NMVTIS Consumer Access Disclaimer

The National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) is an electronic system that contains information on certain automobiles titled in the United States. NMVTIS is intended to serve as a reliable source of title and brand history for automobiles, but it does not contain detailed information regarding a vehicle’s repair history.

All states, insurance companies, and junk and salvage yards are required by federal law to regularly report information to NMVTIS. However, NMVTIS does not contain information on all motor vehicles in the United States because some states are not yet providing their vehicle data to the system. Currently, the data provided to NMVTIS by states is provided in a variety of time frames; while some states report and update NMVTIS data in "real-time" (as title transactions occur), other states send updates less frequently, such as once every 24 hours or within a period of days. Information on previous, significant vehicle damage may not be included in the system if the vehicle was never determined by an insurance company (or other appropriate entity) to be a "total loss" or branded by a state titling agency. Conversely, an insurance carrier may be required to report a "total loss" even if the vehicle’s titling-state has not determined the vehicle to be "salvage" or "junk."

A vehicle history report is NOT a substitute for an independent vehicle inspection. Before making a decision to purchase a vehicle, consumers are strongly encouraged to also obtain an independent vehicle inspection to ensure the vehicle does not have hidden damage. The Approved NMVTIS Data Providers (look for the NMVTIS logo) can include vehicle condition data from sources other than NMVTIS.

Before making a decision to purchase a vehicle, consumers may wish to obtain an independent vehicle inspection, a NMVTIS Vehicle History Report, and consult other available vehicle information resources.