Titles how do they work in the US

[Mikes73]

In Oklahoma it is technicaly illegal to not transfer the title and re register the car within 30 days of purchase from the previous owner. You also cant stack signatures on the title before doing the transfer here, that's a no no. Our smaller town tag office is very friendly and easy to deal with though and I've never had a problem with them.

 

[Mister 4x4]

Which is why one needs to complete the title transfer process ASAP after purchase - because as I stated above, "If the title's not in your name at the DMV, the sale never happened and the car still belongs to the original owner as far as the DMV is concerned."

 

[matrixx]

Having a car with a title that is in the previous owner's name is called an "open" title. And it is a felony. Ask me how I know!

Right there with you! Dumb and young days.

 

[1973grandeklar]

Having a car with a title that is in the previous owner's name is called an "open" title. And it is a felony. Ask me how I know!

So you were charged with a felony for a title delay and now they get to prevent you from exercising your 2nd amendment right?

I live in NC and I bought my daughter's F150 that had a bunch of signatures on the title. What made the transfer work was the original title owner was in-person with us at the DMV. So it might be a real PITA if you have a different arraingment. Like I said, I get the title transferred ASAP so that ownership transfers to me.

 

[4Vforever]

OMG, what a lot of crap you guys have to go through if you can't show who owned a vehicle before you. Not only that, but it sounds like some very good cars are basically worthless because you can't show who owned the car, even if it hasn't been registered in donkey's years. Don't know about you then Luke, but the transport dept doesn't seem so bad here now. In Queensland, if you don't know who owned the car before you, just show them a receipt for the purchase of your car. If you don't have the receipt then you just fill out a statutory declaration saying that you bought the car for X amount of dollars (usually for way less than you paid, lol) hand over a roadworthy certificate, pay stamp duty on value of the car (that's why most people put a lesser amount) pay about $20 odd for plates, pay the rego amount, they give you your rego papers and plates, then get out of there as quick as, because you've been there at least an hour waiting to be served and then once you get called up, you speak with a moron with no idea that has to keep going to a supervisor to ask how this is done and how that is done, then at the end of that, the supervisor has no idea how anything is done either then they get the manager, and between three absolute morons, they finally manage to register your vehicle after another half an hour.

 

[Luke]

OMG, what a lot of crap you guys have to go through if you can't show who owned a vehicle before you. Not only that, but it sounds like some very good cars are basically worthless because you can't show who owned the car, even if it hasn't been registered in donkey's years. Don't know about you then Luke, but the transport dept doesn't seem so bad here now. In Queensland, if you don't know who owned the car before you, just show them a receipt for the purchase of your car. If you don't have the receipt then you just fill out a statutory declaration saying that you bought the car for X amount of dollars (usually for way less than you paid, lol) hand over a roadworthy certificate, pay stamp duty on value of the car (that's why most people put a lesser amount) pay about $20 odd for plates, pay the rego amount, they give you your rego papers and plates, then get out of there as quick as, because you've been there at least an hour waiting to be served and then once you get called up, you speak with a moron with no idea that has to keep going to a supervisor to ask how this is done and how that is done, then at the end of that, the supervisor has no idea how anything is done either then they get the manager, and between three absolute morons, they finally manage to register your vehicle after another half an hour.

Ha that sounds right. Yep Bundy transport where good, spent more time waiting than anything. The woman that served me wanted to know why my car was in the country for 8 years before it was registered she got ****** when I said "I don't know ask the bloke I brought it off" with that she had to see the supervisor ( I talked to him out side he loves old fords) he say no problem take the mans money and give him his plates Lol .

I suppose the good news is, if we imported a car we can just buy 1 with out a title if you know it wasn't stolen and be in front a few $ and still have very little worries getting it registered here

 

[rpmcarter]

Apparently Luke you guys dont have ENOUGH of our government workers. For 13.00 an hour THEY HAVE POWER!

 

[Luke]

Apparently Luke you guys dont have ENOUGH of our government workers. For 13.00 an hour THEY HAVE POWER!

They get paid more than that here, and have entirely forgotten what public service means.

 

[detritusmaximus]

One frustration over here is morons who lose their title but don't want to spend the time or money to file for a new one but do want you to give them top dollar for their car.

It's one thing to deal with DMV (although, truth be known, the DMV is 1000 times better than it used to be), but idiots who mess up titles out of laziness or carelessness make the process near impossible. No matter what their assurance, YOU take the chance giving them money without knowing for sure.

Someone in another forum I belong to bought a car and began restoring it (spent close to $10k) before transferring the title. That was they found out that only one of the two titles they were given (figure that out first) matched the vin on the dash. Unfortunately, the dash was out of another car and the body vin tag was missing. The car had been registered with the body vin two owners before, pictures and dmv application copies confirmed it to be the same car, but no one including the middle owner knew where the title or vin tag were. To make it worse, this particular make of car does not have a stamped body vin, only riveted tags. The new owner then began whining about how difficult DMV was being and how unfair it was since they had already spent so much money.

I also knew of a highly collectable car that has a missing title. The new owner did not want to get a re-titled (would probably mean a new vin number and the old tags destroyed) until he was sure the previous owner would not find it or apply for a copy because that would hurt the value by 20-30% to not have the correct title.

 

[cudak888]

Got that right.

In CA a salvage title says "Salvage" on it top right corner box.

If it was totaled by insurance co "Junk Vehicle" or was ever stolen.

After getting that title car must pass rigorous inspection to get registered

and will always be salvaged till end of time.

Unless it hasn't been titled in the last 10 years. That's how far back the nationwide stolen vehicle databases go. Statewide databases will keep records indefinitely, but this brings up interesting situations.

Case in point:

A car from another state that hasn't been in the system for 10 years can be issued a completely new title in the State of Florida. All you need is a bill of sale and a VIN verification form.

Stupid, isn't it? Makes it easy for the thieves...and makes a bigger nightmare for legitimate owners.

-Kurt

 

[rpmcarter]

Oh and dont even try moving to Floriduh . They charge from 500 to what ever for bringing a car INTO the state in addition to any other related licensing cost.

 

[cudak888]

Oh and dont even try moving to Floriduh . They charge from 500 to what ever for bringing a car INTO the state in addition to any other related licensing cost.

No longer is that the case, IIRC.

-Kurt