Why a license plate isn't recognized
Not every plate can be matched. Here is why, plus tips to get a clean scan, and the VIN fallback that always works.
Tom Jordan
Last Update hace un día
Orto can start a lookup from a U.S. license plate and its state, but some plates cannot be matched to a vehicle. There are two different things that can go wrong.
The photo could not be read
If the camera could not make out the plate, try again with these tips:
- Fill the frame with the plate and hold the phone steady.
- Avoid glare, low light, and steep angles. Straight-on works best.
- Wipe a dirty or snow-covered plate.
- Make sure the state is correct. A plate number is only unique within its state.
You can always type the plate and state by hand instead of scanning.
The plate was read but not matched
Some plates are not in the data that links a plate to a vehicle:
- Dealer and temporary paper tags
- Government and specialty plates
- Vehicles from before 1981
- Brand-new registrations that have not made it into the data yet
The VIN always works. If a plate cannot be matched, tap Enter the VIN instead. The VIN (usually found on the dashboard by the windshield or inside the driver's door jamb) is the most reliable way to pull a report.
Orto currently covers vehicles in the United States, using the plate plus state.