California Title Search by VIN
Buying used in California? Search the VIN for title brands — salvage, rebuilt, flood, lemon, junk — plus the salvage-auction records and odometer history behind them, before you pay. Brands follow the VIN across state lines, so a title issued anywhere shows up here, even when the California paperwork looks clean.
State fee data last reviewed 2026-07-22
Free preview
Search a title by VIN
Full report $12.99 one-time — no subscription.
What the title search shows
- 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
California title & transfer facts
- Title fee
- $28
- Registration
- $76 base + 0.65% vehicle license fee + $33–$231 transportation improvement fee (both value-based)
- Inspection required
- No routine inspection
No statewide safety inspection; a biennial smog check is required in about 33 mostly-metro counties (gasoline vehicles 8 model-years or newer are exempt), and out-of-state or previously-untitled vehicles need a REG 31 VIN verification.
Lost or transferring a title? See California title fees & paperwork.
Frequently asked questions
How do I do a title search by VIN in California?
Enter the 17-character VIN above — a title search works the same in every state, because title brands and total-loss records follow the VIN, not the plate or the paperwork. The free preview shows the car's online listing footprint; the full CarWhere Used Car Report ($12.99) shows title brands with cause and date, salvage-auction sales with reported damage and repair estimates, a stolen-vehicle check, and odometer history.
What title brands can a California search turn up?
The common ones are salvage (an insurer's total loss), rebuilt/reconstructed (a repaired salvage car), flood or water damage, lemon-law manufacturer buyback, junk/non-repairable, and odometer/not-actual-mileage. Each one permanently lowers the car's value — salvage and flood the most (40%–60%), rebuilt 20%–40%. A "clean" California title can still hide a brand issued in another state, which is why the VIN record matters.
Isn't a California title search free at the DMV?
The California DMV can confirm the current title status on record in California, but it will not show a brand that was issued in another state, the salvage-auction sale behind a rebuild, or the odometer and listing history. That is the gap this report closes — the records that survive when a title is washed across state lines.
What does it cost to title a car in California?
California's title fee is $28, and registration runs $76 base + 0.65% vehicle license fee + $33–$231 transportation improvement fee (both value-based). California does not require a routine vehicle safety inspection.