Cars without titles

**BillD** · #1 03-07-2007, 01:20 AM

I live in a state (Connecticut) that does not issue titles on vehicles over a certain age. There are other states that also follow the same rule of issuing only a registration and no title on old vehicles. Is it safe to buy a car without a title? I remember seeing "title service" companies in the past for issuing titles. Are these "title services" companies an alternative for getting a vehicle title? Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

x Baldwin Motion · #2 03-07-2007, 02:00 AM

In New York pre 1975 do not have titles but they do have "transferable registration" stubs. I would imagine that is the minimum a vehicle should have.

agtw31 · #3 03-07-2007, 02:48 AM

i would pass.
there are scams going on where cars are sold,and another person suddenly appears out of nowhere with a title and says it is their car and it was stolen some odd years ago.

a well known Mopar collector got jacked for a lot of money buying a Coronet R/T with no title in Georgia.

**69LM1** · #4 03-07-2007, 04:43 AM

[ QUOTE ]
In New York pre 1975 do not have titles but they do have "transferable registration" stubs. I would imagine that is the minimum a vehicle should have.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is the key. If you have the transferable registration, you can obtain a title in your state. They look in a book, and as long as the state shows as a "non title" state, and the previous owner signed the registration in the seller field, and you signed in the buyer field, then there is no issue. Your state should issue you a title.
You don't need any of the title services unless you only have a bill of sale, at which time I would pass as well.
Rich

71-LS6 · #5 03-08-2007, 05:23 AM

Rich is correct, my first LS6 Vette was from NY, it took 2 trips to the local DMV, but I finally got the car registered in my name, and that was with a load of supporting documentation. Do your homework first.

CT Mark · #6 03-08-2007, 10:23 PM

I live in CT too and I think it sucks. I have a clean CA title for my Chevelle and if I want to register the car, I will need to turn that in and I'll never see it again. I'm not at the point now where I need to register the car but when the time comes, I'm going to evaluate all possibilities. I really want to keep that paper.

**Rainer** · #7 03-08-2007, 11:12 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I live in CT too and I think it sucks. I have a clean CA title for my Chevelle and if I want to register the car, I will need to turn that in and I'll never see it again. I'm not at the point now where I need to register the car but when the time comes, I'm going to evaluate all possibilities. I really want to keep that paper.

[/ QUOTE ]

Technically, no state is going to allow you to keep the title to a vehicle you receive from a seller if you want to register it in your name. So, aside from not getting a state-issued title in CT, everyone else in the states is in the same boat as you.

While you won't be able to keep the CA title, you can make a nice color photocopy or scan and keep that as part of the car's documented history.

x Baldwin Motion · #8 03-08-2007, 11:23 PM

you may also be able to have the seller obtain a duplicate title from his Motor Vehicle Department, claiming the original is lost if you MUST have the original for your documentation. I have a photocopy of the original title from my car which I purchased from the original owner. It is not even a color copy, but all the supporting docs are in order.

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