Free
For getting started
€0 per month, no VAT
- Included requests
- 1,000
- Above the limit
- Stops, no bill
License plate API for the Danish Motor Register (DMR)
Look up Danish vehicles with one API call
Send a license plate, a VIN or a vehicle ID and get the vehicle back as JSON. Engine, environmental data, technical details, inspection and equipment come the same way.
1,000 requests a month are free, with no card. From €13 a month, no VAT. No commitment. Cancel from your account page.
Data from Motorstyrelsen's extract of
- About 13 million vehicles, including deregistered ones
- New extract about every week
- 60 requests per minute per key
- The API runs in the EU
curl -H "X-Api-Key: $MOTORBAY_API_KEY" \
"https://api.motorbay.app/v1/vehicles/plate/AB12345"Motorbay-Data-As-Of: 2026-10-07T14:09:11Z
{
"id": "4815162342",
"registrationNumber": "AB12345",
"vin": "YV1AB12C3D4567890",
"status": "registered",
"registrationStatus": "registered",
"firstRegisteredOn": "2019-03-14",
"kind": {
"id": "1",
"name": "Personbil",
"originalName": "Personbil"
},
"make": {
"id": "42",
"name": "VOLVO",
"originalName": "VOLVO"
},
"model": {
"id": "1234",
"name": "V60",
"originalName": "V60"
},
"color": {
"id": "7",
"name": "Grå",
"originalName": "Grå"
},
"emissionStandard": {
"id": "9",
"name": "Euro 6",
"originalName": "Euro 6"
}
}Three ways to look up
Every response is JSON with stable field names. IDs are strings, dates are YYYY-MM-DD.
- License plate
- GET /v1/vehicles/plate/ AB12345
- VIN
- GET /v1/vehicles/vin/ YV1AB12C3D4567890
- Vehicle ID
- GET /v1/vehicles/ {id}
What you get
The vehicle and its details, search with filters, and reference data. The data page lists every field.
-
The vehicle
Plate, VIN, status, first registration, and make, model, variant, kind, color and usage, each with its name and ID.
-
Engine and environment
Power, displacement, cylinders, noise and odometer. Euro standard, particle filter, and CO, NOx and particle emissions.
-
Technical details
Weights, axle loads, towing weights, dimensions, seats, doors, top speed, model year and type approval.
-
Latest inspection
Date, inspection type, result and the odometer reading at the inspection.
-
Equipment and usages
The equipment registered on the vehicle, and its other usages.
-
Search and reference data
Filter by make, kind, usage, color and model year. Lists of makes, models, variants, colors and euro standards.
Built for developers who ship
-
Predictable errors
Every error is a problem details response (RFC 9457) with a stable code such as VehicleNotFound or RateLimitExceeded, so your code can act on it.
-
You know how old the data is
Every response has the Motorbay-Data-As-Of header, and GET /v1/dataset shows which extract you are getting.
-
OpenAPI 3.1
The whole API is described in an open OpenAPI file. Generate a client in your language, or import it into Postman.
-
Versioned and dated
The API lives under /v1. Changes are in a dated changelog, which is also an Atom feed.
-
Safe keys
API keys are shown once and stored only as a hash. You can turn on two-factor authentication for your account.
-
Open operations
A public status page for the API, sign-in and the weekly import.
From account to first response in five minutes
Quickstart-
Create an account
With your email. Confirm it through the link we send. You need no card.
-
Make an API key
In the console, with one click. The free plan applies from the start.
-
Call the API
Send the key in the X-Api-Key header. Move to a paid plan when you need more requests.
Who uses it
Examples of work where a lookup saves typing.
-
Car dealers
The customer or the salesperson types the plate. Your system fetches make, model, variant, color, first registration, latest inspection and equipment, and fills in the rest.
Vehicle data for car dealers and listings → -
Workshops
When a customer books with their plate, your software fetches engine, displacement, power, euro standard and latest inspection. The mechanic has the car on screen.
Vehicle data for workshop software → -
Fleets and leasing
Run your plates against the API after each new extract. You see status, latest inspection, weights and usage for each vehicle, without copying anything by hand.
Master data for fleets and leasing → -
Insurance
The customer types their plate, and your calculator gets kind, usage, weight, power and model year straight from the register's extract. The data holds no personal data.
Vehicle data for insurance pricing →
Where the data comes from
Motorbay is built on Motorstyrelsen's public statistics extract from the Danish Motor Register (DMR). We load a new extract about once a week.
When Motorstyrelsen puts out a new extract, we import it automatically, and every response says which extract it comes from. We correct and fill in no values, so you get the register's own data.
The data is about the vehicle, not about people, so a lookup involves no processing of personal data.
The dataset
- Source
- Motorstyrelsen's statistics extract
- Scope
- About 13 million vehicles, including deregistered ones
- Updated
- About once a week
- Latest extract
- Contents
- Technical data, engine, environment, inspection and equipment
Pricing
A set price per month with requests included, then a set price per request. 1,000 requests a month are free, with no card.
Starter
For small products
€13 per month, no VAT
- Included requests
- 5,000
- Then per request
- €0.0027
Pro
For most businesses
€53 per month, no VAT
- Included requests
- 25,000
- Then per request
- €0.0013
Business
For high volume and whole fleets
€199 per month, no VAT
- Included requests
- 150,000
- Then per request
- €0.0007
Enterprise
Price, included requests and price per request by agreement. For large volumes or special needs.
Questions and answers
What do I get for free?
When you create an account you get 1,000 requests every month, with no payment and no card. When they are used, the API answers with an error until the next month starts or until you choose a paid plan. The free plan never sends you a bill.
How fresh is the data?
As fresh as Motorstyrelsen's latest extract. It comes about once a week, and we import it automatically. The data is not real-time: a change in the register arrives with the next extract. The Motorbay-Data-As-Of header and GET /v1/dataset show which extract you get.
Can I look up a car's owner?
No, the API is about the vehicle, not the owner. You get technical data, status, the latest inspection and equipment, and because there is no personal data, data protection is simple.
Which vehicles are included?
Every vehicle in Motorstyrelsen's statistics extract, about 13 million, including deregistered, scrapped and exported ones. Cars, vans, trucks, motorcycles, trailers and other kinds.
How many requests can I send?
60 a minute per API key. Go over and the API answers 429 with the code RateLimitExceeded, and the Retry-After header says how many seconds to wait. Your plan sets how many requests are included each month.
Can I cancel at any time?
Yes. You cancel from your account page, and the plan runs to the end of the period you paid for. Private individuals also have a 14-day right of withdrawal.
Where is the data?
The API, the databases and your account run on servers in the EU. The privacy policy names each provider and where they process data.
Make your first lookup today
Create an account, make an API key and send your first call. The quickstart takes about five minutes. Your first 1,000 requests every month are free, and you need no card.