You can check car title information by VIN or license plate lookup to see if a vehicle has a salvage, rebuilt, flood, lemon, junk, or other title brand before you buy.
Title Information
What Is a Branded Title?
A branded title is a vehicle title that has been permanently marked by a state DMV to indicate serious issues in the car's history.
A title brand is typically applied after an insurance company declares the vehicle a total loss due to accident damage, flood damage, theft recovery, fire, or other major events. Once issued, the brand stays on the vehicle record permanently in most states.
Branded titles usually reduce a car's value and may affect financing or insurance coverage.
Types of Car Title Brands
Salvage Title
A salvage title means the vehicle was significantly damaged, often from a crash, and declared uneconomical to repair.
Learn moreRebuilt Title
A rebuilt title applies when a previously salvaged vehicle has been repaired and inspected to be roadworthy again.
Learn moreFlood Damage Title
A flood title means the vehicle has been submerged in water, often damaging its mechanical and electrical systems.
Learn moreLemon Title
A lemon title is used for vehicles with chronic mechanical issues that could not be repaired under warranty.
Learn moreTotal Loss Title
A total loss title is given when the cost to repair the vehicle exceeds its market value, making it uneconomical to fix.
Learn moreJunk Title
A junk title is issued when a vehicle is considered only valuable for parts or scrap, with no road use allowed.
Learn moreFire Title
A fire title indicates the vehicle suffered damage from flames or extreme heat.
Learn moreReconstructed Title
A reconstructed title means the vehicle was previously damaged and later repaired and re-titled after inspection, depending on state rules.
Learn moreStolen Title
A stolen title shows the vehicle has been reported stolen and may not have been recovered in usable condition.
Learn moreOdometer Rollback / Not Actual Mileage
A not actual mileage title is issued when the odometer reading is inaccurate or has been tampered with.
Odometer rollback fraud occurs when mileage is illegally reduced to increase resale value. Even digital dashboards can be manipulated through electronic reprogramming or falsified records.
Before buying any used vehicle, always run a VIN check or license plate lookup to verify past odometer readings. A reliable vehicle history report can reveal mileage discrepancies, title issues, and prior damage.
Odometer rollback is illegal in the U.S., but it still affects thousands of car buyers every year. Don't rely on what the dashboard says, verify the vehicle history first and buy with confidence.
Salvage vs Rebuilt Title – What's the Difference?
A salvage title means the vehicle was declared a total loss and has not yet been repaired for road use.
A rebuilt title means the vehicle was previously salvaged but has been repaired and inspected for roadworthiness.
Both reduce resale value, but rebuilt vehicles are legally drivable, while salvage vehicles are not.
Is It Safe to Buy a Branded Title Car?
Buying a branded title vehicle carries risks:
- reduced resale value
- insurance limitations
- financing restrictions
- hidden structural
- electrical damage
Some rebuilt vehicles may be safe if properly repaired, but buyers should always verify title history and damage records before purchase.
How to Check Title Brands by VIN or License Plate
Before buying any used vehicle, run a title check by VIN or license plate lookup.
A vehicle history report can reveal: salvage or rebuilt title records, flood damage history, total loss insurance claims, odometer discrepancies, theft recovery records, and more.
Verifying title information helps prevent fraud, title washing, and unexpected repair costs.
What Is Title Washing?
Title washing is a used car scam where a vehicle's salvage, flood, or rebuilt title is transferred to another state to remove or hide the brand.
The car may then be sold as having a clean title, even though it previously suffered major damage. Title washing is illegal, but it still occurs.
Always verify a vehicle history report to uncover hidden title brands before purchasing.
Does a Branded Title Affect Insurance and Car Value?
Yes. Branded titles often reduce market value by 20–50%, limit insurance coverage options, increase insurance premiums, and make resale more difficult.
Always factor in long-term ownership costs before purchasing a branded vehicle.
FAQ
Checking a branded title? Here are answers to the most common questions about title brands.
A branded title usually cannot be removed. Even if a vehicle is repaired, the brand remains permanently attached to the title record in most states.
In most cases, title brands follow the vehicle even if it is registered in another state. However, state branding rules vary, which is why some sellers attempt title washing. Always check a full vehicle history report before purchasing.
A seller may attempt to hide a branded title through title washing or incomplete disclosure. The safest way to verify is by running a VIN or license plate lookup before purchase.
Yes. States with frequent natural disasters or high vehicle turnover such as Florida, Texas, California, and Louisiana tend to have more flood and salvage title vehicles.
A clean title indicates no major damage or total loss record, while a branded title signals significant past damage or insurance claims that permanently affect the vehicle record.
A clean title does not always mean the vehicle never had damage. In some cases, a car may have had a prior salvage or total loss record that was rebranded or transferred between states.
Get more details in the app
The website check is a quick screen. In the app you can access deeper history context and additional vehicle data in one place.