How to Read a Title for a Motor Vehicle

You don't need a private detective to examine a title for irregularities.

Reading a car title thoroughly is essential to ensuring that you do not are tricked or swindled when buying the vehicle. A scammer might try to hand you a title that pertains to a different vehicle than the one you think you're buying. Carefully examining the title will help you keep from becoming a victim of a scam.

Instructions

1. Look at the top of the title. It shows the state in which the vehicle is listed.

2. Look at the first section of the title. This has the vehicle identification number, or VIN. Compare this VIN to the VIN that is engraved on the vehicle's dashboard. It is visible through the windshield.

3. Look at the make, model, year and body style listed in the first section of the motor vehicle title. Compare this to the vehicle you see. Verify the year by opening the hood of the car. The year will be written somewhere, though the exact spot varies by vehicle type.

4. Check the mileage on the odometer on the dashboard. Compare this to the odometer reading in the middle section of the title. When you buy a vehicle, the odometer reading at the time of the sale is written on the title.

5. Read the lienholder details in the bottom section of the title. Look for the notary signature.

References

• Automotive Compendium: Parts of a Car Title