There are many reasons why you’d want to check if a vehicle has a lien. If you bought the car, you should be able to find out if there is a lien. Unfortunately, if you’re not the titleholder, you may have problems finding out the lien status of your vehicle.
A lien is a legal claim on property or assets to ensure payment of an amount owed. With vehicles, this means that if someone has borrowed money from a bank or other lender to purchase their car, truck, or motorcycle, that lender will place a lien on the title until the debt is paid in full. Liens on vehicle titles are very common and can only be removed by submission of a vehicle lien release from the lienholder.
It’s difficult to check the lien status of a vehicle because liens are considered private banking information. The DMV is not supposed to give out this information to anyone other than the titleholder. This does not mean that you cannot get this information at all, but it does mean that it won’t be easy.
If you have access to the old title, check the front of the document for the lienholder’s name. If the vehicle has a lien, the lienholder will be listed as the owner or one of the owners on the front of the certificate of title.
Technically, they’re not supposed to give out any lien information. However, if you come prepared, you may be able to get the information you need. When going to the DMV, bring all supporting ownership documents such as a bill of sale or other documents. You’ll need to provide your DMV agent with a valid reason for requesting this information. Similarly, you can also submit a motor vehicle record request with your local DMV to obtain prior title information. It’s very unlikely that they will give you the amount of the lien, but they may be able to provide you with the name of the lienholder.
Once you’ve determined the lienholder by looking at the title or information from the DMV, you can begin the vehicle lien release process.
A lienholder is the only authorized agent to release a lien from the title. Research the address of your lienholder along with any other address locations you can find. By certified mail, send the lienholder the state’s lien release request form along with a letter of non-interest. A letter of non-interest is a document that states the lienholder no longer has any interest in pursuing the unpaid loan amount on the vehicle and can be sufficient to release the lien. It is important to start as early as possible, as sending incomplete documents may result in either a delay or denial of your request. Make sure that all portions of the forms are completed in their entirety and notarized if needed. The lienholder is more likely to return the forms quickly and without issue, if you provide them with the already completed forms only in need of a signature.
It’s important to find out if your vehicle has a lien on it, especially if you were not the original borrower. It may be difficult to find lien information, but the tips in this article will help you find success. If it’s your car, you deserve a clear title in your name.
A barn find is a great way to find a vehicle that has been discontinued. It could also be something you have found in the attic or basement of an older relative. A valuable barn find vehicle can be really exciting but may be difficult to title. If you are looking to apply for the title to your barn find yourself, here are some tips to help get you started.
A barn find is a vehicle that has been sitting in a barn or storage for some period of time. Many times these vehicles are not running and usually are not in good condition. The best way to get a title for a barn find vehicle is to locate the prior owner and have them sign over the title. However, if the vehicle has been in a barn or storage for decades, assuming you can locate the prior owner and the title may be a stretch.
If you are able to find the prior owner, ask them if they are willing to obtain a duplicate title. If they are, follow the duplicate title process for your state. Often this involves having the owner sign an application, which can often be found online on each state’s DMV website. Due to the age of the vehicle, some states may also require an odometer reading and a VIN inspection from a certified mechanic or someone from law enforcement who is authorized to perform such inspections.
It may be tough to get a duplicate, even if the prior owner is still living and has the old title. If the vehicle is abandoned for decades, it’s possible that the title has been erased. Oftentimes DMVs will purge their systems after 10-15 years of inactivity. The title could be lost after being left in a barn for decades. If you can’t track down any paperwork, try submitting a motor vehicle record request to your local DMV to see if they can retrieve the records. They may ask you to fill out some forms and submit an affidavit describing how the vehicle came into your possession.
In certain cases, you may be able to obtain a title for your barn find vehicle through the court system. To file for a court-ordered title, you must visit the county court in the county where you reside and file a case against the vehicle to ask the judge to grant you ownership of the vehicle. Once ownership is granted, you can take the court order to the DMV in exchange for a title.
A court-ordered title process isn’t an easy process, but it’s a very effective process. If you choose to pursue a court-ordered title, make sure to be aware of the laws in your county. Every county has a different procedure for a court-ordered title. For more information, check out our article The Court Ordered Title Process Explained.
If you want to keep a barn find vehicle and get a title for it in your name, do not say it’s an abandoned vehicle. In many cases, the designation of an abandoned vehicle will result in the towing and disposal of the vehicle. Most of the time you will not get to keep and title a vehicle that is considered abandoned.
However, this is possibly not the case in the state of Alaska. If you have a barn find vehicle on private property, Alaska is one of the few states that allows some abandoned vehicles to be titled. For more information, check out our article How To Title An Abandoned Vehicle In Alaska.
You don’t have to struggle with getting a title for your barn find vehicle. Be prepared with the steps that you will take and how to prepare your vehicle. Do your research and ensure that you’re having it correctly inspected, depending on the state you live in. If you try to be diligent with these things, then you should be well on your way to getting a title for that valuable classic car.
Selling a vehicle is simple, but it’s also a legal transfer of an asset. If you’re selling a vehicle, it’s important to know how to properly transfer the title. Knowing how to properly transfer the vehicle title is important when it comes to protecting your self, as well as your vehicle’s next owner.
In most states, it’s illegal to sell or transfer ownership of a car without having a title that proves the seller is the legal owner of the vehicle. Selling a car without a title is considered fraud and can result in heavy fines and penalties. If you’re found guilty of selling a vehicle without a title, you may face jail time and hefty fines.
To avoid running afoul of local laws, make sure to get a title before selling your vehicle. The steps for getting a title for your car vary by state. However, you’ll need to apply for a duplicate title if the old one is lost or damaged. The only valid title is the original and undamaged certificate of title.
When applying for a duplicate title, you’ll likely need to provide proof of identity and insurance as well as other documentation depending on your state’s laws as well as pay a fee. Only the last titled owner of the vehicle is eligible to obtain a duplicate title. If you were not the last titled owner, you may need to obtain a title through a different method of title recovery. For more information, check out our article Lost Title? Here’s How to Replace Your Car Title.
Go to the DMV with your buyer when they transfer the title. If they don’t switch it over right away, it could create problems for you later because you’re still the legally titled owner. Your name and address are on that title and now that’s information they have access to. They may commit a crime in the vehicle and leave it, if your name is connected to the VIN, you’re going to be questioned. Or maybe they rack up traffic tickets that end up being attached to your license because you’re still the owner of the vehicle.
If you have a lien on your vehicle, you must get a vehicle lien release prior to transferring the title. If you have a lien on the title, you are not the title holder and are not authorized to transfer ownership. Selling a vehicle with a lien will create problems for the buyer. For more information, check out our article What Is A Vehicle Lien Release & How To Get One.
When selling a vehicle, take a photocopy of the title signed over and a copy of the buyer’s identification. You cannot use this to get a title in the future; only the original title is valid for this purpose. However, having made a photocopy, you have evidence that at some point you sold the vehicle, even though you are still shown as the titleholder.
To prove that the transaction took place, you’ll need to provide the seller with a bill of sale. The bill of sale is absolutely necessary, but it’s only a receipt and is not enough evidence to obtain a title on its own. For more tips, check out our article How to Write a Bill of Sale.
This occurs more frequently than you may think. Oftentimes the primary vehicle driver and the vehicle titleholder are not the same people, they may be a family member or spouse. Make sure that the person signing the title transfer is the prior owner. If there is more than one name listed on the title, everyone must sign the title transfer. The only person authorized to transfer ownership of the vehicle is the person or people listed on the title.
Selling a vehicle is a simple process, but it’s also a legal process, it’s a legal transfer of assets. You should make all efforts to make sure the title transfer is done correctly so it doesn’t come back to haunt you or cause problems for your buyer down the road.
A VIN (vehicle identification number) is a specific 17-character string of alphanumeric code that uniquely identifies a specific vehicle. Every car has its own VIN, no two cars are exactly alike. The VIN is assigned to the vehicle when it’s built. Checking the VIN can help you find out a lot about the vehicle, such as accident reports, safety recalls, salvage reports, stolen reports, and much more. The VIN is usually stamped on a metal tag and is often located on the driver’s side of the dash panel or the door jamb, or under the hood.
The VIN on most vehicles consists of 17 characters, but some vehicles manufactured in 1981 or earlier have a shorter VIN. The shorter VIN was to be phased out by 1982, but the regulation made an exception for vehicles manufactured before 1981. This allows those vehicles to be titled along with certain other vehicles with varying VIN lengths—such as certain import vehicles.
The first three characters of your vehicle identification number will tell you where the vehicle was made and in what country it was registered. The next five digits indicate the vehicle’s make, model, type of engine, transmission type, and other technical specifications. The next three digits contain the vehicle’s security digit, model year, and the assembly plant. The last six digits are your vehicle’s serial number, identifying your vehicle by trim and other specifications.
It’s important to note that even if the vehicle seems to be in working condition, some VINs are ineligible to be issued a title.
It’s not a title problem, it’s a VIN problem. The National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) is a federal database that contains information about every vehicle that is ineligible for a title. Once a VIN is registered with the NMVTIS, the vehicle cannot legally be titled by any state. To enter the NMVTIS database, a vehicle dismantler or similar entity must deem the vehicle as junk and report the VIN to the NMVTIS. Similarly, if a vehicle was considered a total loss in an accident by an insurance company, that company can issue a junk or salvage brand on the title to be entered into the NMVTIS database.
Vehicles that have their VIN documented in the NMVTIS database are done so because they’ve been deemed unsafe or inoperable for road use. Unfortunately, you can’t tell if a VIN is in the NMVTIS or not just by looking at it.
A VIN check is a quick and simple process that can help you save thousands of dollars on a vehicle. There are many sites available on the Internet that provide this service for free; all you need to do is type in your VIN and the site will pull information directly from the NMVTIS database. It’s crucial to check your VIN before buying because if your VIN shows up in the NMVTIS database, you can not get a title for that vehicle. To conduct a VIN check, visit the NMVTIS website for a list of approved NMVTIS data providers for both commercial and public customers.
A vehicle identification number, or VIN, is a helpful tool for decoding and understanding more about specific components of your car. When purchasing a new or used car, it helps to know what the various components represent. Once you decode the vehicle identification number and enter it into the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System, you can be confident that you are purchasing a vehicle in good condition.
Vehicles are an essential part of life that take us everywhere we need to go, whether it may be school, work, the beach, or soccer practice. However, there are many factors to take into consideration before purchasing a vehicle. While they may seem simple and straightforward, there are a number of things to keep in mind such as pricing, dealership reviews, and vehicle reviews. Ideally, you should be aware of all of these factors when deciding on what vehicle you should buy, but there are 5 additional overlooked tips that can help you when deciding on your next vehicle.
If you plan to keep your vehicle for a long time, you may want to consider if this is the last model of the vehicle before a major upgrade. Your resale value may diminish by the new upgraded model. Many manufacturers are moving toward electric vehicles, will your vehicle be relevant in technology within the next few years?
Insurance for some vehicles may be higher due to parts. Some vehicle parts cost excessively more than other manufacturers. Most of the cost has to do with the repair expenses of vehicles. If the parts are hard to find or more expensive, your insurance will be more expensive. Sometimes certain trim levels will even have higher rates.
When you go to a dealership to buy a used car, make sure they have the title ready. If they don’t have the title on hand, it can be difficult to get it transferred into your name. Many dealers purchase vehicles at auctions and lienholders. If the title is lost or damaged, the dealer can’t apply for a duplicate title because the title was never in their name, they are simply the broker.
If you can get eyes on the title, look at the prior owner. Where did the title come from? Was it used as a company car, an individual, a bank, or a rental car company? The value and the condition of the vehicle are highly determined by the prior owner if it is a used vehicle. For electric vehicles, higher heat negatively impacts electric vehicle battery life when compared to more temperate climates.
If there’s no record of the vehicle ever being reconditioned, it could be a red flag. Ask the dealer for their own records of the reconditioning of that vehicle. Every dealership does at least something to the vehicle prior to selling it, even if it’s just cosmetic. Ask them to give you a printed copy of the repair estimate to see what they did. If they did a lot of work to it, it obviously needed a lot of work which could be a red flag depending on the year and mileage.
Ensure you go through everything before buying a vehicle. You may be under pressure to buy a vehicle now but don’t fall for the pushy sales tactics. Look at a range of vehicles to get the best reliable and well-made option. By using your best judgment and these five tips, you can feel prepared to take the next step toward vehicle ownership.
Tell us about your vehicle and we'll direct you to a title recovery method that matches your scenario.
"*" indicates required fields
