The bonded title process is an extremely valuable alternative to traditional vehicle titling that can be used in most states. If you are looking to title your vehicle, but find that you are missing the prior title or other evidence of ownership, you may be able to obtain a vehicle title using the bonded title process. In a bonded title process, the applicant is required to obtain a title bond for the vehicle. How does the bonded title process work and where do you get a title bond?
A bonded title is an alternative method of title recovery that required the issuance of a title bond to secure the vehicle title. A bonded title is typically required when the owner of a vehicle does not have sufficient evidence of ownership needed to apply for a new title. Once a bonded title is issued, the title will be stamped BONDED in big letters. However, this is not a permanent title brand. This bonded title brand typically only lasts 3-5 years depending on your state. Once the 3-5 year time period has passed, you can apply for a clean title as long as there are no other clouds on the current title.
A title bond, also known as a motor vehicle title bond, is a type of surety bond that is issued as an insurance policy to secure the claim of vehicle ownership. The DMV in your state will require a title bond to be issued because essentially they are taking your word as the owner and to prevent their liability in the event of ownership discrepancy being discovered after the title is issued.
Each state will have different requirements for the value of your title bond. Many states require the bond value to be 1.5x the value of the vehicle. However, that’s not to say that if your vehicle is worth $10,000 that you have to pay $15,000 to get your title. When purchasing a title bond, you will only be required to pay a portion of the value to secure the bond. Typically, a bond will cost about $100-$150 for most moderately valued vehicles. You won’t be required to pay the full cost of the bond unless there is an ownership discrepancy found after the bonded title is issued. Title bonds can be purchased from any licensed bonding company or insurance company.
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Delaware, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia, and West Virginia.
If you live in one of these states, but would still like to pursue a bonded title process, you may be eligible to obtain an out-of-state bonded title from Vermont. You do not have to be a resident of Vermont to qualify, but the vehicle has to be at least 15 years old or older. Before pursuing this option, make sure that your state will accept this title as evidence of ownership for transfer.
In states that accept the bonded title process, make sure that your vehicle qualifies. Many states, although they accept the process, will have certain requirements such as the vehicle must be over a certain model year. In addition, make sure you are purchasing the correct value of the bond. Title bonds are NOT refundable and should only be purchased if eligibility is met for a bonded title.
Remember, the bonded title process isn’t as streamlined as the traditional title transfer process. Check your state’s process to make sure you have all of the correct paperwork, inspections, and documentation completed prior to your application.
A vehicle history report isn’t required for a bonded title or a title bond, but is a good idea to do before starting the process, especially if you’ve recently purchased the vehicle. A vehicle history report through one of the NMVTIS-approved providers can tell you if your vehicle has been branded as salvage, has an accident history, has ever been reported stolen, sold at auction, etc. This is important because if a vehicle has ever been branded salvage, junk, parts-only, nonrepairable, or any other permanent title brand, they are NOT eligible for a bonded title or any vehicle title other than the current brand.
When submitting your application, you may be required to pay sales tax and a fee for your state title application. Review your state’s fees prior to submission to ensure all applicable fees and taxes are paid on time.
Having a title brand may seem less than ideal, but a bonded title brand is nothing to be concerned about. Important documents are lost and damaged all of the time, it’s not uncommon for this to also happen to a vehicle title.
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Order Vermont Title LoopholeOrder Deceased Owner Title TransferOrder Bonded Title ProcessOrder Abandoned Vehicle ProcessOrder Prior Owner ContactOrder Lien Release Request LetterPGlmcmFtZSBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vYXBwLmFjdWl0eXNjaGVkdWxpbmcuY29tL3NjaGVkdWxlLnBocD9vd25lcj0xOTQ4ODEyNiZhcHBvaW50bWVudFR5cGU9MjMwNjY0MTAiIHRpdGxlPSJTY2hlZHVsZSBBcHBvaW50bWVudCIgd2lkdGg9IjEwMCUiIGhlaWdodD0iODAwIiBmcmFtZUJvcmRlcj0iMCI+PC9pZnJhbWU+PHNjcmlwdCBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vZW1iZWQuYWN1aXR5c2NoZWR1bGluZy5jb20vanMvZW1iZWQuanMiIHR5cGU9InRleHQvamF2YXNjcmlwdCI+PC9zY3JpcHQ+
The manufacturer’s statement of origin (MSO), also known as the manufacturer’s certificate of origin (MCO) is the original document from the manufacturer that states the VIN and other vehicle specifications. You can think of the MSO as the vehicle’s “birth certificate”.
The MSO will identify the vehicle’s model year, color, optional equipment, and other important information about your car. It also includes an odometer statement that shows mileage at the time of shipment from the factory to the dealer (or first retail buyer).
The MSO and the certificate of title are not the same documents. Think of the MSO as the birth certificate of the vehicle. The MSO is issued first before a title is issued to the retail buyer. The certificate of title is issued to the owner when ownership is applied for through the DMV.
When you buy a new vehicle, the dealer is supposed to give you the MSO. If you didn’t receive the MSO from the dealer, or it’s been lost, contact the dealer to reissue the document.
If you are applying for a new title using your MSO as proof of ownership, the application process is typically straightforward since you are the first-ever owner of this vehicle. To get a title for a new vehicle using your MSO, apply using your state’s title application and present your MSO as proof of ownership along with the proper identification, fees, and additional required documents. Depending on your state and vehicle, additional steps may be required by your state’s DMV agency.
What happens when the buyer of your car doesn’t transfer the title? This is a common scenario that carries a handful of risks. In this article, we’ll explain the risks for both seller and buyer when the car title isn’t transferred immediately after purchase.
When you sell a car, you assume that you are no longer liable for the car because it is no longer in your possession. However, this is not true. The title record of the car is not officially transferred to the buyer’s name until the title is transferred through your state’s DMV agency.
The title record is associated with you, as the seller and owner, by the vehicle’s VIN. If the car is involved with a traffic infraction, parking ticket, accident, or any other type of liability and the car title isn’t transferred to the new buyer’s name, you are still considered liable for the consequences.
While you can’t force the buyer to transfer the car title in a timely manner, there are steps you can take to prevent continuous liability for the vehicle. Within 30 days of the sale, notify your state’s DMV agency. Each state has a method to disclaim ownership of a vehicle you’ve sold, for example, see Texas’s Motor Vehicle Transfer Notification form. Completing this form, either online, by mail, or in person, will help avoid liability for civil and criminal acts associated with the vehicle.
As the buyer of the car, it’s crucial to transfer the car title into your name as soon as possible. Until your name is on the title, you are not the legal owner of the vehicle.
By holding onto the title for an extended amount of time, the probability of the title certificate being lost or misplaced increases substantially. If you lose the title before you can transfer it into your name, you’ll either have to have the prior owner obtain a duplicate title for you, or you’ll have to pursue another form of title recovery. This may sound easy, but oftentimes sellers are very unlikely to assist after the transaction has been completed.
If the seller is going through a divorce, bankruptcy, or a creditor has a claim against them, the creditor is going to look for high-value assets such as vehicles and real estate. If the vehicle comes back as still listed in the seller’s name, the creditor can legally claim your vehicle to repay the seller’s debts.
If there’s a situation where the car has to be towed or impounded, without your name on the certificate of title, you cannot prove your ownership and likely won’t be able to recover the car. In any situation where you’re required to show proof of ownership for the car, you are only considered the owner if the title has been officially transferred to your name. Simply showing a car title with someone else’s name on it, but signed over to you is not valid proof of ownership.
The main takeaway here is that when you purchase a vehicle, you need to complete the transfer of the car title. If you sold a car and the buyer still hasn’t transferred the title, you should notify your state’s DMV agency to avoid future risks and liabilities.
If your vehicle was last titled in Florida and the certificate of title is lost, damaged, or stolen, you may be eligible to get a Florida duplicate title. This article will explain how to apply for a duplicate title in Florida, provide a link to download the official application form, and include information about fees and state requirements.
If your vehicle was last titled in Florida and you were the last recorded owner on the title record, you are eligible to apply for a Florida duplicate title. To obtain a title for a vehicle where you were not the last titled owner, consider an alternative method of title recovery.
When applying for a Florida duplicate title, there are three types of duplicate titles that can be requested:
This application is designated for lost, stolen, or damaged titles. If damaged, the original damaged certificate of title must be submitted. If lost or stolen, an indication of this is required.
This application is designated for titles that have been lost in mailing. No fee will be required if the application is made within 180 days of the last title issuance date.
This application is designated for titles that will be immediately transferred to another owner upon issuance. Both parties must be present for this application and photo IDs are required.
Step 1: Complete the Application for Duplicate or Lost in Transit/Reassignment for a Motor Vehicle, Mobile Home, or Vessel Title Certificate (HSMV 82101). Complete this form in its entirety, falsification or misrepresentation of facts is considered a crime.
Download Florida Duplicate Title Application (HSMV 82101)
Step 2: Gather the necessary documents and fees:
Fees for tax and title
Florida duplicate titles are issued electronically unless otherwise specified. The duplicate title issuance fee is $75.25. If you’d prefer your title printed rather than delivered electronically, there is an additional $2.50 printing fee.
Step 3: Locate the closest county tax collector’s office to your location. Florida duplicate title applications can be mailed or brought to the county tax collector’s office in person. Submit the documents and fees from Step 2 to the county tax collector. Within 5 days of submission, a duplicate title will be issued and mailed to you. Original titles located after the duplicate has been issued will void the original title.
A Florida duplicate title is a great option to replace a lost, stolen, or damaged title. The vehicle title is the most significant document for your vehicle, and it’s important to have a current and valid vehicle title at all times. If it’s your car, you deserve a title in your name.
Title jumping is a federal crime in most US states, and having a jumped title can make it nearly impossible to sell the vehicle, or transfer ownership. If you purchase a vehicle with a jumped title, you may be left with incurred expenses from the previous owner or may end up with a vehicle title that is completely void. In both cases, your time and money have been wasted. In this article, we’ll discuss examples of title jumping and how you can avoid getting a jumped title.
Title jumping occurs when someone transfers ownership of their vehicle to another person by way of fraudulent means. This can include selling the vehicle without transferring ownership or selling the vehicle to someone who cannot legally register it in their name. Title jumping is also known as a jumped title, skipped title, and floating title.
Title jumping can be intentional or unintentional. Unfortunately, regardless of the intention behind it, title jumping is still a federal offense in most states.
For example:
You sold your car to your neighbor and signed over the title to their name. Your neighbor, the new owner, decides to sell the vehicle before officially transferring ownership into their name. By receiving the title signed over to their name, they are the intended legal owner and are obligated to complete the process at the DMV. By selling the vehicle before completing the title transfer and giving the title documents to the new owner with the incorrect transfer name, title jumping has been committed.
The fines associated with title jumping vary by state. As stated above, title jumping is a serious offense that is considered a felony in most states. The penalties for title jumping are often financial penalties and possible jail time for both the buyer and seller.
Overall, title jumping is a very serious and costly problem. If you have purchased a car without a title, you may be at risk of having a jumped title. By carefully inspecting your vehicle before purchasing it you can identify if it has a fraudulent title history or not, along with finding other important safety features about the vehicle that could save you money in the long run.
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