So how do you get a duplicate title that’s been lost for your vehicle in the state of Michigan?
Online FormMichigan has an online form that you can fill out on the computer without having to print anything out. It’s sent to the Secretary of State, and the SOS (Secretary of State) Office will process it within a week or two.
Fee and Transfer OptionIt’s a fifteen dollar fee for that duplicate title. You can also transfer the vehicle on that document at the same time as you request a duplicate.
Notarization and VerificationNotarization is not required on that form as long as you’re the legal owner. And when you do it online, they’ll send you an e-mail verification to let you know that they’ve received it and they’re processing it.
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This is Dave at Consumers Title. Today we’re going to talk about illegal car titles. When you fill out a form or present a form to the DMV for an application for a duplicate title or any other type of transfer, those forms are implied that the statements are correct. In some cases, it’s under oath either by a signature or by statute. That means that what you’re saying you’re guaranteed to be under oath, and there’s penalties for perjury. Sometimes it’s a criminal fine, sometimes they’re civil fines.
Consequences of Incorrect StatementsThe worst-case scenario is that a criminal fine could have long-standing impacts on your personal life. Best-case scenario is the invalid title that’s issued could be revoked if the statements are incorrect. The DMVs do regular audits of paperwork to match up patterns.
Common Examples of Fraudulent TitlesHere are the common examples of where titles are issued fraudulently or through incorrect representations. One is mechanic’s liens. Mechanic’s lien is a legitimate process for certain types of professional companies to get a title: towing companies, repair companies, body shops, storage companies. But in order to have that mechanically and be valid, there has to be a certain process where that vehicle got to the mechanic, had to be legitimately presented to that garage for repairs by the owner, and then the owner didn’t pay for them. If it’s just used for somebody who bought a car that lost the title to get a title, that’s an illegal title.
Skip TitlesThe next example is skip titles, where ownership has been jumped from one to another without proper documentation. Many states are cracking down and revoking titles and issuing tax penalties because of skipped or jumped titles where owners don’t recognize their name on the title.
Abandoned Car ProcessAbandoned car process is another one. Abandoned car title is a legitimate process in some states to get a title of a car that was legitimately abandoned. It’s not designed to get a title for somebody who lost their title, and if the representations are made otherwise, that could be an illegal title.
Salvage TitlesSalvage titles are where a prior repair or damage occurred, and it’s got a stamp on it. Sometimes an individual wants to undo that Salvage title or turn it into some other title brand. Even an attempt to do these things in some cases is a crime, whether you do it or a title agent does it on your behalf under a power of attorney.
ConclusionAn illegal title can have serious consequences for the person who applies for it or even the person who obtains the title at a later date.
So what is a vehicle certificate of origin? If you’ve seen one, it looks like a title. It has the vehicle identification number on it, but it’s not a title. It doesn’t show ownership to a retail buyer.
Purpose of the CertificateIt demonstrates that the car was manufactured by some factory. In some cases, it’s called an MSO, manufacturer’s statement of origin, instead of a certificate of origin. It’s created by the manufacturer, Chevy, Ford, Honda, Toyota, whoever it is, and it shows that that vehicle was created.
Comparison to a Birth CertificateIt is like a birth certificate. It originates the VIN number. It’s prior to titling to an individual person. It’s even prior to titling to a dealership.
Transfer and TitlingIt may be assigned to a dealership, but it doesn’t have to stay there. Another dealership could take it over; they could trade cars and then sell it to a retail buyer.
Establishing TitleIf your car has never been titled, you need to go back to the certificate of origin in order to get that origin established and then title it in your name.
Title Replacement in ConnecticutToday we’re going to talk about some of the details for title replacement in the state of Connecticut. Connecticut has a form which allows for a duplicate title to be combined with a transfer of ownership. So if you’re purchasing a vehicle or have purchased a vehicle and the prior owner doesn’t have the title, they can actually request a duplicate to be issued in your name at the same time. That’s a form H-6B. So that’s a good thing in Connecticut; you can do two things simultaneously.
Lien Release for VehiclesIf you have a vehicle that has had a lien on it, you need a lien release. If the vehicle is more than ten years old or the lien is more than ten years old, you can use an H-115 form to release that lien. That way, you don’t have to have a specific document from the lien holder.
Transferring Ownership for Older VehiclesIf the car is more than ten years old, there doesn’t need to be a title. You can use a Q1 transfer form to transfer the ownership of the vehicle. In Connecticut, their DMV headquarters is in Wethersfield. That’s the best place to go; they’ll have the most comprehensive understanding of some of these rules.
Sales and Use Tax in ConnecticutIf you have a vehicle that has some missing documentation, be aware that Connecticut has a sales and use tax. So anytime a vehicle is transferred, there’s tax due. Jumping titles or skipping titles may be a way to avoid that tax, but it could catch up with you because Connecticut will audit those transfers to make sure they get their taxes.
This is Dave at cartitles.com. In order to get a title in your name, you may have availability to use the bonded title process.
Bonded Title ProcessWhat that entails is purchasing a bond, which is a form of insurance policy, from a private company, an insurance company, and then presenting that to the DMV. They’ll use that guarantee in order to issue you a title.
Documentation RequirementsBe aware that the bonding company will also require certain documents. They’re going to need to approve that scenario. If you do not have sufficient documentation or a scenario of how you got the vehicle, the bonding company doesn’t have to issue you that insurance policy. They can reject it just like the DMV can, so make sure you collect all the documentation you can prior to approaching that bonding company.
State SpecificsAlso be aware that it is state specific. Some states allow bonded titles, some don’t. If you get a bonded title in a state that allows it and then attempt to bring that vehicle to a state that doesn’t recognize a bonded title, you may have an issue.
Bond Stamp DurationAlso be aware that that bond stamp will remain on the title for a certain period of time. It may be three years or five years; depends on the state, depends on the year of the vehicle. So make sure if you need to do something like finance a vehicle or sell it where that bonding stamp could be an issue, that you take that into account.
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