VIN Check France
Check any France-registered vehicle instantly. Decode the Numéro de série, verify odometer history, safety recalls, theft status, and accident records — covering vehicles with WMI codes VF-VR (Renault VF1, Peugeot VF3, Citroën VF7, etc.).
EUR 8.90 full report
14-day refund
60-second delivery
Free decode preview shown automatically when you enter the VIN.
Quick answer
To check a France vehicle, enter its 17-character VIN (Numéro de série) at Carlytics. The free decode instantly shows make, model, year and engine. The full report — EUR 8.90 — adds cross-border mileage history, safety recalls, theft records and accident data, delivered in about 60 seconds with a 14-day refund.
Why Check a VIN for France Vehicles?
France is Europe's second-largest car market. French vehicles from manufacturers like Renault, Peugeot, and Citroën use VF-series WMI codes. A VIN check reveals the full production and registration history.
The French contrôle technique (technical inspection) is mandatory every two years and records the odometer reading. However, gaps between inspections leave room for mileage fraud, especially on vehicles sold cross-border.
France has a government-run HistoVec service, but it only works with French registration (carte grise) details. Carlytics checks pan-European databases, making it valuable for cross-border buyers.
French insurance write-off categories (VEI — Véhicule Économiquement Irréparable, and VGA — Véhicule Gravement Accidenté) are recorded in the SIV registry. A VIN check can reveal if a vehicle was previously declared a total loss.
What Is “Numéro de série”?
In France, the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is known as the Numéro de série (locally searched as “vérification numéro de série véhicule”). It is a standardized 17-character code that uniquely identifies every motor vehicle manufactured for sale in the EU. The VIN encodes the manufacturer (WMI), vehicle attributes (VDS), and production sequence (VIS).
Vehicles manufactured in France carry WMI codes starting with VF-VR (Renault VF1, Peugeot VF3, Citroën VF7, etc.). However, many vehicles registered in France are imported from other EU countries (especially Germany), so the WMI may differ from the country of registration.
Common Scams When Buying from France
Compteur truqué (odometer fraud): Mileage tampering is estimated to affect 50% of used cars in France according to some industry reports. A VIN check cross-references inspection records to detect rollback.
Selling accident-damaged vehicles (véhicule accidenté) without disclosure: French sellers may fail to declare prior accidents, especially if repairs were done privately without insurance claims.
Gray imports with mismatched specifications: Vehicles imported from outside the EU may have different emission standards or safety equipment than the French-market version. A VIN decode reveals the original market specification.
What Data Sources We Check for France
When you run a VIN check for a France-registered vehicle, Carlytics queries multiple authoritative databases:
How a France VIN Is Structured
Every VIN — whether the vehicle was built in France or imported — follows the ISO 3779 standard:
| Positions | Section | What It Tells You |
|---|---|---|
| 1-3 | WMI | World Manufacturer Identifier — identifies the maker and country of origin. France-made vehicles use VF-VR (Renault VF1, Peugeot VF3, Citroën VF7, etc.). |
| 4-8 | VDS | Vehicle Descriptor Section — encodes model, body style, engine type, and restraint systems. |
| 9 | Check digit | Check digit — mandated only on North-American-market VINs (49 CFR 565); ISO 3779 requires none. |
| 10 | Model year | Encoded production year (e.g., R = 2024, S = 2025). |
| 11 | Plant code | Identifies the assembly plant where the vehicle was built. |
| 12-17 | VIS | Vehicle Indicator Section — unique serial number for the specific vehicle. |
VIN Check France — FAQ
Common questions about checking vehicle history in France
Where do I find the VIN on a French car?
Can Carlytics check the French contrôle technique history?
What French manufacturers can Carlytics decode?
Used-car market in France: asking prices and mileage by age
As of September 2026. Carlytics market records: asking prices and stated mileage of used cars advertised in France in the last 30 days.
Not like-for-like: these prices come mostly from dealer and brand used-car stock of young cars, so they do not represent the whole used-car market in France.
| Car age | Asking price | Mileage in the ad |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 3 years | mostly €16,400–28,000 | mostly 13,000–45,000 km |
| 4–6 years | mostly €13,400–19,900 | mostly 40,000–77,000 km |
| 7–10 years | mostly €10,900–17,900 | mostly 64,000–106,000 km |
| 11–15 years | mostly €8,900–15,900 | mostly 81,000–128,000 km |
| 16–20 years | €13,900–14,900 | 48,000–59,000 km |
Asking prices are what sellers ask, not what cars sell for. “Mostly” is the middle half of ads; where only a few ads were seen we give their range or an approximate figure. The same car advertised more than once counts once, and prices far outside the usual range for the car's age, such as monthly lease rates, are left out. Mileage is as stated in the ad and can be wrong; age is counted from the year given in the ad. Prices in euros, rounded to €100 (€500 above €20,000); mileage rounded to 1,000 km.