First, check that you have the right car
Start with the plate number, manufacturer, model and manufacture year. Compare them with the car and the vehicle licence you are shown. Manufacture year and first registration date are different fields; do not use them interchangeably when comparing an advert.
Next, review the available specifications: fuel, engine capacity, trim and other returned details. A number without units or a date without context can be misleading. If something does not match, check the source or ask for help before drawing a conclusion.
Give registration status priority
Licence validity, an inactive vehicle record and cancelled registration are different things. Read the exact field name and returned status. Do not turn “inactive” into “cancelled” simply because a vehicle is absent from an active database.
If cancellation is shown, check its date where available and clarify the current status with the Ministry of Transport before proceeding with a purchase or using the vehicle.
Separate a returned status from missing data
| What the report shows | What you can read from it | What still needs checking |
|---|---|---|
| A licence expiry date in the past | The displayed date has passed. | Whether the source is current and a newer licence exists; do not infer cancelled registration. |
| Explicitly cancelled registration | The source returned a cancellation status. | The current position with the Ministry, and the date and reason where available. |
| An “inactive” status | This is the status returned by the source. | What it means in that source; do not replace it with an unstated reason. |
| The vehicle was not found | No record was returned from that source. | The plate number, source coverage, missing data or a possible request error. |
Illustrative data only: a report shows “inactive” with partial specifications and no reason for the status. You can note the returned status. You cannot add that the car was dismantled or damaged in an accident without supporting information.
If cancellation is explicitly shown, do not treat specifications or a photo as approval to use the car or proceed with a purchase. Keep the exact wording and check its meaning and current status with the relevant authority. An earlier test date does not clear a status returned by another source.
Dates, mileage and ownership
Read each number in context. Mileage reported at a test belongs to that reporting time; an ownership category describes the recorded classification. See the vehicle history guide for more about coverage.
For focused examples, read how to compare reported mileage with today's reading and interpret ownership types and periods.
Also distinguish information about this vehicle from model-level statistics. A statistic about a model does not establish the condition of this car's engine or which repairs it has had.
Vehicle overview and advanced assessment
The vehicle overview brings together available source data: registration details, specifications, ownership and history, where available. It answers the question “What is recorded about this car?”
The advanced assessment adds context based on your purpose, mileage and asking price. It can help you identify strengths, weaknesses and questions to investigate. An assessment is not an official record or a physical inspection; verify important details before relying on them.
You can start with the overview and note anything that needs clarification, then use the assessment to prepare for a conversation with the seller or a professional. Available features and access terms are shown in the app.
How to treat missing data
An empty field or “No information available” is not a negative answer. Missing safety information does not establish that a safety system is absent, and missing history does not confirm that there have been no incidents.
Write down what is missing and who could provide it: the seller, vehicle licence, service documents, data source or a professional. If a detail matters to your decision, keep it as an open question until it is checked.
If you are preparing to meet a seller, also read what to check before buying a used car.
Further reading: official information about registration cancellation (in Hebrew).