Ask 6: Make the history of used cars available

A new or used car is one of the biggest purchases consumers make. Consumers need reliable information about a used car’s history before they buy it. Every year, thousands of consumers contact the CCPC helpline when thing go wrong after they buy a used car. 

Critical information about used cars is collected by several state agencies and the insurance industry. However, in Ireland there isn’t one reliable source for this information. Also, a consumer selling to another consumer doesn’t legally have to tell a buyer about a car’s history. 

Why it matters 

• Cars that have been in accidents or written-off can be unsafe and expensive to fix. Having access to car history information stops consumers from being misled when buying a used car.  

• Every year, the CCPC takes enforcement actions against several second-hand car dealers, under the Consumer Protection Act 2007, in cases involving the sale of clocked or crashed cars. However, these cases only represent a small fraction of consumers who buy used cars without having access to a full vehicle history. 

• Consumers are currently at risk of buying ‘clocked’ cars – a car whose mileage has been put back to a lower level – or unsafe cars that could cause problems in the future.  

• The Department of Transport’s ‘Online Change of Vehicle Ownership’ service provides some information, but not everything a consumer needs. 

• Twenty other EU member states, including Belgium, Estonia and Poland, offer public access to car histories, with the UK, New Zealand and Australia also giving consumers access to essential car history information. So giving consumers better access to information about used cars would bring Ireland in line with international best practice. 

How we can do it 

In 2025, the CCPC published its Access to Car History report. It recommends that  

• The Minister for Transport ensures the creation of a an online portal that would that would grant second-hand car buyers free access to essential car history information, including import history and mileage readings. This information is already collected by the State.  

• The State should collect more comprehensive information on car history, including on crashed but repairable cars that return to the road, and safety recalls.  

The CCPC continues to engage with the Department of Transport on implementation of these recommendations. 

Further reading  

CCPC Access to Car History report (February 2025).