How to Check Car Accident History in the UAE for Free

Planning to purchase a pre-owned car in the UAE? While the prospect of securing an ideal deal is exciting, you shouldn’t proceed forward until you know the true accident history of the car. It’s not just about the costly repairs and devalued investments, it's about your safety above all. But how do you get this vital information without spending a dime? This blog explains how you can check car accident history in the UAE for free, using official UAE government resources. We'll learn the essential steps and platforms, empowering you to make an informed decision and drive with confidence. Let’s dive in.

How to check car accident history in the UAE for free:

• Visit UAE government sites, like EVG, MOI, Abu Dhabi Police.

• Use your UAE Pass to log into your dashboard. (Account creation with UAE Pass as well).

• Navigate to the “Accident Inquiry” section.

• Start the service.

• Enter the VIN or Chassis Number.

• View the accident history report. Or,

• Call 901 (Dubai Police Helpline) for verbal vehicle accident history report.

Why Checking Car Accident History Matters

Getting to know the car (you intend to buy) inside out is absolutely crucial for several reasons, including learning about the actual vehicle condition, potential future fault points, and safety prospects. Understanding the true condition of the vehicle elaborates on its hidden structural damage from the past accidents. Vehicles involved in accidents will have lower resale value, which the seller might try to hide from you. You get to know the actual pricing value after checking car accident history.

Cost saving and peace of mind are other two major car history check benefits. Once you know the potential for undisclosed damages, you won’t buy the car, escaping hefty repair costs and after-purchase stress. Beyond the above benefits, you get to drive around with a total peace of mind, when you know the true condition of the vehicle. Skipping the car accident history check will lead you to never-ending damage repairs, expenses, and potential stress due to breakdowns and even mechanical-failure-led accidents.

What You Need to Check Car Accident History

You will only need a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to check car accident history in the UAE or anywhere in the world. A VIN is a unique 17-character alphanumeric code assigned to vehicles by their manufacturers. Authorities use this number combination for several purposes, including insurance, sales, and determining a vehicle's history.

VIN example: WIN1679871A315456

To find the VIN, you can simply take a look at the base of the windshield. It can be on either side, GCC vehicles typically have on the left side (driver’s side dashboard). The vehicle’s registration car (Mulkiya) will also have this number. Some common places where you can find the VIN are driver-side door frame label, insurance, and title.

Ask for the VIN to the previous owner, if they hesitate to provide it, you should be alert—something shady lurks behind. It’s a red flag—skip the vehicle, find something else!

Important Note: Chais number of the vehicle also can be used for checking the vehicle accident history in the Emirates. Some vehicle manufacturers use the same code for VIN and chassis number, while others may have different combinations. While VIN is easily locatable, you can look for the chassis number on the vehicle's registration card (Mulkiya).

Free Methods to Check Car Accident History in the UAE

Having understood the importance of car accident history check and its fundamental requirements, let’s explore how you can accomplish this for free, leveraging some government-facilitated platforms.

1. Emirates Vehicle Gate (EVG)

• Visit evg.ae.

• Go to “Services” and navigate to “Traffic Accidents Management.”

• Login to your dashboard and click on “Accident Inquiry.”

• Enter a vehicle chassis number.

• View accident history and details.

Note: You’ll need an existing account to use the EVG services. UAE Pass can be used to create new accounts in a few steps.

2. Ministry of Interior (MOI) Website/App

• Access moi.gov.ae or download MOI UAE app on your phone.

• Search for “traffic accident report” on the search bar.

• Select the “Request a true copy of a traffic accident report,” from the search result.

• Click on “Start Service,.”

• Log in using your UAE Pass.

• Use "Accidents Inquiry" or "Vehicle History Check."

• Enter VIN or license plate number

• Get the report of accident history & details.

Note: Similar to EVG, you’ll need an account to access this check for car accident history in the UAE for free.

3. Abu Dhabi Police Website

• Visit es.adpolice.gov.ae.

• Select "Vehicle Accidents Inquiry" under public services.

• Input VIN (Chassis Number).

• Enter the Captcha & click on the submit button.

• View accident history and details.

4. Dubai Police Helpline

• Call Dubai Police (901) for verbal accident history.

• Provide VIN number.

• Get accident information verbally.

Limitations of Free Accident History Checks

Knowing how to check car accident history in the UAE for free, it is also important that you understand its limitations, which are:

• Limited Scope (Emirate-Specific Data): These free government platforms might not provide complete reports as they might lack reports of accidents in different emirates. Comprehensive details might not show up on all specific emirate portals.

• Free accident reports can also lack detailed information,  like severity of damage, repair history, and so on.

• No Record of Unreported or Privately Settled Accidents: Private settlements to avoid legal consequences and insurance claim voidance will naturally, not appear on any official history check.

• Imported Vehicle Gaps: Imported vehicles that have never been registered in the UAE will not appear on these free local checks, even if they were involved in incidents in their country of origin. For these types of reports, you can use paid-services, like CarReport or CarFax.

Tips for Buying a Used Car in the UAE

While buying a new car in the Emirates doesn’t require much consideration besides budget and driving requirements, purchasing a used car requires much more than that. Implement these insider tips if you are planning a pre-owned car purchase in the UAE for a stress-free post-purchase experience.

• Request service records from dealerships or service centers. You can do so with assistance from the current owner.

• Manually, thoroughly inspect the car for signs of past damage (e.g., uneven paint, misaligned panels). You can ask a professional from a car workshop to find out if any previous parts replacements were made or signs of accidental damages.

• While free reports are appealing and very helpful in several cases, consider paid reports (CarReport, CarFax) for comprehensive history. A little expense for an eternity of peace of mind is worthwhile. 

• If you find evidence of car accidents and damages, negotiate price based on accident history findings. Leverage professional help for determining the actual prices.

Conclusion

Purchasing a used car in the Emirates will lead to several issues regarding reliability and safety, if you don’t find out the actual status of the car, leveraging its accident history details. For GCC-specific cars, registered in the Emirates, free platforms like EVG, MOI, Abu Dhabi Police Website, or Dubai Police Helpline. You should also consider paid services for more detailed reports, especially if you plan to purchase imported or modified cars. Leverage the learnings from this blog to make your post-purchase experience stress-free. Always remember to check the accident history of any car you plan to buy and save yourself from hefty monetary expenses and unnecessary troubles.