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What is NMVTIS

What is NMVTIS?

The National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) is an electronic system that contains information on automobiles titled in the United States. NMVTIS is intended to serve as a reliable source of title and brand history for automobiles and as a tool that assists states and law enforcement in deterring and preventing title fraud and other crimes.

What is the purpose of NMVTIS?

NMVTIS was created to prevent the introduction or reintroduction of stolen motor vehicles into interstate commerce; protect states, individual and commercial consumers from fraud; reduce the use of stolen vehicles for illicit purposes including the funding of criminal enterprises and provide consumers protection from unsafe vehicles.

Who operates and manages NMVTIS?

The U.S. Department of Justice is responsible for oversight of the implementation and operation of NMVTIS and works in partnership with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA).

The Role of NMVTIS and How it Works for Auto Recyclers, Salvage Yards, and Junk Yards

In order to prevent fraudulent activities such as VIN cloning and brand washing, it is essential to maintain accurate salvage and end-of-life data when a vehicle changes title from state to state. NMVTIS serves as a repository of information related to vehicles that have been in the possession of auto recyclers, junkyards, and salvage yards. This repository is then used by states and consumers to ensure that junk or salvage vehicles are not later re-sold and ensures that the VINs from destroyed vehicles can never be used for a stolen vehicle. The system provides reliable data on vehicle ownership and make, but does not record service history.

States marked in green and yellow report regularly to NMVTIS.

Where does the information in NMVTIS come from

NMVTIS provides a unique service in terms of the source of its data and timeliness in which its data is received. The following data sources are required by federal law to report regularly to NMVTIS:

• State motor vehicle titling agencies
• Junkyards
• Salvage yards
• Auto recyclers
• Insurance carriers

What is included in an NMVTIS Vehicle History Report?

An NMVTIS Vehicle History Report is intended to provide data on key indicators associated with prevention auto fraud and theft:

• States with current and previous registration
• Current State of Title and Last Title Date
• Theft History (if present)
• Last Odometer Reading
• Damage History Notes (e.g. Total Loss)
• Additional Notes of the vehicle and dates

Previous damage events will not be reported if no insurance company or owner has previously reported the vehicle as total damage. However, an insurance company may report it as total damage, nevertheless, the state of registration does not record it as such.  

TIP: Before making a purchase decision, customers may need the opinion of an independent vehicle inspector, which can be ordered on the page below.

More information: Users can find more information at www.vehiclehistory.gov on the interpretation of the content of the reports and the meaning of certain comments.