Begin with the current vehicle
Confirm the current registration and returned vehicle details. Compare the physical vehicle with the paperwork available to you. A short advert description can omit details needed to distinguish closely related versions.
If the owner says a private plate was removed or transferred, ask for the documents that explain the sequence. An explanation should support the record; it should not replace evidence that the invoice belongs to this car.
Use identifying details privately
Where the invoice carries a VIN, compare it with the legitimate vehicle documents and the car. A workshop may be able to explain an earlier record through its own process, subject to the information it can disclose.
A VIN can help reconcile documents without being published. Keep it out of open reports, screenshots and adverts. FMSH customer-facing reports withhold VINs; private vehicle administration and legitimate manufacturer enquiries are separate uses.
Keep a note explaining the connection
Preserve the original invoice unchanged. Add a separate note describing the earlier registration, the evidence connecting it to the car and any unresolved point. Do not edit the plate on the invoice to make the file look consistent.
Apply the same approach to dates and mileage. A coherent file explains a discrepancy rather than erasing it. If you cannot establish the connection, keep the document marked unconfirmed.
Understand what a free MOT lookup does not add
The FMSH free report presents returned MOT information. It is not a paid plate-change, finance, theft or insurance write-off check. Do not treat a normal MOT timeline as proof of those separate provenance questions.