Instantly Check for Liens & Salvage with Title Checks
Buying a used car is risky. Hidden problems like a lien or a hidden salvage title can turn your new car into a financial nightmare or a safety hazard. A basic Carfax report might miss critical data.
A Premium VIN Title Check gives you the definitive, legally-recognized status of a vehicle’s ownership. It’s the most important check you can run before handing over any money.
What is a Vehicle Title Check and Why is it Important?
A vehicle title is its legal certificate of ownership. A Title Check investigates the official history of that document to reveal critical legal and financial flags.
The High Cost of Skipping a Title Check
These aren’t just lines on a report—they are real-world problems that cost buyers thousands.
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Financial Disaster: Buying a Car with an Active Lien
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The Risk: If the seller has an unpaid loan, the lienholder (bank) legally owns the car, not the seller. They can repossess it, even from you.
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The Consequence: You lose the car and all the money you paid. Legal battles to recover funds are long and expensive.
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Safety & Value Killer: Undisclosed Salvage or Rebuilt Titles
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The Risk: A salvage title means the car was declared a total loss by an insurer. A rebuilt title means it was repaired and re-certified.
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The Consequence:Â You risk buying a structurally unsafe vehicle. Its resale value is also drastically reduced, often by 40-60%.
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Hidden History: Odometer Fraud and Theft
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The Risk:Â A title check cross-references odometer readings and theft records.
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The Consequence:Â You could overpay for a high-mileage car or, worse, unknowingly purchase stolen property.
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Check the status of any Vehicle's Title by VIN Number
If you are considering buying a used vehicle, you must find out the title status of the vehicle. The seller or car dealer may hide some facts from you as they want to sell a vehicle as soon as possible. Our VIN Decoder tool will reveal a full report on any title registration changes if there were any. Simply, enter a VIN Number and get access to the vehicle history report including all title checks.
Lookup any Vehicle's Title history by using a VIN Decoder
Premium VIN report returns all the necessary title checks that you will need to make an informed decision. These title checks are also provided below. The given information is precise and up-to-date and is retrieved from national and local databases. To get your vehicle history report, simply enter the VIN number and get an instant report now.
- Damaged Title
- Dismantled Title
- Gray Market Title
- Junk Title
- Lemon Law Buyback Title
- Prior Police
- Prior Tax
- Rebuilt Title
- Reconditioned Title
- Remanufactured Title
- Replica Title
- Revived Junk Title
- Revived Salvage Title
- Salvage Title
- Scrap Vehicle Title
- Totaled
- Warranty Returned
- Water Damage
- Fire Damage
The Title Checks our VIN Decoder Tool Covers
Clear Title
A clear title indicates that the vehicle has no credit or any form of a lien. In legal terms, the vehicle is absolutely owned by the owner and there are no disputes or outstanding payments towards a third party concerning the vehicle in question.
Salvage Title
A vehicle with a salvage title has suffered major damage in an accident or from another source. In general, salvage title vehicles have none to very low book value and this means a total loss for the owner. Also, several car dealers do not deal with cars having a salvage title. Yet, dealers might sell a car with a salvage title without declaring it. That is why our VIN decoder service is an important tool that you can use to safeguard your interest. It is still possible to revise the title of a salvage-titled car. A that has been repaired and inspected by relevant authorities for road use can be re-tilted and used again. Another option is to repair the car and then process it under the export title. A salvage title can be exported to some key overseas markets like Ukraine, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Senegal, and many others.
Affidavit Title
The seller provides the affidavit in lieu of title stating the paperwork that is missing, stolen, or destroyed. This is a legal document and is notarized or certified by relevant authorities.
Bonded Title
Also known as the ‘Certificate of Title Surety’, this refers to a situation where the title of the vehicle was damaged or lost during the transfer process. Now that the title is unavailable, the ownership cannot be established legally and cannot be transferred using a normal process. Hence, a bonded title is processed using a surety bond. The vehicle will have a ‘Bonded’ stamp for a period of 3 to 5 years and during this period, the owner can go to the Department of Motor Vehicles to get a clean title for the vehicle.
Certificate of Destruction
A vehicle with a certificate of destruction is likely to be destroyed or shipped to overseas markets. Usually, insurance companies pay insurance claims on badly damaged insured vehicles. This way, insurance companies take ownership of these damaged vehicles and process them under the title of certificate of destruction. It is important to note that a vehicle with a title of certificate of destruction is highly unlikely to gain a valid title for registration. A vehicle with this title will not be allowed to be used on the road in most circumstances.
Electronic Title
The electronic title is a digital title that could be issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Our advanced VIN decoder service also finds the electronic title for the vehicle.
Export Title
The VIN lookup service provides a detailed auction history along with the export title. A vehicle that is to be exported overseas has an export title and custom clearance documentation. The export title allows the overseas buyer to process the documents accordingly and without any complications.
Junk Title
The junk title is designated to a vehicle when it is sold to a junkyard. The intention is to scrap these cars for spare parts. Alongside the certificate of destruction, the junk title is another title that you should check a VIN for to better understand the worth of the car you are buying.
Lienholder Title
A car with the lien or any credit against it is issued with a title directly to the lienholder. The title often indicates that there is some outstanding payment for the vehicle that is still being paid by the current owner. The payments could be owed to a bank or some other third party. The lienholder will be the lender and they will also retain possession of the title until all dues are paid. But, the owner of the vehicle will be the buyer.
Parts Only Title
A parts-only title means that the vehicle has suffered major damage in an accident. The car might not be repairable and cannot be used in the United States anymore. The transfer is completed under the part-only title with a bill of sale. In some cases, the export title can also be processed for these vehicles. But, these vehicles cannot be registered or titled again in the United States.
Reconstructed Title
A vehicle will have a reconstructed title if the car has undergone serious damage and repair. The title is provided by an authorized rebuilder, body shop, or insurance company.
Rebuilt Title
A vehicle that has suffered major damage, has been repaired, and then inspected for road use, will have a rebuilt title. A rebuilt title can be issued by the insurance company, an authorized rebuilder, body shop, or collision center. A vehicle with a rebuilt title might face difficulties getting complete insurance coverage. Often insurance firms have some limitations and reservations regarding a vehicle with a rebuilt title. Our VIN check tool provides detailed history reports including all the title checks.
How to Check if a Vehicle Has a Clean Title
To look up the title by VIN, you must have the VIN of the vehicle you want to check first. Then, follow these steps to get it done.
Step 1: Find the VIN
First of all, you will need to find the VIN of the car. For a faster result, check on the vehicle’s documentation, like insurance or car registration.
Step 2: Fill Out the Form
Click on the form above and fill it out with the VIN. Then, click on the button to submit the form.
Step 3: Get the Report
The system pulls data from NMVTIS, DMV databases, insurance companies, and auction sources. See title brands, ownership records, lien details, and more. Check on the preview page and proceed to payment to get the full vehicle history report. Make sure to download the report to examine the vehicle’s title easily.
- Acura
- Alfa Romeo
- AMC
- AM General
- Aston Martin
- Avanti Motors
- Audi
- Bentley
- BMW
- Bugatti
- Buick
- Cadillac
- Chevrolet
- Chrysler
- Daihatsu
- Daewoo
- Dodge
- Eagle
- Ferrari
- Fisker
- Ford
- Fiat
- Freightliner
- Genesis
- GMC
- Geo
- Harley-Davidson
- Hino
- Honda
- Hummer
- Hyundai
- International
- Isuzu
- Infiniti
- Jaguar
- Jeep
- Kawasaki
- Kenworth
- KIA
- Koenigsegg
- Land Rover
- Lexus
- Lincoln
- Lamborghini
- Lotus
- Mazda
- Maserati
- Maybach
- McLaren
- Mercury
- Mercedes-Benz
- MINI
- Mitsubishi
- Morgan
- Nissan
- Oldsmobile
- Panoz
- Peterbilt
- Plymouth
- Polestar
- Pontiac
- Porsche
- RAM
- Rolls Royce
- Saleen
- Saturn
- Saab
- Scion
- Shelby
- Smart
- Subaru
- Suzuki
- Tesla
- Toyota
- Triumph
- Volkswagen
- Volvo
- Yamaha
Your Vehicle Title Check Questions Answered
What is a vehicle title check, and why do I need one?
A vehicle title check is an investigation into the legal history of a car’s certificate of ownership. You need one to uncover critical hidden risks that a visual inspection or test drive cannot reveal. The most important reasons are to avoid buying a car with an unpaid loan (lien) that could lead to repossession, or a vehicle with a dangerous past like a salvage or flood title.
What's the difference between a title check and a Carfax report?
While both provide vehicle history, they focus on different data sources. A standard Carfax report is excellent for service records and accident history. A dedicated title check goes deeper into legal and financial status by pulling official data from state DMVs and the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS). It is the most authoritative source for verifying liens, title brands, and odometer fraud, which are not always fully reported elsewhere.
What exactly does your title check report include?
Our comprehensive report provides a clear snapshot of a vehicle’s legal standing:
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Lien & Loan Verification
 Confirms if any bank or lender has a financial claim on the vehicle. -
Title Brand History
 Identifies critical brands like Salvage, Junk, Rebuilt, Flood, or Lemon. -
Ownership Timeline
 Shows the number of previous owners and registration history across different states. -
Theft & Odometer Records
 Verifies the vehicle is not currently stolen and checks for signs of mileage rollback.
