Check a US VIN for lien and theft-related records. The /v1/lien-theft endpoint returns decoded vehicle context plus any reportable lien or theft events CarsXE finds for the VIN.

Results depend on available reporting sources and jurisdictions. Treat missing fields as unavailable data from the source, not as proof that the vehicle is clear.

Who uses this API

Lenders, wholesale buyers, dealerships, insurers, and consumer-facing vehicle marketplaces call this endpoint to check a US VIN for reportable lien and theft events before they fund, acquire, insure, or list a vehicle. Consumer applications built on the API should explain that results depend on available reporting sources and jurisdictions.

Use cases

B2B

Lenders — clear-title check: Look for active liens before funding a loan or lease.
Wholesale and dealerships — stolen-vehicle screen: Review theft records before taking a unit into inventory or sending it to auction.
Insurance — underwriting and claims: Confirm lien and theft context when binding coverage or investigating a claim.

B2C

Private listings — buyer due diligence: Let a buyer check a used vehicle's VIN for available lien or theft records before purchasing.
Car rental and sharing — vehicle screening: Check vehicles before adding them to a consumer rental or car-sharing marketplace.
Consumer vehicle reports: Include lien and theft context in a VIN-based vehicle report, with clear messaging that missing records do not prove a vehicle is clear.

Parameters

Parameter	Required	Description
`vin`	Yes	The 17-character vehicle identification number
`key`	Yes	Your CarsXE API key

Example

Check lien and theft records

Code

curl -G https://api.carsxe.com/v1/lien-theft \
  -d key=YOUR_API_KEY \
  -d vin=2C3CDXFG1FH762860

Response

Top-level shape

{

"success": true,// always true on 200

"timestamp": "2025-12-07T20:32:11.027Z",// ISO 8601 response time

"year": 2015,

"make": "DODGE",

"model": "Charger",

"type": "CAR",

}

Click any object or array to expand it and see sample data. For the full interactive reference, try it live in the API Reference.

All response fields are optional except fields included in a successful response. Empty or missing events means CarsXE did not receive an event group for that VIN in that response.

Name
success
Type
boolean
Description
true on a successful 200 response.
Name
input
Type
object
Description
Echo of request inputs, including the VIN that was checked.
Name
timestamp
Type
string
Description
ISO 8601 response timestamp.
Name
year
Type
integer
Description
Decoded vehicle model year returned with the record.
Name
make
Type
string
Description
Decoded vehicle manufacturer.
Name
model
Type
string
Description
Decoded vehicle model.
Name
type
Type
string
Description
Vehicle category returned by the source. Example: "CAR".
Name
events
Type
array
Description
Lien or theft-related records found for the VIN.
Name
trim_data
Type
object
Description
Optional decoded trim or source-specific vehicle details when returned.

events

Each item in events is a reportable lien or theft-related record. Event payloads can include additional source-specific fields.

Name
event
Type
string
Description
Human-readable event label. See Event types for the full list. Example: "Recovered Theft".
Name
location
Type
string
Description
State or jurisdiction abbreviation when available. Example: "OH".
Name
date
Type
string
Description
Event date when the source provided one. Format is typically MM/DD/YYYY.
Name
details_list
Type
array
Description
Human-readable details from the source record. These strings match the derived text for the event type.

Event types

The events array can contain the following record types. Fields listed for each type are present when the reporting source provided them.

Event type	Fields	Details	Derived text
Open Lien	`lienholder`, `location`, `date`	Text as supplied, state, date	`Vehicle is reported to have an open lien on title: <lienholder>`
Active Theft	`location`	State	`The vehicle is reported to be an active theft.`
Recovered Theft	`location`	State	`The vehicle is reported to be a recovered theft`
Exported	`date`, `location`	`MM/DD/YYYY`, state	`Vehicle is reported to have been exported out of the United States`
Towing/Impound	`date`, `location`	`MM/DD/YYYY`, state	`Vehicle is reported as Towed or Impounded`
Vehicle for Sale	`date`	`MM/DD/YYYY`	`Vehicle is reported to have been available for sale on eBay Motors.com...`

Use event to branch on type, then read details_list for the derived text. Missing fields mean the source did not provide that value.

How to interpret results

Use this endpoint as a screening signal, not as a complete legal determination of title status.

A 200 with events means CarsXE found reportable lien or theft-related records for the VIN.
A 404 with "No lien or theft data found for this VIN" means this endpoint did not find lien or theft data for that VIN.
Missing fields mean the source did not provide that value in the returned record.

Errors

See the Errors guide for the full list. The most common cases specific to this endpoint:

400 — "Missing vin (vehicle identification number)" or "Wrong VIN length, must be 17 characters" — fix the input, don't retry.
401 — missing or invalid API key.
404 — "No lien or theft data found for this VIN" — no lien or theft data was found by this endpoint for the VIN.
429 — usage limit exceeded.