Australian used car buyers can now check a vehicle’s official manufacturer service history online, with a new service promising to help identify missing maintenance records and potentially misleading odometer readings.

Called ServiceStamp, the platform allows buyers and sellers to retrieve servicing information held by manufacturers using a vehicle’s 17-character Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), with each report costing $24.99.

The service covers 20 automotive brands for vehicles built from model year 2012 onwards, including Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, MG, Porsche, Volkswagen, Kia and Volvo.

Depending on the manufacturer, reports can include servicing dates, odometer readings, maintenance work performed, warranty repairs and the location of the dealership responsible.

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The information could help buyers identify discrepancies between advertised service histories and manufacturer records, particularly where paper logbooks are missing, incomplete or potentially fraudulent.

The service enters a substantial market. According to the Australian Automotive Dealer Association and AutoGrab, approximately 2.32 million used vehicles changed hands in Australia during 2025, with private transactions accounting for slightly more than half.

ServiceStamp founder Simon Brown said the platform was intended to address a gap in existing vehicle history checks.

“A PPSR check tells you whether a car has money owing or has been written off, but not whether anyone actually looked after it,” Brown said.

However, coverage varies between manufacturers. Eleven brands provide more comprehensive servicing records, while nine offer more limited workshop information, including recalls and warranty repairs.

Importantly, the database only captures work recorded through manufacturer dealership networks. Maintenance performed by independent workshops will generally not appear, meaning missing records do not necessarily indicate neglected servicing.

ServiceStamp launched in Britain earlier this year, where the company claims approximately 70 per cent of vehicles checked returned manufacturer records.

Australian customers can access the service through servicestamp.com.au, with reports delivered digitally within seconds.

The company stresses that its service complements rather than replaces a Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) check, which identifies financial encumbrances, theft and written-off vehicle records.