PRA Plate Search: Check Holds Before Buying

A PRA vehicle search by plate is the check to make before you hand over a deposit on a used car in Italy, because it is the one simple way to find out whether the vehicle carries an administrative hold, a mortgage lien or an owner different from the person selling it. It costs a few euros and takes a few minutes. Here is what it shows, where to request it, what it costs and how to read it.

Why check the PRA before buying

The Pubblico Registro Automobilistico, run by ACI, records vehicle ownership and any encumbrances on it. A search by plate verifies three things: that the seller really is the registered owner, that there are no administrative holds and that there are no liens [1][2][3].

The risk is not theoretical. A vehicle with a lien can be pursued by the creditor even after the sale, so the new buyer may lose the car through no fault of their own [3]. An administrative hold, for its part, prevents the car from being driven and complicates the transfer of ownership, because the vehicle stays restricted until the debt is settled.

What a hold and a lien are

• Administrative hold (fermo amministrativo): an order, usually from the tax collection agent, that blocks use of the vehicle over unpaid debts of the owner, such as fines or taxes.
• Lien (ipoteca): a security registered in favour of a creditor. It follows the vehicle even if ownership changes, until it is cancelled.

In both cases the debt belongs to the seller, but the practical effect lands on the car you are about to buy. That is why the check comes before payment, not after.

Where to request the search

There are three main routes [1]:

• Online: through the Visurenet service on the ACI website, logging in with SPID, CIE or eID.
• By app: with ACI Space, in the Infotarga section, on iOS and Android.
• In person: at an ACI delegation or a car paperwork agency, which may charge extra fees.

You need your own details (name, surname, tax code) and the vehicle plate [1]. Be wary of sites promising free searches: according to ACI, they are not recognised [1].

What it costs

The online search on the vehicle's current status costs 6 euros, while the chronological extract with previous owners can reach around 25 euros [1]. Some sources report slightly different figures depending on the channel, so check the final price before paying [2]. At a delegation or agency, commissions are added.

On a purchase worth thousands of euros it is a minimal expense, but it can prevent a problem worth thousands of euros.

How to read the result

Check in this order:

1. Owner: it must match the person selling you the car and the name on the registration document. If the seller is not the owner, stop and ask for an explanation.
2. Administrative holds: there should be none. If there are, the sale should wait until they are removed.
3. Liens: same. You need the cancellation or the creditor's consent.
4. Technical data: fuel type, engine size and emissions class must match the registration document.
5. Last ownership transfer: if the car changed hands several times in a short span, ask why.

One limit to know: vehicles with no PRA-recordable events since 1993 may not appear in searches [1].

Standard search or chronological extract

The standard search gives the current status: owner and encumbrances. The chronological extract adds previous owners, useful for a classic car or one with an unclear past [1]. One source notes the search has no certifying value: for a legally valid document you need the chronological certificate, which costs more and requires a revenue stamp [3]. For the normal pre-purchase check, the search is enough.

When to repeat it

A hold can appear or be cancelled over time. For that reason it is wise to run the search again on the day of the ownership transfer, right before signing [3]. If the seller says they just cleared a hold, ask for written proof and re-verify before paying the balance.

What to do if you find a hold or lien

• Do not pay deposits or balances until the encumbrance is cancelled.
• Ask the seller to settle the debt and hand you the cancellation paperwork.
• Check the PRA again after cancellation.
• If the seller pushes to close quickly, treat it as a warning sign.

Reform proposals are also circulating: a bill presented in late July 2026 would replace the administrative hold with a lien on the vehicle, but it is only a proposal, not a rule in force [3].

Why it matters for sellers too

If you are selling, showing a clean search builds trust and speeds up negotiation. A careful buyer will ask for it anyway, and arriving with the document in hand saves time for both sides.

Takeaway

1. Before any deposit, get the plate and the seller's details.
2. Request the search on ACI (Visurenet or ACI Space), about 6 euros.
3. Check owner, holds, liens and technical data.
4. Repeat the check on the day of the ownership transfer.
5. If there is an encumbrance, suspend payment until it is cancelled.

Sources

1. Motor1 Italia, Visura targa: come si consulta il PRA gestito dall'ACI e quanto costa.
2. Money.it, Come verificare il fermo amministrativo di un'auto.
3. Tom's Hardware Italia, Auto usata, fermo amministrativo e ipoteche: guida pratica.