Files Available

NICB provides automated access to thirteen different files. These are:

•      Manufacturer’s Shipping File.  Shipping responses indicate to who, when and where a vehicle has been shipped

•      Pre-Inspection File. Pre-inspection occurs when vehicles are run thorough an authorized inspection center in several states and pictures are taken of the vehicle, including the VIN plate.  The photos are then sent to a specific company for examination and then run through the NICB’s VINASSIST program.  If they do not pass this edit, these records are put into the NICB database.

•      Salvage File. Salvage responses indicate that the vehicle has been damaged (cause of loss and what the cash value is of the vehicle prior to loss, the received value, and the appraised value.

•      Vehicle Claim File. Vehicle claim responses contain information on physical damage to a vehicle.  After the insurance adjuster or appraiser files his report, he sends a copy to a vendor used specifically for physical damage estimates.  They in turn process the claim and forward it to NICB.  By doing this, it will raise a red flag to the appraiser if a claim has been duplicated.

•      Impound File. Impound responses indicate that the vehicle has been impounded, but do not tell whether or not the vehicle was claimed or remains in the lot.

•      Rental File. Several rental car agencies provide and maintain a complete inventory on the NICB system.

•      Export File. Export responses indicate that the vehicle has been exported out of the country, but does not indicate if the vehicle has been returned to the country.

•      Theft File. NICB receives approximately 400,000 theft records from its member companies. 

•      International Index File. NICB maintains records of stolen or salvaged vehicles for Canada, Germany, France, and Sweden.

•      Theft (recovery) File.  This file mirrors the theft file, but also includes vehicles reported as recovered to the NICB members.

•      Auction File. Auction responses include those records that are processed through auction houses prior to sale.

•      Vehicle Lien File

•      NCIC/CPIC Canceled File.  NICB maintains cancelled records online dating back to 1972.  Rather than asking for an off-line search of NCIC records, a query to NICB provides an immediate response.  CPIC cancelled records are maintained back to 1996.  Both NCIC and CPIC have authorized the release of cancelled records by NICB.

These files may be accessed via two distinct types of inquiries. One will access only the Impound and Export files. The other will access all files. Access to these files is for investigative purposes only. Users should not program their computers to automatically send inquiries to these files whenever an inquiry is sent to either the NCIC stolen vehicle file or state vehicle registration files. If no information is found on any of the thirteen NICB files the following message will be displayed:

NO RECORD NICB.