Finding out who a vehicle is registered to

Colonel Sanders

Hi

Very quick question

Is it possible to find out who a vehicle is registered to? I was wondering if there would be some form of data/privacy protection in play or if there was "just cause" could it be done?

Long story short, a colleague's car was scraped and he got the reg. Wants to call to the person. Asked me, I hadn't a clue and thought of this forum!

If it's possible how could one go about it? Would you need to get the guards involved?

dahamsta

Yes. The guards tend to take a dim view of driving away.

Antomus Prime

Exactly, the guards can check very easily, depends on what sort of guard you get cause they generally wont give out that info to just anyone. But no harm in asking them

Colonel Sanders

Antomus Prime wrote: »

Exactly, the gards can check very easily, depends on what sprt of gard you get cause they generally wont give out that info to just anyone. But no harm in asking them

so if the circumstances were reasonable it wouldn't be a breach of data protection or anything?

I thought it might be, shows what I know

Gophur

Colonel Sanders wrote: »

Hi

Very quick question

Is it possible to find out who a vehicle is registered to? I was wondering if there would be some form of data/privacy protection in play or if there was "just cause" could it be done?

Long story short, a colleague's car was scraped and he got the reg. Wants to call to the person. Asked me, I hadn't a clue and thought of this forum!

If it's possible how could one go about it? Would you need to get the guards involved?

It is not possible to do this, legally. Even a member of the Gardai can get into trouble if they access such records without due reason.

Only options are

1. Report a hit and run to the Gardai (normal action would be for the Gardai to call to the other driver, ask them to pay for the damage and nothing more would be done, or to then prosecute for hit and run)

or

2. for the injured driver to claim off his own insurance. His own insurance company would then claim off the other driver. The injured party would be at the loss of his NCB until such time as his Ins Co was fully compensated.

mickdw

Get straight onto the guardai before the other party have time to repair any damage to their car etc. Why would anyone go eay of some scum that drives off leaving damage behind?

Antomus Prime

Colonel Sanders wrote: »

so if the circumstances were reasonable it wouldn't be a breach of data protection or anything?

I thought it might be, shows what I know

Again it all depends on the guard in question. I'm not sure if car registrations are in the data protection act, have a look around google for what is covered in the DPA.

Colonel Sanders

mickdw wrote: »

Get straight onto the guardai before the other party have time to repair any damage to their car etc. Why would anyone go eay of some scum that drives off leaving damage behind?

Not arguing with the logic, just worried there may be privacy issues about requesting personal details of another person

It's not huge damage, could be a genuine case of other driver not noticing but could be chancing their arm also

Our man in Havana

The Gardaí will not give this info to you. It is a serious disciplinary offence.

Your insurance company can apply for the details through the proper channels if you make a claim.

mickdw

Colonel Sanders wrote: »

Not arguing with the logic, just worried there may be privacy issues about requesting personal details of another person

It's not huge damage, could be a genuine case of other driver not noticing but could be chancing their arm also

No, they wont give it out to you. I meant, get gardai to go after them which is what will happen if you report that they left the scene of the accident.

MetzgerMeister

Antomus Prime wrote: »

Again it all depends on the guard in question. I'm not sure if car registrations are in the data protection act, have a look around google for what is covered in the DPA.

I doubt they would be as they are permanently on public display. However, a specific person's address isn't on display if you get me.

wmpdd3

I gave a still from CCTV to the police of a jeep that reversed into my car and put a hole in my bumper. The still had the reg and the DVD had the incident happening on it too.

They didnt pursue it.

It was my local police station, I've asked the police man I gave it to about it a few weeks later and he said it 'a dead duck' and he was sorry. I've met him loads of time since and got no update.

Our man in Havana

wmpdd3 wrote: »

I gave a still from CCTV to the police of a jeep that reversed into my car and put a hole in my bumper. The still had the reg and the DVD had the incident happening on it too.

They didnt pursue it.

It was my local police station, I've asked the police man I gave it to about it a few weeks later and he said it 'a dead duck' and he was sorry. I've met him loads of time since and got no update.

False plate so or stolen.

Gophur

wmpdd3 wrote: »

I gave a still from CCTV to the police of a jeep that reversed into my car and put a hole in my bumper. The still had the reg and the DVD had the incident happening on it too.

They didnt pursue it.

It was my local police station, I've asked the police man I gave it to about it a few weeks later and he said it 'a dead duck' and he was sorry. I've met him loads of time since and got no update.

If it happened in Ireland you might have had better luck.

dahamsta

Sorry, the Yes in my post was a response to "Would you need to get the guards involved?" No-one can legally give you that info.

-Chris-

Gophur wrote: »

If it happened in Ireland you might have had better luck.

Huh?

GL scrappy

^^ I'm guessing because of this;

wmpdd3 wrote: »

I gave a still from CCTV to the police of a jeep that reversed into my car and put a hole in my bumper. The still had the reg and the DVD had the incident happening on it too.

They didnt pursue it.

It was my local police station, I've asked the police man I gave it to about it a few weeks later and he said it 'a dead duck' and he was sorry. I've met him loads of time since and got no update.