Last Updated: March 29, 2019 If you have your title but it has been damaged, bring it to your local Secretary of State or DMV office. But sometimes, particularly when you face the prospect of losing your license, it's worth reviewing your legal options. The federal DMV website also has information about registration requirements in each U.S. state. Bryan Hamby is the owner of Auto Broker Club, a trusted auto brokerage in Los Angeles, California. Depending on the state you live in, your vehicle may be eligible for a bonded title. How to register a vehicle without a title varies by state, but in many cases you will need to find the last person to hold a title for the vehicle first. There cannot be an outstanding loan against a vehicle while transferring the title, unless the transfer is approved by the lender. With that said, since there is no title and no contact with the previous owner, states will require you to perform some kind of bonding process. If they judge in your favor, the judge will instruct the previous owner to provide a copy of title or face contempt of court. In most states, certain types of vehicles need not be registered -- including "off-highway" vehicles, stored vehicles, or vehicles for which a "non-operating" has been filed with the state department of motor vehicles. Before you can register your car, your vehicle will likely need to: Have a title in your name. Copyright 2020 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. Once you receive your replacement title, you are able to transfer the title to the other party. Then, visit your local Department of Motor Vehicles office to complete the registration. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. I bought a car at an auction, but the seller died. How to Sell a Vehicle in Michigan When Owner Dies Without a Will, State of California Department of Motor Vehicles: Vehicle Registration and Title Information, Your Mechanic: How to Buy a Car Without a Title. The bond is kept on file by the state in the event that the original owner comes forward attempting to claim the car. How can I get the title from someone who refuses to provide it after I have paid it off when I don't have a contract? A few states will allow a vehicle to be registered without a title under certain circumstances. Note that many states use your vehicles VIN as the vehicle registration number. Depending on your state, you may be able to sell a car if you've lost the title, but doing so will require the buyer to go through the challenges necessary to obtain title. This will allow you to more easily sell the car in the future, register the car with your state’s DMV and get car insurance. The seller stated, "This helped me to know the pros and cons of buying a used vehicle from a stranger. When taking to the road, there are certain things all drivers must have with them in order to comply with the law. By using our site, you agree to our. That person's failure to appear will cause a judgment in your favor, and you may then have to perform a title bond process. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Visit our professional site », Created by FindLaw's team of legal writers and editors The seller’s behavior should raise a number of concerns, one of which is that they do not own the car. This article has been viewed 201,883 times. When i tried to trade it i was told the last owner had a lean on it. ", https://www.nicb.org/theft_and_fraud_awareness/vincheck, http://www.dmv.org/replacing-a-lost-title.php, http://www.dmvnv.com/50_state_dmv_list.html, Unlock this expert answer by supporting wikiHow, http://www.dmv.org/vehicle-history/vhr-reveals.php, http://www.carfax.com/phoenix/vehicle_history/SampleReport.cfx?reportName=consumerMobileWeb, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beIp-8XHexI, http://www.dmv.org/articles/documents-you-need-when-buying-or-selling-a-used-car/, https://www.nolo.com/products/motor-vehicle-bill-of-sale-noe3-pr056.html, http://dmv.ny.gov/registration/proof-ownership-not-available, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow.