About Kerb
Kerb turns a UK number plate into a car history report anyone can understand. It's an independent UK business, run as a sole trader, built for people buying a used car and the dealers who sell them.
Why Kerb exists
The government's MOT checker shows every test, but as a list of dates and defect codes. Most buyers can't tell whether “nearside front coil spring fractured” is serious, or whether a gap in the mileage matters. Kerb reads the whole history, spots patterns such as the same part failing again and again, and explains each defect in plain English: what it is, why it matters and what to check when you view the car.
Where the data comes from
- DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency): every MOT test, result, mileage reading, advisory and failure.
- DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency): tax status, CO₂ emissions, fuel type, colour, engine size and first registration date.
- Vehicle Data Global, for the Full Check (coming soon): insurance write-off categories, stolen markers, outstanding finance, previous keepers and plate changes.
Government data is used under the Open Government Licence. Kerb doesn't change it. If an official record is wrong, the report will be too.
How the AI is used, and checked
Every fact, figure and rating in a report is worked out by code from the official data, so the same car always gets the same result. AI is used for two things only: explaining each MOT defect, and writing a short “In plain English” summary. Both are labelled as AI. Before anything is shown, Kerb automatically removes any AI text that contains a figure not in the data, guesses at how a car was driven or looked after, or speculates about previous owners.
What a report doesn't cover
Northern Ireland and the Crown Dependencies. Northern Ireland plates can be checked, but MOT history only goes back to 2017: before then, Northern Ireland vehicles were tested by the DVA on a separate system, and those older records weren't moved across. Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey plates aren't covered at all, because they have their own registration systems outside the DVLA and DVSA records Kerb uses.
A report can't see the car's physical condition, check the VIN on the car itself, or show private service history or damage that was never reported to an insurer. Always inspect a car in person and check the V5C logbook matches the seller. The full scope is in the terms of service.
Contact
Questions, corrections or feedback: [email protected]. Kerb is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office. See the privacy policy for how your data is handled.