App to Check a Gun Serial Number, IMEI or VIN
Updated October 7, 2026
SafeOrStolen is a free web app you add to your phone's home screen. Enter a gun serial number, a phone's IMEI, a VIN, a plate or any serial number, and in a few seconds it tells you if the item is reported stolen in the records it searches, with each source listed. It isn't in the App Store or Google Play. You install it straight from Safari or Chrome, and the first 2 checks are free.
How to install the app
It takes under a minute. There's nothing to download from a store, and the app updates itself whenever the site changes.
iPhone or iPad (Safari)
- Open safeorstolen.com/app in Safari. (Add to Home Screen works best from Safari.)
- Tap the Share button, the square with an arrow pointing up. On iPhone it sits in the bottom toolbar.
- Scroll down the share sheet and tap Add to Home Screen.
- Tap Add in the top right. The SafeOrStolen icon appears on your home screen.
Android (Chrome)
- Open safeorstolen.com/app in Chrome.
- If Chrome shows an install banner at the bottom, tap Install. If not, tap the three-dot menu in the top right.
- Tap Install app (on some phones it says Add to Home screen).
- Confirm with Install. The icon shows up with your other apps.
On a computer, Chrome and Edge show a small install icon at the right end of the address bar. Click it, then Install. Opened from the home screen, SafeOrStolen runs full screen without the browser's address bar.
What you can check from the app
The app runs the same checks as the website. Here's what each one searches.
| Item | Number you need | What gets searched |
|---|---|---|
| Gun | Serial on the frame or receiver | 242,839 police firearm theft and loss reports from 33 states and Washington, DC (filed through 2017; the years covered vary by state), live Ohio law-enforcement records, SafeOrStolen theft reports and public web results. Serials that look altered are flagged. |
| Phone | IMEI (dial *#06#) | Make and model from the IMEI, SafeOrStolen theft reports and public web results. The carrier lost/stolen blacklist check is a paid add-on. |
| Car, truck or motorcycle | VIN on the dashboard or door jamb | Year, make and model, open safety recalls, SafeOrStolen theft reports. Arizona VINs also go against Arizona law-enforcement stolen-vehicle records. |
| License plate | Plate number and state | SafeOrStolen theft reports; Arizona plates also against Arizona law-enforcement records. No owner names. |
| Bike | Serial under the bottom bracket | A national stolen-bicycle registry, SafeOrStolen theft reports and public web results. |
| Laptop, tool, camera, console | Serial on the label or nameplate | SafeOrStolen theft reports and public web results that mention the serial. |
Not searched: NCIC, ATF eTrace, DMV records, Activation Lock or Google account status, pawn or insurance databases. Every result says which sources were checked.
Scan instead of typing
Signed in, you can point the camera at a barcode, like the IMEI sticker on a phone box, instead of typing a long number. Gun serials and VINs stamped in metal are quicker to type.
Saved with the date
Each check is saved to your account with the date and time, so you can pull it up later if anyone asks whether you checked before you bought.
Certificate for the sale
Add a $1.99 verification certificate to a check, free for monthly members. It's a dated record with its own link showing you checked before the sale.
Using it at a meetup or gun show
- Before you go, ask the seller to text you the serial, IMEI or VIN, plus a photo of where it's stamped.
- Run the check at home on a good connection. If it comes back reported stolen, don't go.
- At the meetup, read the number off the item yourself and make sure it matches the photo. A scratched or ground-down serial is a reason to walk away.
- For a phone, have the seller sign out of their Apple ID or Google account and reset it while you watch.
- Keep the result in your account. If you're buying a gun privately, follow your state's transfer rules too; a clean check doesn't replace them.
Questions about the app
Is there an app to check if something is stolen?
Yes. SafeOrStolen (safeorstolen.com/app) is a free web app you add to your phone's home screen from Safari or Chrome, with no App Store or Google Play download. Type in a serial number, IMEI, VIN or plate and it tells you in a few seconds whether the item is reported stolen in the records it searched. The first 2 checks are free with an account.
Is there an app to check a gun serial number?
Yes. In the SafeOrStolen app, enter the serial number from the frame or receiver. It searches 242,839 police firearm theft and loss reports from 33 states and Washington, DC, live Ohio law-enforcement records, and SafeOrStolen theft reports, and flags serials that look altered. It does not search NCIC or ATF eTrace, which only police can use.
Is the SafeOrStolen app on the App Store or Google Play?
No. SafeOrStolen is an installable web app, not a store app. On iPhone, open safeorstolen.com/app in Safari, tap Share, then Add to Home Screen. On Android, open it in Chrome and tap Install app from the menu. Any app in the stores using the SafeOrStolen name isn't from SafeOrStolen.
Is the SafeOrStolen app free?
Installing it is free, and a free account includes 2 checks with no credit card. After that, a single check is $0.99, or $10 a month gets unlimited checks (with up to 20 phone blacklist checks a month). The monthly plan can be canceled anytime and has a 30-day refund.
Does the SafeOrStolen app work offline?
No. A check needs an internet connection, because it searches records online in the moment. At a meetup with weak signal, ask the seller to text you the serial, IMEI or VIN beforehand and run the check before you leave home. Your past checks are saved in your account.
Can I check an IMEI with the app?
Yes. Dial *#06# on the phone you're buying, or look in Settings > General > About on an iPhone, then enter the IMEI. You get the make and model and any SafeOrStolen theft reports. The carrier lost/stolen blacklist check is a paid add-on. The app can't see Activation Lock, so have the seller sign out of their Apple or Google account in front of you.