National Motor Vehicle Title Information System: Working for States

• NCJ Number: 254688
• Date Published: December 2019
• Agencies: BJA-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Report (Technical Assistance), Program/Project Description, Legislation/Policy Description, Instructional Material (Programmed)

Annotation

This brief report indicates how states, along with their businesses, law enforcement agencies, and residents can benefit from using the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS), which uses a federally mandated reporting law to obtain comprehensive information on each vehicle managed by entities, including junk and salvage yards, involved in the purchase and sale of motor vehicles.

Abstract

States participating in the NMVTIS and its services are assisted in the identification of stolen and "cloned" vehicles; missing vehicle brands; and fraudulent activity, such as altered odometer readings and altered titles. NMVTIS vehicle data can also assist local and state law enforcement agencies in countering vehicle title fraud and vehicle-related investigations. The NMVTIS also assists motor-vehicle agencies with the automated processing of needed vehicle information in trade transactions. Suggestions are offered for how to access various types of vehicle information contained in the NMVTIS. The types of vehicles for which the NMVTIS maintains information are automobiles, buses, trucks, motorcycles, motor homes, and truck tractors.