A salvage title is a type of vehicle branding, or a designation of what has happened to a car or truck. In all states, a vehicle can receive a salvage title if it has been substantially damaged due to weather or collisions. However, it is also possible that the vehicle may have received a salvage title because it was stolen. Keep in mind that in some states, it is also possible to “clear” a salvage title, or remove the designation. More…

The Department of Motor Vehicles is usually a state-level department that handles vehicle registration, drivers licensing and vehicle titles, as well as several other related tasks. Note that while there are departments in each of the 50 states, they may not all provide the same roles. A notable exception is Hawaii, where counties provide most of these functions. Canada operates in a similar fashion, where vehicle registration and licensing is covered by each of the provinces as well as the territories. More…

Vehicle titles are records of ownership that are issued by the state where the owner lives. They include the car or truck’s vehicle identification number (VIN) as well as basic information such as make model and color.

Of more interest to those considering buying a vehicle, they also often include “brands” or descriptions of major incidents in the vehicle’s history. Owners can use these to help decide whether or not a vehicle suits their needs. Among the most common brands are: More…

Car title transfers happen by the hundreds every day in the United States. A title transfer is the basic mechanism whereby ownership of a vehicle moves from one person to another. If you’re not careful you can wind up making an error that can land you with a fine or even put the vehicle ownership into question. More…