Understanding whether your car has a full service history (FSH) is essential for protecting its value, supporting warranty claims and ensuring long-term reliability. Yet with records split across digital systems, garages and old paper invoices, many drivers aren’t sure whether their vehicle actually has a complete history — or only a partial one.

This guide explains how to check your car’s service history properly, what a full history should include, and what to do if you discover gaps.
And if your records are missing or unclear, CarServiceHistory.co.uk can recover them for you, rebuilding the most complete service history available in the UK.

1. What Counts as a Full Service History?

A car is considered to have full service history when:

✔ Every scheduled service is accounted for

Serviced at the correct intervals based on mileage or time.

✔ All entries are documented

Through digital records, stamped books or invoices.

✔ Both dealership and independent servicing are included

As long as they’re evidenced properly.

✔ Major maintenance and repairs are recorded

E.g., timing belt changes, brake fluid renewals, gearbox servicing.

✔ No unexplained gaps exist

Any missing year, missing invoice or missing digital entry can reduce it to partial history.

If your records tick all these boxes, you have FSH.
If not, CarServiceHistory.co.uk can identify and recover missing entries for you.

2. How to Check Whether Your Car Already Has Full Service History

Follow these steps to assess the completeness of your maintenance records.

Step 1 — Check the Service Book (If Applicable)

Older and some modern vehicles still come with a physical book.

Look for:

• Stamps from garages

• Service dates and mileage

• Dealer/garage details

• A consistent timeline

Any missing stamp or unusually large mileage gap indicates missing history.

If stamps are unclear or missing, we can contact the garages directly to verify the work.

Step 2 — Request Your Digital Service History from a Dealership

Many vehicles now use digital-only service records, including:

• Mercedes-Benz DSB

• BMW Digital Service History

• Audi Digital Service Schedule

• VW Group DSR

• Land Rover OSH

• Toyota Service Portal

Dealers can print or email part of your digital history.

But digital histories often contain gaps because:

• A garage forgot to upload

• An owner serviced the car independently

• Entries were uploaded incorrectly

• The car was serviced abroad

• The dealership changed ownership

If your digital history looks incomplete, CarServiceHistory.co.uk can fill in the missing pieces by contacting all relevant garages.

Step 3 — Review Your Invoices and Receipts

Independent garages do not upload to manufacturer systems unless authorised.
This means your servicing may exist, but only on paper.

Look for:

• Full invoices

• Repairs

• Job sheets

• Service descriptions

If you’re missing invoices — even from years ago — our team can contact those garages on your behalf.

Step 4 — Compare Servicing Intervals with MOT Mileage

Visit GOV.UK to check MOT history.

Look for:

• Mileage progression

• Advisory notes

• Years without servicing

• Sudden mileage jumps

If the mileage suggests services should have taken place, but you have no evidence, that’s a gap we can help confirm or recover.

3. Signs Your Car Does Not Have Full Service History

Your history is probably incomplete if:

• A stamped service book is missing

• There are long gaps between service dates

• Dealer digital history starts mid-way through ownership

• Only some invoices are present

• Services appear to be skipped

• The previous owner cannot provide records

• The car was serviced abroad and not transferred digitally

Fortunately, incomplete history doesn’t have to stay incomplete.
This is exactly what CarServiceHistory.co.uk specialises in.

4. Why Missing Service History Matters

A missing or partial history can:

• Lower the vehicle’s resale value

• Reduce buyer confidence

• Complicate warranty claims

• Make major repairs harder to assess

• Cause issues with mileage verification

Recovering missing history protects both the value and reliability of the vehicle.

5. How to Recover Missing or Incomplete Service History

This is where CarServiceHistory.co.uk provides a major advantage over checking alone.

We specialise in:

✔ Contacting dealerships

Retrieving digital service entries and past repair records.

✔ Contacting independent garages

Obtaining invoices, job sheets, technician notes and confirmations.

✔ Identifying and filling gaps

We investigate where missing servicing should exist and trace it.

✔ Reconstructing the full timeline

You receive a clear, comprehensive report with every available service.

✔ Providing documentation suitable for buyers and warranty providers

Our reports clearly outline confirmed records and missing-year evidence.

If your car’s history feels uncertain, our service gives you clarity — all for £24.99.

6. Full vs Partial Service History (FSH vs PSH)

If your records fall anywhere below FSH, a recovery service can dramatically improve the car’s documentation and future resale prospects.

Summary: How Do You Know If Your Car Has Full Service History?

You have full service history if:

• All scheduled intervals are documented

• Paper, digital and independent records align

• MOT mileage supports the timeline

• No gaps are visible

• Major maintenance is accounted for

If any part of your history is missing, unclear or incomplete, CarServiceHistory.co.uk can recover and reconstruct it for you — giving you the most complete picture of your vehicle’s maintenance.