Following the law is essential when trying to locate the owner of a license plate.
Like animals monitored by scientists for tracking purposes, license plates are the way both government and individuals tag cars. There are times, such as after an accident where the offender has fled the scene, when you might want to find that individual based on his or her license plate number. This is what is sometimes referred to as running a car tag. While there are online sites that allow reverse lookup of license plate numbers, it is best to process your request through your local police department or Department of Motor Vehicles to ensure that you comply with the Driver's Privacy Protection Act.
Instructions
1. Locate your local police department contact information in your phone book or online (link provided in resources) and notify them of your reason for wanting to run a search for a license plate number. If your request is due to a hit-and-run accident or other criminal incident, the police will want you to file a report with them. Allow the police to run the car tag and find out who may be at fault in the incident. The police may choose to not release the information to you.
2. Identify your local Department of Motor Vehicles office by searching in the government pages of your phone book or looking online (link provided in resources). Contact the DMV for car tag requests that are not related to accidents or criminal activity. You may also choose to contact the DMV if your local police office will not release the name or contact information associated with the car tag request you placed with them. If the car tag is from an out of state plate, contact the DMV for that state.
3. Request a license plate search form from the DMV and fill out your contact information as well as the plate number you are seeking information on. Be prepared to pay a fee for the search to the DMV.
4. Perform an online license plate search if you are unable to obtain the information from the police or DMV. Be aware that these searches are generally not free, even when advertised that way. Protect yourself and others by reading the Drivers Privacy Protection Act (included in resources) and ensuring that your reason for running a car tag is not in breach of the Act.
Tags: license plate, your local, contact information, local police, plate number, your local police, Department Motor, Department Motor Vehicles, incident police, license plate number, license plate search
