Look up vehicle

Frequently asked questions about the vehicle check

Can I check whether a car on Bonaire is stolen?

Yes. The free lookup on Registro Bonaire shows for every vehicle found whether it has been reported stolen. Search by licence plate or chassis number (VIN). If a theft report appears, do not buy the vehicle and report it to KPCN, the police force of the Caribbean Netherlands.

What does it cost to look up a vehicle on Bonaire?

Looking up a vehicle is free and requires no account. Only the extended history report is paid: $10 for an anonymised overview of ownership changes, registration date and theft history, valid for ninety days.

Does a lookup show me the owner's name?

No. A public lookup shows vehicle data only: make, model, year and theft status. Names, addresses and CRIB numbers are never shown. We also never return the licence plate and chassis number together, because that specific pairing can be misused to give a stolen vehicle a valid identity.

Can I search by licence plate as well as chassis number?

Both work. On Bonaire the licence plate is tied to a person and changes when a vehicle is sold, while the chassis number (VIN) stays the same for the vehicle's entire life. Searching by VIN is therefore more reliable if you want to trace a vehicle across several owners.

What does it mean if a vehicle is not found?

It means the vehicle is neither in our register nor in the reference list of known vehicles on Bonaire. That is not evidence that something is wrong: registration with Registro Bonaire is voluntary. Ask the seller for the official plate document and compare the chassis number against the number on the vehicle itself.

Is Registro Bonaire a government register?

No. Registro Bonaire is a commercial, private register operated by F.A.S.T rental Bonaire B.V. It complements rather than replaces the government's official licence plate registration. A registration has informational value between buyer and seller, but is not standalone legal proof of ownership.