How to Title a Classic Car Without Title

    You’ve bought, or are thinking about buying an old car that has no title and now you’re wondering if you can get a title for the car.

    The seller has no paperwork and the car is old and in need of restoration. It’s basically a junk car at this point, but you want to restore it and make it something special, but you need a title.

    The good news is there is a path to attain a title as long as the vehicle was not stolen.

    There are options and paths you can follow to acquire a bonded title according to the laws in your state.

    How To Get A Bonded Title

    A bonded title is best used when you end up with a classic car that you bought from someone who had the car rotting out in a field or brush pile, but had no title because the car is so old that the paperwork has rotted over time, they lost it or the dog ate it.

    The DMV or State has no records of the car because of the age of the vehicle and the records at the state level have long been deleted from the system.

    Whatever the reason, you can get a bonded title.

    A bonded title is a title that has “bonded” written on it. You secure a bond to make sure the state is covered if anyone comes along and makes a claim on the vehicle. It basically protects the State from being liable to the individual or entity that places a claim on it.

    It’s like insurance and is actually sold by insurance and/or a bonding company.

    When you apply via a simple form, the state involved usually sends a state trooper out to validate the VIN number, fender numbers, and other locations to validate that it is indeed the car or vehicle the application is for.

    Once verified and bonded, the state issues the title for the vehicle.

    Qualifications for a Bonded Title

    To get a bonded title, you are making a promise to the state that you are the true owner of the vehicle. A bill of sale from the individual you purchased it from is a major plus and makes it easier if they have had the vehicle registered and titled in that state previously, but not so long ago that the state has dropped records on the vehicle.

    If you are the actual owner of the car, you shouldn’t have any concerns about bond claims.

    Each state is different, and they may have other options and requirements to get the title to that classic car you want, but there is almost always a path. Call your states DMV and ask questions.

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