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VIN must be made up of exactly 17 characters and belongs to a vehicle manufacturer after 1980.
Conducting a vehicle title history check in Maryland is essential due to several unique factors that can significantly impact the car-buying process in the state. Maryland has a higher rate of vehicle theft and accidents compared to the national average. According to the Maryland State Police, the state's vehicle theft rate is 20% higher than the national average with over 10,000 reported thefts in 2021. Additionally, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that Maryland has a 10% higher rate of traffic accidents per capita.
Maryland also has strict emissions standards, which can complicate the registration process for older or out-of-state vehicles. According to the Maryland Department of the Environment, the state follows the California Air Resources Board (CARB) standards, making it more challenging and costly to register vehicles that do not meet these stringent standards.
A title check can provide vital information, potentially helping you avoid purchasing a car with hidden issues and reducing the risk of getting involved in unexpected costly legal complications.
A title check may include:
Accident Records: Accident records include detailed accident and loss events and may include damage severity, airbag deployment and the location of damage on the vehicle.
Ownership History: Ownership records may include a wide range of information from registration dates to lienholder information.
Lien Records: The report may be able to identify any unpaid loans or financial claims against the vehicle.
VIN Fraud and Theft: A Maryland title search by VIN may help detect stolen vehicles or VIN tampering, helping reduce the chance of falling victim to fraud.
Active Recalls: A vehicle history may identify open safety recalls and provide information related to the recall.
Title Brands - Junk, Salvage, Reconstructed, Lemon: A vehicle title brand is recorded when it is determined to be a total loss. Most commonly this happens when the cost of repairing the damage exceeds 80% of the vehicle’s resale value.
Vehicle Specs & Options: A Maryland vehicle title search may include details recorded directly from the vehicle build sheet. These details may include everything from the vehicle’s engine displacement to interior trim options.
Skipping the Title Check Entirely: Failing to perform a vehicle title check leaves you vulnerable to buying a car with hidden issues such as salvage or flood damage.
Relying Only on the Seller’s Word: Trusting the seller without verifying the physical title document and title records can lead to purchasing a vehicle with ownership disputes, liens or title branding.
Not verifying the VIN: The first step of verifying the vehicle documentation is to make sure the VIN displayed on the title matches the actual VIN permanently imprinted on the vehicle. A Maryland title search by VIN may also provide any history of inconsistencies or theft.
Ignoring Lien Information: Overlooking lien status may cause legal issues if the vehicle still has an undischarged loan.
Missing Title Branding or Status: Some buyers fail to review title brands like "rebuilt" "junk" or "salvage," which indicate serious past issues that reduce the car’s value and safety.
Using Unreliable Sources: Conducting a Maryland vehicle title search through untrusted platforms may provide outdated or incomplete data.
Overlooking Odometer Discrepancies: Not checking mileage history may lead to buying a vehicle with a rolled-back odometer, which is illegal and misleading.
Not Verifying All Report Details: Failing to thoroughly read the report might cause you to miss key red flags, such as previous accidents or insurance claims.
Here are the thoughts expressed by some of our customers:
To perform a vehicle title check in Maryland, you’ll need specific information to access the vehicle’s history and title status accurately. The most essential detail required is the 17-digit Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which acts as the vehicle’s serial number. This unique code allows you to conduct a Maryland title search by VIN and retrieve detailed records including past ownership, title brands like salvage or rebuilt and lien status.
Using the VIN, you can initiate a Maryland vehicle title search through the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) or trusted online services like CarValid.com. These platforms offer a complete MD car title lookup, providing insights into the vehicle's ownership, any outstanding loans and whether the title has ever been flagged for issues such as flood damage or theft. Having this information is critical when buying a used car in Maryland, as it helps protect you from fraud and ensures you're making a safe and informed purchase.
Maryland is home to the highest auto insurance claim rates in the country. Due to the recent wild fires a quarter of all claims were deemed as total losses. This includes catastrophic events including floods, fires and serious collisions that prompted the insurance to declare the vehicle as a total loss. You can also see the details of the damage, such as the event type, extent, and location of the damage, dates and more...
A rise in the size and length of new auto loans generated in the state of Maryland is leading to increased delinquencies. Checking for liens and Legal ownership related records may help identify if the vehicle has any outstanding loans, liens, or judgments against it.
There are over 104 thousand cars being sold through various Maryland based salvage and insurance auctions.
Auction records may contain images of the vehicle, sale price, sale dates, condition related items as well as lien and lender related details.
Maryland had the highest number of motor vehicle thefts in the United States.
A title record theft indicator identifies vehicles that were reported as stolen, impounded, or exported during their history.
The state of Maryland had the highest number of new car sales in the United States.
Sale Records can provide information about sale events related to title reassignment. It can include details such as dates, prices, states, banks, amounts and more...
Maryland vehicle title records may include a wide array of events permanently recorded by the state. Everything from registered use of the vehicle such as Taxi, Police or Government use to Odometer Recording and Ownership History related details are recorded as a title events.
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