NMVTIS: What the Federal Title Database Shows a Car Buyer
Also called: National Motor Vehicle Title Information System
NMVTIS, the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System, is the federal database created under the Anti Car Theft Act of 1992 and run by the U.S. Department of Justice. It collects title, brand, odometer, and total-loss information from state titling agencies, insurers, and junk and salvage yards so brands can’t be hidden by moving a car between states.
By the CarWhere Research team · Updated November 2026
How it affects a buyer
NMVTIS is the main defense against title washing. Before buying a used car you can get an NMVTIS report that shows the state and date of the current title, the brand history (such as junk, salvage, or flood), the latest reported odometer reading, any total-loss or salvage determination by an insurer, and whether the vehicle was reported by a junk or salvage yard. Junk and salvage yards must report the vehicles they obtain on a monthly basis. What it is not: NMVTIS does not hold accident repair or maintenance records, and it is not every detail a state keeps in its own title file. Reporting gaps exist, so a clean report is strong evidence, not a guarantee.
How to check it
Buy an NMVTIS report from one of the approved providers listed on the Department of Justice’s NMVTIS site; reports usually cost a few dollars. Pair it with the physical title and a salvage-auction history check, which can show the auction sale, reported damage, and photos behind a brand. Then confirm the car’s condition with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
Check it on a specific car
Frequently asked questions
Is an NMVTIS report the same as a vehicle history report?
No. An NMVTIS report covers title, brand, odometer, and total-loss data reported to the federal system. Commercial vehicle history reports draw on other sources too and differ in what they include; NMVTIS does not include accident repair or service records.
Who reports data to NMVTIS?
State motor vehicle titling agencies, insurance carriers, and junk and salvage yards. Junk and salvage yards must report the salvage or junk vehicles they obtain each month under 28 CFR § 25.56.
Does a clean NMVTIS report mean the car is safe to buy?
Not by itself. It means no brand or total-loss record was reported to the system. Damage that was never claimed or reported won’t appear, so an inspection still matters.