This page provides information about the National Motor Vehicle Titling Information System. Additional information can be found on the Vehicle History website.
What is the purpose of NMVTIS?
NMVTIS was created to:
- Prevent the introduction or reintroduction of stolen motor vehicles into interstate commerce;
- Protect states and consumers (individual and commercial) from fraud;
- Reduce the use of stolen vehicles for illicit purposes including funding of criminal enterprises; and
- Provide consumers protection from unsafe vehicles.
If an auto recycler, junk yard, salvage yard, or insurance carrier does not report required information to NMVTIS, is there a penalty?
Yes. Any entity that meets the NMVTIS definition of junk yard, salvage yard, or insurance carrier is required to report specific information to NMVTIS and failure to report is punishable by a civil penalty of $1,000 per violation. For example, a failure to report 100 junk or salvage automobiles could result in a civil fine of up to $100,000
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). AAMVA has been the operator since 1992. To learn more about AAMVA contact:
American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators
4301 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 400
Arlington, Virginia 22203
(703) 522-4200
www.aamva.org
I am interested in purchasing a used vehicle and would like to obtain a vehicle history. How can I do this?
Consumers can request vehicle history information through NMVTIS by selecting an approved service provider from the alphabetical list below:
How much will it cost to obtain NMVTIS information on a vehicle?
Cost for NVMTIS vehicle history reports vary and are determined by individual service providers. The Anti-Car Theft Act requires that the system be funded through user fees and not dependent on federal funds. For this reason, NMVTIS has been designed as a fee-for-service system. Current fees range from approximately $2 to $7 per report.
What kind of information will I receive in a NVMTIS vehicle history report?
NMVTIS records provide:
- current and previous state of title data
- title issue date
- latest odometer data
- theft history data (if any)
- any brand assigned to a vehicle and date applied
- salvage history, including designations as a “total loss” (if any)
What types of vehicles are included in NMVTIS?
NMVTIS includes information on automobiles, buses, trucks, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, motor homes, and tractors. NMVTIS may not currently include commercial vehicles if those vehicles are not included in a state’s primary database for title records (in some states, those vehicles are managed by a separate agency), although these records may be added at a later time.
How current is the information in NMVTIS?
Currently the data provided to NMVTIS by states is provided in a variety of time frames; while some report and update NVMTIS data in “real-time” (as title transactions occur) others send updates less frequently, such as once every 24 hours or within a period of days.
How is the information accessed through NMVTIS different from private vendors who provide this information as well?
NMVTIS information made available to consumers is from state motor vehicle agency records and entire sectors (e.g., insurance, auto recyclers/junk/salvage, etc.) addressed by the Anti-Car Theft Act. As opposed to purchasing information from specific businesses or companies, entities are required to provide specific information to NMVTIS in a specific format. NMVTIS is intended to serve as a reliable source of title and brand history for automobiles, which helps consumers make informed decisions before purchasing a used vehicle. However, there are certain pieces of vehicle history data that NMVTIS does not contain; for example, a vehicle’s repair history.
Before making a decision to purchase a vehicle, consumers may wish to obtain an independent vehicle inspection and consult other available information resources that provide additional vehicle history data.
Where can I get detailed vehicle information from a state?
To request a complete copy of a specific state vehicle title record, you can contact the current state motor vehicle titling agency.
If I believe there is a discrepancy in the information provided in a NMVTIS vehicle record, how do I go about resolving the issue?
Contact the service provider directly for questions about your vehicle history report. Customer support is available on each service providers’ website.
If I purchase a vehicle, is my personal information included and shared in NMVTIS?
No personal identifying information will be made available to individual consumers via NMVTIS. However, information contained within NMVTIS will include limited personal identifying information specifically for law enforcement/investigative, regulatory, and related purposes. While no personal identifying information will be made available to individual consumers, states can permit access to their records that is consistent with the requirements of federal statutes such as the Drivers Privacy Protection Act and any relevant state statutes.
Why aren’t all states participating in NMVTIS? Why isn’t my state participating?
Currently 49 states are involved with NMVTIS at various levels of participation. (View NMVTIS participation map.) Some states participate fully with NMVTIS (provide data to the system as well as make title inquiries before issuing new titles.) Other states provide data only or are developing the capacity to participate fully with NMVTIS. Non-participating states have offered different reasons for not providing data to the system and not making inquiries of NMVTIS, however consumers are encouraged to seek responses to these questions from the states directly.
I requested vehicle information through NMVTIS and (no brand/odometer/title information was returned. Why?
It is likely in this case that no brand, odometer, or title information for that vehicle has been reported by participating states. Contact the report service provider for any additional questions or further explanation. Although NMVTIS includes 85 percent of the U.S. vehicle population, it is expected that this type of response may occur until all states are participating.
Source: National Motor Vehicle Titling Information System www.vehiclehistory.gov