If you've ever needed to verify a used car's history programmatically — MOT records,
finance checks, mileage history — you know how fragmented the data sources are.
I built Drivium to solve exactly this, and I want to share
the technical decisions behind it.
The problem with vehicle data
UK vehicle data lives across multiple official sources:
- DVSA — MOT test history and mileage at each inspection
- DVLA — Registration, technical specs, tax status
- HPI / finance registers — Outstanding finance, stolen records
- Manufacturer databases — Recall campaigns
None of these talk to each other. A used car buyer (or a dealer's CRM) has to hit
4+ different sources to get a full picture.
What the API returns
A single call to the Drivium API returns a unified JSON response:
json
{
"vin": "WVWZZZ1JZXW000001",
"plate": "AB12 CDE",
"mot_history": [
{
"test_date": "2023-04-12",
"result": "PASS",
"mileage": 43200,
"expiry_date": "2024-04-11"
}
],
"finance": {
"outstanding": false,
"agreements": []
},
"stolen": false,
"technical": {
"make": "Volkswagen",
"model": "Golf",
"fuel_type": "Petrol",
"engine_cc": 1390,
"co2_gkm": 139,
"euro_standard": "Euro 5"
},
"recalls": []
}
A legitimate car won't have a mileage decrease between tests. If you see one,
the odometer has been tampered with.
## Integrating into a dealer CRM
For dealerships running bulk lookups, the API supports batch requests.
Plans start at 30 checks and scale to unlimited — the CSV export works
well for import into dealer management systems.
## Clean air zone compliance
With ULEZ and CAZ zones expanding across UK cities, the CO2 and Euro
standard fields are increasingly important for buyers. A vehicle rated
Euro 4 or below will face daily charges in most clean air zones.
The API returns this data directly from DVLA.
## Try it
You can run a free lookup or check the [[full API docs at drivium.net](https://drivium.net/en)].
Reports start at £0.99 for a one-off check. No account needed for single lookups.
Happy to answer questions in the comments — particularly around edge cases
with cherished plates, SORN vehicles, or pre-2005 MOT records.