How To Look Up a Car Title By VIN

It’s a common request to look up a car title to see if it’s clean, salvaged or junked. Running a vehicle record report to check the title of a car is a simple process if you know the 17 digit VIN, then it’s just a matter of finding a reliable resource to use. There are a multitude of online vehicle record websites that offer vehicle history reports but you might want to double check which resources will check the car title status. Once you have verified the vehicle record resource offers this feature then simply enter the full VIN into the search fields, and make sure to double check each character as one misspelling or digit wrong will show you information for the wrong car. It’s also important to note that all legitimate vehicle history reports will cost a few bucks so be prepared to pay a nominal fee per vehicle that you’re going to run a report on. Once you receive your VIN report you should double check the make and model match the description and then move on to the car title status part. There are a few different title classifications such as clean, salvaged or junked. If you see that the title is clean then you are good to go, but if it says something else then you may want to re-think your used car purchase.

Buying a Car With a Salvaged Title

Doing your research is very important when buying a used car since it can change everything if the car title is salvaged or junked and you are not made aware of it. Once you’ve run a vehicle history report and find out the car has a salvaged title can kill the deal. This means there was something majorly wrong with the vehicle such as it being in a major accident and it was deemed unsafe to drive. There may be some major mechanical issues or worse, some safety issues you might not be aware of. Typically this occurs once an insurance company deems the car is a total loss. What a lot of experts say in this case is to avoid purchasing a used car with a salvaged title unless you are handy with the wrench, and you are willing to chance expensive repairs. The old adage, “If it seems like too good of a deal to be real, the maybe it is,” is something to consider.  That said, if you run a vehicle history report with the vehicle’s VIN number and also have a mechanic perform a cursory examination of the used car, you can verify there are no major or obvious issues. This process may cost a few bucks but it can save you a lot of headache down the road.

Buying a Car With a Junked Title

People typically buy cars with junk titles to part out or for it’s scrap value. It’s typically pretty obvious when a car has been junked since it typically has no value as it cannot be repaired to be road worthy and registered by the DMV. The only time someone may want to repair a junked car to drive on the road is if it were a classic or vintage car that will be totally rebuilt. If you’re in the market to buy a car with a junked title, make sure that you do your homework first. It’s also important to note that depending on where you live, storing a junked car can be costly and they’re not allowed to be on any public roads. That being said, buying parts off a junk car can save you a lot of coin if you’re trying to do some automotive repairs yourself.

How To Transfer A Car Title

In order to easily transfer a car title to yourself you’ll need to have the original title from the seller of the vehicle, fill out the car title transfer form on the back of the title and enter the sales amount, odometer reading and their address and signature. You might want to verify their driver’s license as well to make sure you’re buying a used car legitimately and the seller is the owner of the vehicle. There is a lot of fraud out there so it’s a good idea to verify before you buy. Then you will, the buyer, will fill out your information on the back of the title and sign and date it as well. There is also a “release of liability” part of the title that the previous owner must submit to alleviate their liability of the vehicle they just sold you. Once you have that part of the transfer process you can take that and your bill of sale, if you have one, to the DMV to transfer the vehicle over to you. You will need to also verify your identity and pay the relevant taxes on your purchase to the DMV before they will issue a new car title and registration in your name. Now, if you did not receive a title upon the purchase of the car then you will need to have some documentation to provide the motor vehicle department in order for them to verify your purchase of a used car was legitimate. That means you should bring in any documentation that you have to confirm your purchase to the motor vehicle department. You may also be require to sign an affidavit for your title transfer if you don’t have the original on hand.