey imports, Northern Ireland and Isle of Man plates return thin records with no TecDoc linkage.
Detect the plate format, fall back to a year/make/model/engine selector, and never show 'fits your car' where the K-Type is missing.
First-registration date is not the build date, so mid-year part changes get assigned to the wrong car.
Use the provider's build-date range and VIN where available, and surface 'from chassis' and 'up to build' criteria to the customer rather than hiding them.
Proof
Work like this
Kitspares · 2015
A parts store built for people who build their own cars
Milner Off Road · 2015
Best-seller landing pages for a 4x4 specialist that ships worldwide
Reg Lookup Integration: common questions
Can I add number plate lookup to a Shopify store?
Yes. Shopify cannot call a vehicle data API from the theme alone, so we build a small app with an app proxy that performs the lookup server-side, then a theme app extension for the reg box. The vehicle is stored in metafields and cart attributes so it follows the customer through checkout.
Is the DVLA number plate lookup API free?
DVLA's Vehicle Enquiry Service is free but returns no model, VIN or engine code, and in September 2026 DVLA paused new registrations. Most parts and garage projects need a commercial provider such as UKVD/VDG or cap hpi, which resell the DVLA fields plus model data and a K-Type.
How much does a reg lookup cost per search?
Commercial providers bill per lookup. VDG lists its Vehicle Data (UK) package at £0.153 pay-as-you-go or £0.081 on subscription, ex VAT (published price, check current). cap hpi quotes per project. Caching by VRM typically removes a large share of repeat calls.
Does a reg lookup give me the parts that fit?
Not on its own. The lookup gives you the vehicle and a TecDoc K-Type. You then need fitment data linking that K-Type to articles and your SKUs. We handle both, but they are separate pieces of work: see our part fitment mapping page.
Is a registration number personal data under UK GDPR?
A VRM on its own is not, but a VRM combined with an enquiry form, account or IP address can identify a person. You need a lawful basis, a privacy notice and a retention period. We document this as part of the integration.
Can the lookup work for vans, motorcycles and Northern Ireland plates?
Vans are covered by all major providers, with commercial-vehicle N-Types instead of K-Types. Motorcycle data is thinner. NI and Isle of Man records differ and grey imports usually have no TecDoc linkage, so we fall back to a manual selector for those.
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Scope reg lookup integration for your platform
Tell us your platform, your data provider (if you have one) and what the customer should be able to do. We will come back with a fixed-price scope and an honest view of the data licensing.