Mobile car inspection · all 50 states
Mobile Pre-Purchase Car Inspection: An Inspector Comes to the Car (50 States)
A mobile pre-purchase car inspection means an independent inspector travels to the car, usually at the seller’s address, or at a dealer lot or auction yard where the dealer or auction allows it, and checks it before you pay. You do not need to be there. Tiers are flat and published, from $249. Your card is charged after the inspection is completed, and the photo report arrives in 24–48 hours.
What does a mobile pre-purchase inspection mean?
Mobile means the inspection happens where the car is. It covers the systems on the pre-purchase inspection checklist, without a lift and without moving the car.
No shop visit
The inspector travels to wherever the car is parked. Nobody drives the car to a garage, so the car does not have to move.
You do not need to be there
The inspector contacts the seller directly to set a time, so the seller deals with the inspector and not with you. The report is delivered to you after the visit.
It works out of state
The inspector is matched to the car’s location, not yours. You do not travel until you have read the report. The out-of-state steps are on the out-of-state car buying inspection page.
You book and pay, not the seller
You choose the tier and your card is saved at booking. Neither the seller nor the dealer pays for the inspection.
How does booking a mobile inspection work?
Booking takes a few minutes on the booking page. You do not send the seller anything and you do not pay up front.
Book online
Enter the car’s city and state, or paste the listing link. Choose a tier. Your card is saved, not charged.
An inspector is matched
We match a vetted local inspector to the car’s location. The inspector contacts the seller or the dealer to set the time.
The inspector visits the car
Dispatch typically takes 24 to 72 hours depending on the market. The inspector checks the car on site and documents it with photos.
Report in 24–48 hours
A photo-documented report with a plain-English go / caution / stop summary. Your card is charged after the inspection is completed.
Where can a mobile inspection happen?
Anywhere the car is parked and the inspector can get safe access to it. The seller, the dealer or the facility decides who gets in, so ask first.
Seller’s driveway or home
For private sales, including cars found on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist or OfferUp. The inspector goes to the address where the seller shows the car.
Dealer lot
The inspector meets a salesperson at the lot. Ask the dealer before you book whether an outside inspection is allowed. Access is the dealer’s to give.
Auction yard
Access rules vary by auction. Some restrict who can enter, at what hours, and whether a car can be started or driven. Ask the auction for its inspection rules before you book. If the auction does not allow a road test, that part of the inspection cannot be done.
Storage facility or workplace
Access is the facility’s to give. Ask the facility before you book, and tell the inspector how to get in.
If you are buying from another state, read the out-of-state car buying inspection page. To confirm the car exists, the scam check is a short on-site visit that confirms the car matches its VIN (vehicle identification number).
What does the inspector bring?
Every tier covers the same systems. The tiers differ in what is measured, so the higher tiers need more instruments on site.
Every tier
- An OBD-II (on-board diagnostics) scanner that reads stored trouble codes on 1996 and newer vehicles
- A camera for the 25+ documented photos in the report
Silver ($349)
- Battery load test (measured under load)
- Brake pad and rotor measurement
- A/C and heater temperature readings
Gold ($449)
- Everything in Silver
- Extended road test with live OBD-II data capture
- Full electronics and infotainment audit
- Paint-depth readings panel by panel
What does a mobile inspection not include?
A mobile inspection has limits. Knowing them helps you read the report correctly.
No lift
The inspector does not put the car on a lift. The underbody check covers what is visible without raising the car.
No teardown
Nothing is taken apart. The inspector does not open the engine or transmission or remove interior panels, so a problem inside a sealed component can stay hidden.
No repairs
The inspector reports what is found. The inspector does not repair, adjust or clear anything on the car.
No warranty
The report is a dated record of the car’s condition on the day of the visit. It is not a warranty and it does not predict future failures.
No title or registration check
The inspector cannot certify that a title is clean, that the car can be registered, or that a seller is honest. Lien status and registration are yours to confirm with your state DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) before you pay.
A road test only where it is safe
The road test is done where the vehicle is street legal and conditions are safe. If it cannot be done, that part of the inspection is not done.
A dealer’s own inspection program is a different product from an independent one. See how a dealer program differs from an independent inspection.
Which tier should you pick?
Prices are flat and published, so the cost does not change by city. See the full list on the pricing page. You can add a CARFAX report when you book.
Pick Bronze when the car is lower-priced and you want an independent look at the body, underbody, tires, interior, engine, drivetrain, electrical items and stored fault codes, with 25+ photos.
Book BronzePick Silver when the battery, brakes or A/C matter, for example on an older or higher-mileage car or in a hot climate. Silver replaces visual judgment with measured readings.
Book SilverPick Gold for higher-value and well-equipped cars, or when accident history or electronics are the worry. Gold adds paint-depth readings panel by panel and live OBD-II data on an extended road test.
Book GoldElectric vehicles, RVs and classic cars have their own pages: electric vehicles, RVs and classic cars.
How does flat published pricing compare with other mobile services?
Vehicle Inspectors publishes flat tiers of $249, $349 and $449. Lemon Squad publishes a lower $219.99 standard price (checked 2026-10-31). YourMechanic publishes no flat inspection price (checked 2026-10-31). Prices and terms change, so confirm them on each company’s site. The full table is on the comparison page.
Vehicle Inspectors
Flat published tiers: Bronze $249, Silver $349, Gold $449. Card saved at booking and charged after the inspection is completed. All 50 states.
Lemon Squad
Publishes a $219.99 standard inspection, which is a lower base price than our Bronze tier. Prepaid when the order is placed. Its FAQ states it cannot offer a refund once an order has been placed. Coverage: Entire US, including Alaska and Hawaii. Checked 2026-10-31.
YourMechanic
A pre-purchase inspection is one service among many mobile repair jobs. Its page shows no price; mechanic availability appears after you request a quote. Its published terms list a cancellation fee inside 48 hours of the appointment. Checked 2026-10-31.
Buying on a specific platform?
The mobile model is the same wherever the car is listed. These pages cover the details that differ by platform.
- Carvana: Inspection guide for a car bought through Carvana
- CarMax: Inspection guide for a car bought through CarMax
- Craigslist and OfferUp: Inspection guide for private-party listings
- eBay Motors: Inspection guide for eBay Motors listings
- Facebook Marketplace: Inspection guide for Marketplace listings
- Bring a Trailer and Cars & Bids: Pre-bid inspection for online enthusiast auctions
- Lemon Squad: Vehicle Inspectors compared with Lemon Squad
- VIN lookup: Check a VIN before you book
Common questions
- What is a mobile pre-purchase car inspection?
- A mobile pre-purchase car inspection is an independent check of a used car, done where the car is parked instead of at a shop. A vetted local inspector goes to where the car is (a seller’s address, a dealer lot, or an auction yard where the yard allows it), inspects the car, and sends you a photo-documented report in 24–48 hours. You use that report to decide whether to buy, negotiate the price or not buy.
- Do I have to be there for a mobile car inspection?
- No. The inspector contacts the seller directly to set a time, and the report is delivered to you afterward, so you can be in another city or another state. Someone does have to give the inspector access to the car, which is normally the seller, a salesperson or the facility that holds it.
- How much does a mobile pre-purchase inspection cost?
- Vehicle Inspectors publishes three flat tiers: Bronze $249, Silver $349 and Gold $449. All three cover the same systems and the same 25+ photos. Silver adds instrumented tests and Gold adds paint-depth readings and live OBD-II data. Your card is saved at booking and charged after the inspection is completed. If you cancel after an inspector has scheduled your inspection, a $149 cancellation fee is charged to your card on file. No fee if you cancel before an inspector schedules, if your inspector cancels, or if we can't find you an inspector.
- How is this different from booking a mobile mechanic?
- A mobile mechanic service sells repairs as well as inspections. Vehicle Inspectors only inspects and reports. YourMechanic, as published on its site, checked 2026-10-31, lists a pre-purchase inspection among many mobile repair services and shows no price on that page, so you request a quote. Its published terms list a cancellation fee inside 48 hours of the appointment. Lemon Squad, as published on its site, checked 2026-10-31, publishes a $219.99 standard inspection, which is lower than our Bronze price. Its payment terms: Prepaid when the order is placed. Its FAQ states it cannot offer a refund once an order has been placed. Vehicle Inspectors publishes flat tiers for standard cars and trucks and charges the card after completion. Check each company’s own site for current terms.
- Can a mobile inspector inspect a car at a dealer lot or an auction yard?
- It depends on the dealer or the auction. Access is theirs to give. Ask the dealer whether an outside inspection is allowed before you book. Auction yards set their own rules about entry, hours, and whether a car can be started or driven, so ask the auction for its inspection rules first.
- How long until I get the report?
- The report arrives within 24–48 hours of the visit. Before the visit, dispatch typically takes 24 to 72 hours depending on the market. If no inspector accepts within 72 hours, or by the latest date you set when booking, the request closes and your saved card is never charged.
- What can a mobile inspection not find?
- A mobile inspection uses no lift and no teardown, so problems inside sealed components or only visible with the car raised can stay hidden. The inspector does not repair anything, the report is not a warranty, and the inspector cannot certify the title, registration or the seller. The inspection is a dated condition report that lowers risk and does not remove it.
Have an inspector look at the car before you pay for it.
Vetted mobile inspectors in all 50 states, flat published tiers from $249, photo report in 24–48 hours. Your card is saved at booking and charged after the inspection is completed.
Book a mobile inspection