Title Search by VIN
Check any car's title history by VIN before you buy: title brands — salvage, rebuilt, flood, lemon, junk — plus the salvage-auction sale, stolen-vehicle check, and odometer trail behind them. Brands follow the VIN, not the paperwork, so a washed or out-of-state title still shows up here.
Free preview
Search a title by VIN
Full report $12.99 one-time — no subscription.
What a title search reveals
- Title brands: salvage, rebuilt, flood, lemon, junk
- Salvage-auction sales: price, damage, repair estimate, photos
- Stolen-vehicle check and odometer history
- Every online listing & price cut since 2015
Why the VIN, not the paper title
A car totaled in one state can be bought at a salvage auction, repaired cheaply, and retitled somewhere the brand gets lost — "title washing." The paper title then reads clean. The salvage-auction record and the brand history tied to the VIN survive that move, which is why a VIN search catches what a DMV title check misses.
Frequently asked questions
What is a title search by VIN?
A title search by VIN checks a vehicle's title history against its 17-character VIN instead of its plate or paperwork — so it surfaces brands (salvage, rebuilt, flood, lemon, junk), total-loss records, and the salvage-auction sale behind a rebuild even when the current paper title reads "clean." Brands follow the VIN permanently, which is why the VIN record is more reliable than the document in your hand.
How do I search a car title for free?
Enter the VIN above for a free preview that shows the car's online listing footprint and whether deeper records exist. The full CarWhere Used Car Report ($12.99) then shows title brands with cause and date, salvage-auction sales with reported damage and repair estimates, a stolen-vehicle check, and odometer history. Government sources like NMVTIS and the NICB also offer limited free checks, but they don't include the auction sale record, price history, or odometer trail.
Does a DMV title check show out-of-state brands?
Not reliably. A state DMV confirms the title status on record in that state, but a brand issued elsewhere — or a salvage car rebuilt and retitled in a looser state ("title washing") — can slip through. A VIN-based search pulls from records that survive across state lines, which is exactly where washed titles get exposed.
Why does a title brand matter when buying a used car?
A title brand permanently lowers value and narrows your insurance and financing options. Salvage and flood cars are worth roughly 40%–60% less than a clean-title equivalent, rebuilt 20%–40% less. If a seller is pricing a branded car like a clean one, the title search is what proves it — and gives you the leverage to walk or renegotiate.