Getting a lost title

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moparmat2000

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Getting a lost title. We have all been there. Clean car that has potential, the history of it is known, but the title is missing. Most of these restorable cars end up getting parted because of a lack of that special scrap of paper known as a title.

This is and can be time consuming, however it is doable, because I have done it very recently. My last title I got was a Texas bonded title. That was around 2009. The hoops you have to jump through have increased here since then including having an engine in it, and a bunch of other crap. Being the car I needed a title for was an ex drag car, the engine was gone. This added another layer of red tape as I would now have an engine from a different vehicle. This was gotten from a salvage yard to rebuild and would add to the layer of paperwork.

Anyhow I decided to go through a company called lost title solutions. It wasnt cheap, but wasnt super expensive either. What they needed from me besides my name, address, and vin#, was a picture of the hand written bill of sale for the vehicle, with a legible vin # on the bill of sale. The name and address of the "previous owner" that would be whoever you got the car from. They researched the vehicle. It came up clean not stolen, no lien. Cost me $525

They sent me the paperwork to sign and date for vermont DMV for a transferrable registration/title. All the paperwork was filled out correctly by them, and all I had to do was sign and date it, and put a check in the envelope to vermont DMV for sales tax and registration $360. About 3 weeks later in the mail came a vermont licence plate, and a transferrable registration/title. I took that document to my DMV along with the Vermont DMV worksheet from lost title solutions, and licence plate to my DMV to show I payed taxes on the car, so I was not charged twice.

Texas charged me $45 to do the paperwork to get a Texas title , took the transferrable registration, the vermont DMV worksheet, and vermont licence plate, and gave me a receipt. Title showed up in my mailbox about 4 weeks later.

Granted this cost me some money $930 to be exact, but knowing the vehicle was clean with no liens, and not stolen, I avoided the additional red tape and hassle that comes with dealing with the DPS, and all the B.S. that it would entail. I'm sure there are other solutions to this issue. Some more costly, some cheaper. This was mine. I honestly dont care that this cost me what it did, because I have piece of mind knowing that this important scrap of paper is now locked in my safe in my name with my address as the legal owner.

Hope this helps
Matt
 
I'm kind of going through this with a car I OWNED & sold to a good friend 10 years ago & he lost the title. It's a 70 Road Runner I bought from the original owner, & had all the paperwork, including the title, transferred to me in the state of Pa. I had the title & gave it along with a bunch of paperwork that I got when I bought the car including the original window sticker, to my friend when I sold it to him. Because I never registered or insured the car, (I was in the process of doing some resto work on it) & I ended up getting a "Traumatic Brain injury" & sold the car because I wouldn't be able to work on it anymore. When I went to the tag place recently, they told me because I never registered the car, & after a certain number of years, the state of Pennsylvania puts the title in a different file & I will need "proof of ownership" to get another title for it! Ridiculous! I technically still own the car, but they are saying I need proof of ownership? The hoops I have to go through to get a title for (still technically) MY OWN CAR, that I don't even own any more. I hope my rambling makes some sense to you. It just PISSES ME OFF that I have to go through all of this.
 
Interesting this came up. I just went down to a ND branch DMV to get plates for one of my Belvedere's that hadn't been licensed since 1982. I have the title, in my name, in my hand. The woman taps on her computer and tells me that she can't find the title and I'll have to go through the application for an untitled car (which is a PITA). I tell her the car is not untitled, I have the title in my hand. She tells me that ND routinely purges what the DMV calls "inactive" titles and mine was apparently one of them. I told her, again, I have the title in my hand, just because the state doesn't know that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. She once more maintained I had to apply for an untitled car title. That was it, I told her to call Bismarck. She did and I ended up surrendering my title and paying for a duplicate title. I have not contacted the state formally and complained because I am still PO'ed about this and I would end up calling them dumb (censored). Talk about absolute and complete stupidity.
 
The Vermont title process explained. This is probably pushing the envelope on legality (It is, after all, on Uncle Outlaw's channel...), but it apparently works well enough for a lot of “Title Companies” to make a profit from.
 
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Every state is different. Last Jan. I bought an AMC and the "kid" had the title that is signed by seller and made out to him. Thee kid signs it over to me and I will transfer it to my name but Tx. will charge me a $250 late fee because of his screw up, and then I will have to pay the normal fees to get it titled to me as in sales tax and title fee.
 
I used to go through the title companys quite often. They are still around but their prices are ridiculous now.
 
I'm kind of going through this with a car I OWNED & sold to a good friend 10 years ago & he lost the title. It's a 70 Road Runner I bought from the original owner, & had all the paperwork, including the title, transferred to me in the state of Pa. I had the title & gave it along with a bunch of paperwork that I got when I bought the car including the original window sticker, to my friend when I sold it to him. Because I never registered or insured the car, (I was in the process of doing some resto work on it) & I ended up getting a "Traumatic Brain injury" & sold the car because I wouldn't be able to work on it anymore. When I went to the tag place recently, they told me because I never registered the car, & after a certain number of years, the state of Pennsylvania puts the title in a different file & I will need "proof of ownership" to get another title for it! Ridiculous! I technically still own the car, but they are saying I need proof of ownership? The hoops I have to go through to get a title for (still technically) MY OWN CAR, that I don't even own any more. I hope my rambling makes some sense to you. It just PISSES ME OFF that I have to go through all of this.
Do the vermont title thing, and be done with it.
 
My son did that on a 72 fury wagon last year and the currency exchange here sent him to the DMV. They didn't know if it would go through and be able to get transferred to an Illinois title in his name, something about they may make him prove that he lived in Vermont at one time (which he never has) to issue a title and plates here in Illinois. He paid a bunch of money for this here, and does not know whether he will receive an Illinois title and plates or a "sorry won't work" or more paperwork to do whatever it would take to satisfy them and make it happen. It's now a waiting game

I've heard that Vermont may do away with the loopholes they have to be able to get paperwork and plates for non residents
 
I've heard that Vermont may do away with the loopholes they have to be able to get paperwork and plates for non residents
Thank You for sharing that, I wondered how much hassle you could potentially have through your home state, especially if you lived outside of New England. It would not surprise if Vermont isn’t coming under threat of litigation from other states to remove that loophole. There almost certainly has been a large amount of stolen vehicles laundered through the loophole.
 
Geez. Here in California I'd just make an inspection appointment at the DMV and pay the duplicate title and registration fee. Assuming of course I had two matching VIN stamps and the car wasn't stolen. All you need is a bill of sale and a VIN that can be verified.
 
Geez. Here in California I'd just make an inspection appointment at the DMV and pay the duplicate title and registration fee. Assuming of course I had two matching VIN stamps and the car wasn't stolen. All you need is a bill of sale and a VIN that can be verified.
Too much red tape in Texas these days. Honestly the route I went was way easier here. Everything is linked up. When DMV records were transferred to digital 50 state wide, if it was stolen or had a lien on it anywhere in the USA, it was transferred to the digital 50 state database. If a car is stolen or has a lein, it never drops out. A vin can be researched in all 50 states simultaneously.
 
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My son did that on a 72 fury wagon last year and the currency exchange here sent him to the DMV. They didn't know if it would go through and be able to get transferred to an Illinois title in his name, something about they may make him prove that he lived in Vermont at one time (which he never has) to issue a title and plates here in Illinois. He paid a bunch of money for this here, and does not know whether he will receive an Illinois title and plates or a "sorry won't work" or more paperwork to do whatever it would take to satisfy them and make it happen. It's now a waiting game

I've heard that Vermont may do away with the loopholes they have to be able to get paperwork and plates for non residents
Why would they, this is easy money for them.
 
My son did that on a 72 fury wagon last year and the currency exchange here sent him to the DMV. They didn't know if it would go through and be able to get transferred to an Illinois title in his name, something about they may make him prove that he lived in Vermont at one time (which he never has) to issue a title and plates here in Illinois. He paid a bunch of money for this here, and does not know whether he will receive an Illinois title and plates or a "sorry won't work" or more paperwork to do whatever it would take to satisfy them and make it happen. It's now a waiting game

I've heard that Vermont may do away with the loopholes they have to be able to get paperwork and plates for non residents
Illinois can’t make him verify that he was a resident of Vermont when he got the Vermont title if Vermont doesn’t require it when applying for a title.
 
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In just going by what he's told me. And I guess they don't actually issue titles on cars that old.
But supposedly every state has to honor and accept all other state's ways of car registration.we will see.

Probably 20 years ago a guy I know brought a 78 jeep pickup back from GA another "no title" state from what he said at the time, I never checked because it wasn't my truck. He said he got it cheap and thought he'd flip it easily up here because it didn't have any rust at all.
Well it sat over 5 years behind his garage, waiting and fighting with Illinois and never could register it here, when it was nasty looking and full of sap he ended up hauling it back to GA and giving/selling it back to a relative down there
Illinois has to be the most anal retentive state on license and title issues in the US. I hate dealing with them. And I know from talking to you guys on here among the highest priced/most fees for different things I'd have never dreamed they could invent a fee or tax for
 
The Vermont thing WILL go away. Doesn't matter if it's a cash cow for Vermont or not, it's title washing and the feds are going out of their way to stop it.
 
What VT is doing is not illegal as VT does not issue you a title, just a registration. They do ensure the vehicle vin has not been reported stolen. What might happen is states that currently only require another state registrstion ( in this case VT) to issue you a title could require much more than that to get a title. I would imagine some already do that. Vermont's biggest industry is tourism, and there are many people that are residents of other states with 2nd (and 3rd ,4th, and so on) houses here. I would guess that is part of this.
The process documented in Uncle Tony's video is not difficult for anyone to do themselves; no need to hire a company for that piece.
 
I was raised in S W Ga (another NON title state on older vehicles and there are more than a few) and my mother worked for many years inthe county tax/tag office before she retired.. I moved to Missouri in '79 and lived there 37 years and many old Mopars crssed my hands.

I bought many cars lacking a title in Mo. I owned property in that Ga. county and I could register a car there and I would receive a registration and tag. but after some years, she said the sate was beginning to "frown" in all this. But the lady that took my mom's place sold me tags. I made visits to Ga. to visit my mom frequently. Totally legal. About that time Mo. got where to issue a title with NO title, all they required was a bill of sale, notary NOT required, and the state inspection.

Now days I understand Ga. requires an inspection on such, so the car has to be physically there for such.
Any state can run a vin and/or know it is not stolen or with lein.

Texas makes it hard, seems so several "people" get some $$ out of a bonded title. Besides the state, there is the cost of a "appraisal" which is a joke and then the bond. Then there is the DTS cop that does the inspection but he charges nothing, but it keeps him in a JOB doing just such!!

It is what it is.
 
I was skeptical about the whole Vermont thing as I live in NJ where it is super hard to get a title for anything. I heard about it for years, but never heard any success can stories. I had a 70 Demon with a NY transferable title/registration and a bill of sale. I went to DMV for a title, no go because the bill of sale had to be notorized. I tried unsuccessfully to locate the previous owner and wasn't sure what to do next. I had heard of the "Vermont Loophole" and decided to give it a try. I downloaded the paperwork online filled it out and sent it in with the handwritten bill of sale and a check for what I thought it was supposed to cost, which is the tricky part as you more or less have to figure that out yourself, which I did...wrong.
Not really a big deal as they sent everything back with corrections and all I had to do was make out a new check for the correct amount and send it all back. About 3 weeks later I got a registration and tags in the mail. I took that with a picture of the vin to the NJDMV where the girl at the counter went back to her supervisor a couple time, which had me a little nervous and I'm glad I took a picture of vin, because at the very end she asked me for that too. When I gave a her copy of that she seemed surprised lol, but then she reached for the tags and finished the paperwork and a few minutes later it was over, and I walked out with a NJ transferable title in my name.
To get the Vermont registration and tags, it was really no questions asked, a $313 fee and only took about 6 weeks including factoring for the returned paperwork. Of course I had to pay about $171 for the title, registration and tags from the NJDMV, but that would have been the case, even with a title from the previous owner.
If you're not in a rush don't pay some scam artist extra money and time to do it, just do it yourself...it works!
 
To be clear, VT does not issue Titles for ANY car more than 15 years old. You can apply for what they call an "exempt title" for a car over 15 years old. Not sure legally how different the exempt title is, but I would imagine amy state that requires a title from another state may not accept a VT "exempt title". If you do not have a full title from another state, the process to get an "exempt title" in VT is similar to what I hear referred to (in these threads) as a "bonded title" in other states where there is an appraisal and additional documentation required.
 
i bought a truck that was financed at a credit union in arizona. az does not have paper titles, only electronic ones. illinois will not accept those. luckily the owner had moved to illinois and for her to get plates, illinois had to accept a paper copy of the az title. so i got my truck.
 
Illinois can’t make him verify that he was a resident of Vermont when he got the Vermont title it Vermont doesn’t require it when applying for a title.

I honestly don't know how that is even POSSIBLE. Heck-I have no way to "prove" I was a resident of several places I have lived.

In just going by what he's told me. And I guess they don't actually issue titles on cars that old.
But supposedly every state has to honor and accept all other state's ways of car registration. We will see.

Yes. MANY states simply DO NOT TITLE old cars-VT, ME, NH, RI, CT, GA, AL, and PA come to mind. (It's even more common with bikes.)

Probably 20 years ago a guy I know brought a 78 jeep pickup back from GA another "no title" state from what he said at the time, I never checked because it wasn't my truck. He said he got it cheap and thought he'd flip it easily up here because it didn't have any rust at all.
Well it sat over 5 years behind his garage, waiting and fighting with Illinois and never could register it here, when it was nasty looking and full of sap he ended up hauling it back to GA and giving/selling it back to a relative down there
Illinois has to be the most anal retentive state on license and title issues in the US. I hate dealing with them. And I know from talking to you guys on here among the highest priced/most fees for different things I'd have never dreamed they could invent a fee or tax for

At a guess, he didn't have a valid GA registration.

What VT is doing is not illegal as VT does not issue you a title, just a registration. They do ensure the vehicle vin has not been reported stolen. What might happen is states that currently only require another state registrstion ( in this case VT) to issue you a title could require much more than that to get a title. I would imagine some already do that. Vermont's biggest industry is tourism, and there are many people that are residents of other states with 2nd (and 3rd ,4th, and so on) houses here. I would guess that is part of this.
The process documented in Uncle Tony's video is not difficult for anyone to do themselves; no need to hire a company for that piece.

Many states don't title old cars-other states HAVE to accept something other than a title as proof of ownership. Anything older than 2001, it's not that I do not need a title-I cannot get a title. The state simply will not issue one.
 
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