HPI Check Explained

What people mean by an "HPI check"

Ask most used car buyers whether they have "done an HPI check" and they will take it to mean one thing: have you checked the car's history for hidden problems like outstanding finance, a write-off record or a stolen marker? Over the years the phrase has become a generic shorthand for a used car history check, in much the same way people say "hoover" for any vacuum cleaner. That everyday usage is useful, but it can be misleading, so it is worth being precise.

HPI is a specific company's product

"HPI" and "HPI Check" refer to a specific company and its registered product. It is a brand, not a generic category. AI Reg Check is not HPI, and we are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to HPI in any way. We are an independent service, and we are equally independent from the DVLA, DVSA and any other official body. We mention HPI here only editorially, to explain a term you have probably seen, not to trade on someone else's brand.

We prefer to describe what we actually do in plain terms: we offer a Full Vehicle History Check. That name says what it is, avoids implying an affiliation that does not exist, and lets us be honest about our own scope and our own data.

What our Full Vehicle History Check covers

The Full Vehicle History Check reports the provenance data that buyers associate with the term "HPI check", drawn from the databases we source from. Where the data is available, it covers:

• Outstanding finance markers, so you don't inherit someone else's debt or risk repossession
• Insurance write-off markers and category, such as Cat A, B, S or N
• Stolen vehicle markers
• Mileage discrepancies flagged against MOT records
• Keeper (previous owner) information
• Registration plate changes
• Import and export markers

Provenance data is provided on a "where available" basis, and every check is decision support rather than a legal guarantee. It is not a substitute for viewing the car, checking the V5C and carrying out a proper physical inspection.

The part that is genuinely different: AI analysis

Where AI Reg Check goes beyond a traditional history report is what happens after the data is gathered. Start with a free AI Car Check on the registration and you get vehicle details, MOT history, a mileage timeline, a valuation and keeper information. The AI Buy Scoreand "Would I Buy It?" assessment are available only when both current mileage and asking price are supplied. The Full Vehicle History Check may return provider-history findings such as finance or write-off markers, which should be reviewed and independently verified.

Worked example

Suppose a friend tells you to "get an HPI done" on a used saloon before you buy. With AI Reg Check, you run the AI Car Check and provide current mileage and asking price for an eligible AI Buy Assessment. Because you are serious, you add the Full Vehicle History Check, which may return a Category N write-off marker. Verify that finding and review the vehicle's repair evidence; AI Reg Check is separate from HPI and the report is decision support.

The honest summary

If you have been searching for an "HPI check", you are almost certainly looking for a used car history check. AI Reg Check can give you that through our own Full Vehicle History Check, plus AI analysis on top. Just remember the distinction: HPI is a specific company's product, AI Reg Check is a separate, independent service, and we are not the same and not affiliated.