How does one go about performing a title search for a car sold by a private seller (in the US)? I assume a search will reveal any liens against the title of the car, correct? Also, will a title search tell me if car is “salvaged” or the title is “rebuilt”? And, what exactly is a salvaged or rebuilt title? From Googling, it sounds like the car has been destroyed. Other than maybe cleaned up from a flood, it’s hard for me to picture how a car cam be “destroyed”. Do they mean totaled in an accident, and then rebuilt to a good appearance?
Thanks to all. We may have hit upon a car worth buying for our daughter to commute to college with peace of mind. Our fingers are crossed. We’ll know more very soon.
I think it varies from state to state, but often a “salvage” or “rebuilt” title is a car that was deemed totaled by an insurance company, sold to someone who repairs it and sells it. Not necessary junk. Just the insurance company didn’t want to pay more for repairs. Sometimes all it takes is having the airbags deploy to deem a car “totaled”.
I wouldn’t buy a car from a private party unless they had the title in hand. Unless they could show it to you, walk away. In my mind, anybody with a car without a title has a stolen car.
So, I don’t know how to do a title search. Last time I did that was almost 30 years ago. I seem to recall doing it at the DMV. They did a search for 5 nearby states and somehow a Tennessee title popped up (nowhere even close!). Then I went round and round with Murphresboro (spelling) to get a title. Giant hassle! (still own that truck, by the way!)
One doesn’t. Because cars often cross state lines when sold and there’s no national/interstate database along with the existence of title services that fabricate new ones, there’s no reliable way to search for a car’s title that you could trust. There’s also no need for it - if the seller doesn’t have the title, don’t buy the car; otherwise you’re just asking for trouble.
This doesn’t answer the OP, but I still feel compelled to share.
Eons ago, my husband bought a used car from a dealer who specialized in that particular line of vehicles. For several years, the dealer and our credit union went round and round about why they couldn’t get their hands on the title, and since we were able to register it and insure it and all, we figured it was some bureaucratic idiocy. After all, this was a long-time dealer in the are who had a good reputation. Or so we thought.
When my husband decided he wanted to trade that car in, he contacted our credit union one more time (this is probably 4 or 5 years after the original purchase) and that’s when we found out the reason they couldn’t get a clean title was that the dealer never paid off the lien on the vehicle when he took it in trade. Shortly after that, we found out the dealer went to jail for multiple accounts of doing the same thing. We did get a title and were rid of that car practically the next day.
And from then on, we asked to see the actual title before we completed any deal. Incidentally, all this happened before there was a Carfax - that might have saved us a lot of grief.
Thanks for the replies, and yes, I will be sure to get the Carfax, but…
Maybe I don’t understand how titles and liens work? I’m picturing a house where ANYONE can slap a lien on you for an unpaid bill. But with a car: It’s dawning on me as I write that I may have the wrong idea of a “clean title”? If someone can show me a title, I think you’re saying it is clean by de facto because its in their hands, correct? Perhaps I have the wrong idea of what a lien means (for cars)? It’s dawning on me that the lender holds the car’s title, so a lien in this case refers to car debt vs. liens against stationary property, like a home, where it seems anyone can slap you with a lien for unpaid bills.
Nonetheless, also, I recall (once upon a time) the dealer being very particular about HOW and WHERE one signs the title. It must be a DMV or legal thing. And, while I understand being picky about where to sign, I seem to recall the dealer wanting me to sign without spaces - first, middle, and last names - as all one word.
In short (I think I’m a little dense and inexperienced here), but I think you are saying if they have the title in hand, I should have no worries on this issue, true? Sorry for the confusion, but hopefully, the SD can help me unravel my confusion. And, last: why would the DMV be so picky about HOW to sign? (I can understand being picky on WHERE to sign.) Thanks again to all.
People lose their car titles all the time. For a small fee, you can get a duplicate car title from the state. For example, New York state or California.
So someone who owns a car without any liens on it can get a second copy of the title. Then they go to a title loan place and give one copy of the title to the lender to hold as security and then sell the car to you, giving you the other copy.
In fact, a lien doesn’t have to be involved. They can sell the same car to multiple people, giving them each a different copy.
As far as I know, the finance company hold the title till the loan is paid off. Once the loan is paid, they stamp it, or sign (whatever) and send it to you. So, generally, if you have the title in your hand, and the lien part has been signed over, you have a “clean” title.
Where I live, titles have different colors for clean, salvage, rebuilt titles. Also a clue.
As far as where to sign and all that… I suppose its to keep things straight. Wouldn’t want to have to get a duplicate because someone screwed it up.
Funny story: Someone signed on the wrong place on one of my car’s title. I went to DMV, car was inspected, went to register and get a title in my name. They said I needed to get it signed on such and such line. I said, “Damn! I really need to be driving this thing!”
“Oh, well, we can register it.”
“Okay, great!”
DMV saved me $25! (Yeah, I know, I’m asking for trouble, but I never sell anything. I’ll worry about it later)
A “title” is the ownership of a vehicle, as contained in the state’s records.
The state issues a “certificate of title” or “title certificate” confirming the ownership. But most people refer to this certificate simply as the “title.” Most references to a “title” in this thread actually refer to the certificate of title.
AFAIK, this doesn’t work so well. First, you have to attest that the original title has been lost or destroyed to get a copy. Second, only the latest copy can be used to transfer the title. That is, if you give the “loan place” anything but the latest copy of the title, when they go to register their lien, it gets kicked back by the state as not being the latest title. This will usually occur before you get any money for it.
If you try to sell the vehicle with a copy of the title, same thing happens when the buyer tries to get a new title. If you try to duck out and the buyer goes to authorities on it, you are now facing perjury charges in addition to theft.
Yeah, just because the seller has a “clean” title (ie, one that either has no liens or one whose liens have been cleared), doesn’t mean you are guaranteed everything is legit, but odds are a whole lot more than if they don’t have a clean title.
As Northern Piper’s post makes clear, there is no such thing as a title in Canada. When I moved here from the US, I had a title for my car, but when I sold it, no one was interested in it. A year ago I was seriously considering moving back (since all my kids are there) and I wondered what would happen if I tried to register a car that had no title. Does anyone know?
I suspect it would vary from state to state, but basically, you would have to import the vehicle from Canada. Presumably, you would have to produce registration documents to indicate that the vehicle is, in fact, your’s. You would need to contact the agency that takes care of automobile titles in the state you would want to get the title to find out specifics.
Anytime I’ve purchased a used car, boat, trailer from a private party, I’ve met them at a notary to transfer the title. If they do not have a title, I walk away from the purchase. There are plenty of used cars, boats, and trailers out there.
Interestingly, I’ve sold trailers that were absolute garbage but had a clean title. In Pennsylvania it’s “a thing” to buy a wrecked/garbage trailer with a title just to get a title, then use that title for another trailer that doesn’t have one. People who build their own trailer do this to obtain a title.
If the seller has the piece of paper in hand, and it looks genuine with fancy colored paper AND the title is from the state the vehicle is physically sitting in AND that’s the same state the car is registered in (ie. the license plate state), THEN you’re dealing with either a legit title or an unusually sophisticated thief. Thieves that sophisticated are very, very rare.
If the title is from one state, the plates from another, and the car & seller are in a third, that’s no guarantee of problems. But it ups the odds a bunch. As does you being from yet another state. If you’re naïve and not real good at government administration, best to play it safe & stick to all-one-state deals.
Every state is different, but the DMV of the state where the car is titled MAY be able to provide you info about liens. The only way to know is to first check their website thoroughly. Then if that’s no help go talk to them in person. In almost every state DMV I’ve ever dealt with the phone is pretty much useless. It won’t be answered by anyone that day and if it is they won’t know your answer.
Oddly enough, Florida is an exception. I have talked to them by phone a couple times and their central call center is knowledgeable, adequately staffed, and courteous. Here’s a shout-out to FL DHSMV: you rock!
Some states don’t issue titles on cars that are over 25 years old so things can get tricky if you buy a classic out of state. In some states, they require you to give them a wad of cash as escrow (the book value) in case someone shows up down the line with a legitimate claim on the vehicle. IL hemmed and hawed, took all the paperwork I had (notarized bill of sale) and gave me a new IL title after about two months. Some states have you run the VIN with the police and if the car/bike hasn’t been reported stolen in that state, call it good enough and issue you a new title.
Speaking of VINs, be sure that the VIN on the title matches the car.
I have had many instances of sellers trying to give me a “clean” title to a rig only to find that the VIN on the title did not match the VIN on the rig. If they do not match, do not buy.
Ouch. That’d be easy to miss, and (I imagine it can be) painful to resolve if the sales transaction was completed – especially if the seller meant ill will and intended to sell a car whose title was not clear. If so, you’d then be stuck with the title to a car that you don’t know where it is and in what condition it’s in, and it may be difficult to find. You’re also stuck with a car you don’t legally own.
It will tell you if the car has a salvage title, among other interesting things.
“Okay, great!”
(Yeah, I know, I’m asking for trouble, but I never sell anything. I’ll worry about it later)