Bought a Car with No Vehicle Title

So what happens if you bought a car with no title? This is Dave at cartitles.com.

Seller’s Title Status
A seller will have a car that they don’t have the title for. What happens if you buy it? Well, the place to start is to find out why the seller did not have the title. Was the title just in their name and they lost it, or was the car never legally titled in their name, meaning that it was printed on the front of the title, their name, not that it was signed over to them, but legally issued to them? What did they tell you about that story? How does that match up with what you’re finding out about the vehicle?

Investigating Vehicle Records
Look for other records in the vehicle. Who is the title owner? An old registration, even things like service records, can help you. Did the seller show you their ID so you can verify who their identity actually is?

Importance of a Bill of Sale
More importantly, did you at least get a bill of sale? A bill of sale transferring the car over to you will at least be some documentation that you actually bought that car. It’s not enough to actually get a title from the DMV in most cases, but at least separate you from a person who just grabbed a car out of a parking lot.

Legal Documentation
Because you, without a bill of sale, are in exactly the same legally documented scenario as somebody who just snatched up a car off the street—you have nothing. So at least get a bill of sale, get ID from the seller, and depending upon the type of vehicle, there may be a “do-it-yourself” process that you can use for a title solution for that car.

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