How to Check Car Accident History in the UAE: 5 Ways to Verify Before You Buy

Owning a car not only enables you to get from point A to point B safely and comfortably, it also offers you freedom and flexibility to travel without being limited by the availability of buses or the metro.

But vehicles – good quality ones – are not cheap. Since they represent a significant investment, you must practice due diligence before spending money on one.

If brand-new vehicles are not within your budget, consider purchasing pre-owned ones. In this case, there are certain things you must check before buying a used car in the UAE, and the accident history is one of them.

Here, we’ll show you how to find the accident history of cars in the country so you can make a decision you won’t regret.

What You Need to Check a Vehicle’s History

Before proceeding with the methods covered below, you must first understand what you need to check a car’s accident history: the vehicle identification number (VIN).

Sometimes called the chassis number, VINs serve as a unique identifier for a vehicle. It serves the same purpose as a national identification number for individuals, acting as a fingerprint for every unit.

Car manufacturers assign a VIN for every vehicle they produce. This number comprises 17 characters – letters and numbers signifying the vehicle’s make, model, year, engine type, and manufacturing location.

You can find the chassis number in one or more of the following locations:

• On the door pillar (driver’s side)
• In the front part of the vehicle frame
• On the dashboard under the windshield (driver’s side)
• Under the hood
• On the registration card

Once you have this, you can perform a chassis number check in the UAE to get valuable information about the vehicle you plan to invest in.

How to Check the Accident History of a Car in the UAE: 5 Ways

If you wish to learn how to check car accident history online in the UAE using the VIN, you must familiarize yourself with the following portals:

1. Vehicle Report

Our Vehicle Report provides comprehensive information on vehicles, sourced from various partners.

For accurate car specifications, we rely on data from Jato Dynamic. To offer detailed insights into imported cars from 22 markets, including the United States, Canada, and Europe, we collaborate with CARFAX.

This partnership allows us to include critical information such as country of origin, import date, accident history, insurance claims, import damages, and the number of previous owners. By combining data from dealerships and insurance providers, we deliver a complete vehicle overview to help you make informed decisions.

Here’s what you’ll find in our report:

• Real Market Value: Based on car type, history, and mileage.
• Detailed Car History: Includes accidents, recalls, total loss, theft, and mileage tampering.
• Finance Options: Tailored to fit your budget, saving you time.
• Personalized Insurance Quotes: Ensuring your car is well protected.
• Vehicle Inspection: Provided by our partner for added assurance.
• Marketplace Deals: Helping you find the best offers.

Our user-friendly car history report presents this data clearly and comprehensively, making it easy to understand.

2. Emirates Vehicle Gate (EVG)

The Emirates Vehicle Gate (EVG) makes records of UAE car accident history and information available to the public. Here’s how:

• Create an account and log in using your nominated credentials.
• On the accident inquiry tab, input the car’s chassis number to access its accident history.

The EVG website also has information on specific vehicle certifications. It covers all the accidents a vehicle was in, particularly the location and type of accident and level of damage incurred.

Note that the EVG website only has information on cars registered in Abu Dhabi, Ras Al-Khaimah, Ajman, Sharjah, Fujairah, and Umm Al Quwain. Vehicles with Dubai registration are not included.

You also won’t find any information previously registered with any of the six emirates if the vehicle registration was transferred to Dubai. In such cases, you can rely on the Dubai car accident check data Vehicle Report provides.

3. Ministry of Interior (MOI)

You can also check a vehicle’s incident history via the Ministry of Interior (MOI) online portal. This will show you the location and specific time and date of recorded accidents for the vehicle, each with the accident report number.

The process is simple:

• First, visit the MOI official website.
• From there, select “Electronic Services” from the top navigation.
• Once you’re on the page, go to Accident Inquiry.
• Enter the VIN to get the information you require.

Like the EVG website, the MOI portal doesn’t cover vehicles registered in Dubai. However, it can bring up the accident history if the record was transferred from any of the other six emirates.

4. Roads and Transport Authority (RTA)

Before paying for a used car, consider checking its accident history with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). You can initiate the process through the Driver and Vehicle Owner Services on their website by following these steps:

• Click Vehicle Accident Enquiry.
• On the page, type in the car’s VIN before clicking “submit.”

You might also consider acquiring the vehicle’s technical vehicle status certificate first. This exclusive service from the RTA covers crucial details about a car, including:

• Its current condition
• Insurance history and validity
• Owner history

Note that the RTA method may take longer than most other ways to determine a vehicle’s accident history. This is because the prospective buyer needs to coordinate with the vehicle’s current owner to get the information they need.

Once the chassis number is entered into the website, the owner will receive an SMS code necessary to proceed with the inquiry. After that, the buyer still needs to pay a fee.

5. Police Stations

You also have the option to contact police stations in the UAE to inquire about the accident history of a particular vehicle.

The Abu Dhabi Police has an online portal dedicated to traffic-related incidents:

• On the Abu Dhabi Police website top navigation, go to Public Services and select “Vehicles’ Accidents Inquiry.”
• Once you’re on the page, input the vehicle’s chassis number before submitting.

Here, you can get the history of all the reported accidents a vehicle was involved in not only in Abu Dhabi but also in the entire UAE.

Get Car History Insights to Make Better Decisions

Buying a car is an investment in your freedom on the open road. Knowing how to check a vehicle’s accident history using the comprehensive data from Vehicle Report, you are empowered to navigate used car buying in the UAE with confidence.