How do I find out who owns a vehicle?

The easiest way to find the owner of a vehicle is through paying for an online license plate search. This requires going to a simple online database and paying a small fee for the information. Not all states, however, allow the release of information regarding a person's private records.

Gather the vehicle's license plate or Vehicle Identification Number and go a local Department of Motor Vehicles to run a vehicle history report or file a request for record information to identify the owner of the vehicle. According to the California DMV, one needs a legitimate reason to request such information and depending on the state, a court order may be required to find the owner's name and address.