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How to Get a New Auto Title

how to get a new auto title

When you own a car, you receive an important document. This document is an auto title, and it’s something that people typically tell you not to lose or damage. Otherwise, it could cause trouble. 

Usually, you safeguard this piece of information the best way that you can, hoping nothing happens to it. But what do you do when the worst-case scenario occurs, and you lose or damage your auto title? 

If you’ve found yourself in this predicament, it’s easy to panic and wonder what to do next. However, if you want to learn how to get a new auto title, this article will provide one easy tip that you can use. 

What is an auto title?

Before learning how to get a new auto title, it’s essential to revisit the purpose of having this document. This information might be old news to some of you, in which case this will be a good refresher. But if you’ve never learned what an auto title is, this definition will explain why it’s so critical to safeguard this document. 

Put simply, an auto title proves that you own your motor vehicle. Without it, you have no way of showing that you possess ownership of your car. 

Depending on the state you live in, the information on the auto title will vary. However, it’ll always include a vehicle identification number (VIN) and the signature of state officials who are in charge of motor vehicles or revenue collection. 

Typically, an auto title will also include the following:

  • Vehicle make
  • Vehicle model or body type
  • Vehicle year 
  • The owners of the vehicle 
  • The owner’s address
  • Odometer reading 
  • The date the title was issued 

Sometimes, your auto title may have more specific information. Yours could provide your license plate number, your vehicle’s weight, a title number, the engine number, the number of cylinders in the engine, and the type of fuel your vehicle uses. Additionally, some states require that you add information about salvage or flood damage. 

Why is a car title important? 

why is a new auto title important

You want a car title because it’ll prove that you own your vehicle—that’s the primary benefit of the document. But there are practical ways where you’ll see this benefit play out. For example, an auto title is important in the following situations.

1. Someone steals your car

If someone steals your motor vehicle, how do you prove that the thief doesn’t own your car? You refer to your auto title. Without this document, the police won’t believe that you possess ownership of your vehicle. 

2. You want to sell your car

You can’t sell your vehicle without an auto title. The buyer will ask you to transfer the title to them to prove they’re the new owners. But if you don’t have your auto title, the buyer is going to walk away

3. Your car gets impounded 

No one likes to hear that their car is in an impoundment lot. In these situations, it’s crucial to have your auto title. If you don’t, your vehicle will sit in the lot until it gets recycled, auctioned off, or taken to the wrecking yard. The only way to prevent any of these things from happening is to have proof that you own your vehicle when you pick it up. 

4. A vehicle is part of a crime after you sell it or before you own it 

It doesn’t matter if a vehicle is part of a crime after you sell it or before you own it. When the authorities come to speak with you, you want to have proof that you didn’t own the vehicle when it was part of a crime. Otherwise, you could draw unwanted attention. 

Types of auto titles

So, you know what an auto title is and why it’s important. But do you know what type of new auto title you need? 

Surprisingly, there are multiple types of auto titles. And before you try to get a new one, you need to know exactly what you’re replacing. Luckily, the list of auto titles is pretty short. 

1. An auto title for a clean vehicle

You need this type of auto title if your vehicle is in good shape structurally. This title indicates that your car has never been in a major accident, and therefore, totaled.  

2. An auto title for a clear vehicle

This title is required if there are no liens against your vehicle. If you’re not making any finance payments because you own your car, you want this type of title. 

3. An auto title for a salvage vehicle 

You need this auto title if your car was in an accident and declared a total loss. With a salvage title, the state is basically saying that you can’t drive or sell your vehicle in its current condition. 

4. An auto title for a rebuilt vehicle 

If you get your salvaged vehicle repaired, you need an auto title that’s specific to your rebuilt car. This title indicates that your vehicle is in better shape or that it may require additional repairs in the future.  

How to get a new auto title

It’s finally time to explain how to get a new auto title. When you get your first one, you either get it from a car dealer or private owner, depending on where you bought your car. 

But when you lose or damage that auto title, you can’t go back to the previous owner or car dealer. Instead, must with the DMV or a transportation agency. 

As you probably know, the DMV is slow. You could walk into their waiting room and sit for hours until an employee finally assists you. If you want to avoid that pain, you should go through a transportation agency. 

For example, Barry Risk Management can help you get a new auto title. With over 30 years of experience in the DMV industry, their team knows how to get the appropriate type of title and make sure it meets all of your state’s requirements. 

The best part is that everything is also online. Instead of walking inside an office, you can simply contact an agent over the phone. Then, a representative will help you get a new auto title all online, in the comfort of your own home. 

With transportation agencies like Barry Risk Management, getting a new auto title is simple and quick. There are no tricks, waiting rooms, or long wait times. You can get your auto title quickly so that you have proof your car is yours.  

Call Barry Risk Management at 1-888-995-TAGS(8247) to renew get your new auto title! 

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How to Do a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Search

how to do a vehicle identification number search

Imagine your dream car. It can be whatever you like—maybe it’s a Mercedes G-Wagon, Porsche, or Rolls Royce. Or, perhaps it’s something exotic and futuristic like an Ashton Martin.

Regardless of what it is, you may be imagining your dream car as a brand new vehicle with untouched leather seats, zero damages, and touch screen devices that have no fingerprints. But what if you can’t get your dream car brand new? What if you have to get one that someone has already used?

Just because you find yourself in this situation doesn’t mean you can’t get your dream car in great condition. In fact, you can get your dream car in near perfect condition even though someone has already owned and driven it for a period of time.

You just have to do a VIN search. By taking this step, you can ensure you purchase a used version of your dream car in a condition that’s actually worth buying. 

What is a VIN?

When you’re in the market for your dream car—or any car, for that matter—you need to check the vehicle’s history if it’s a used automobile. You can achieve this goal by looking at the Vehicle Identification Number, which is the formal way of saying VIN. 

This 17-digit number is a unique code that’s gets assigned to every car that someone has used. With the VIN, you can easily check a car’s history so that you have all of the information you need to discern whether or not you want to buy a car in used condition. 

What’s also great about using a VIN is that it allows you to see what you may not notice on the surface. For example, you can look at the inside and outside of a vehicle and quickly catch any scratches, tears, dents, and any other eyesores. 

But you can’t look at the inside or outside of a vehicle to tell if someone’s totaled it. This insight is something you can only gain access to by utilizing the car’s VIN. With it, you can become privy to several things, including: 

  • Whether or not the vehicle has been in an accident
  • If the vehicle experienced flood damage
  • If someone has totaled the vehicle in the past 
  • What the previous owner(s) used the vehicle for (lease, taxi, rental, etc.)
  • The condition of the airbags and whether they’re safe
  • If there are any open recalls  
  • What the service history is for the vehicle 
  • Details about the title, including junk or salvage titles
  • The vehicle’s ownership history 
  • Damages to the vehicle’s structure or frame
  • Rollbacks on the odometer 

Thorough information on a used vehicle is what you need to consider to make the right purchasing decision. You don’t want to get stuck with a car that breaks down on you the second you grab the keys and drive off the lot. Instead, you need to buy a vehicle that’s safe and in excellent condition, even if someone has already used it. 

How to understand a VIN 

vehicle identification number search

While doing a VIN search is critical to buying a great used vehicle, you can’t take this step if you don’t know how to. Before you can check the VIN, you first have to understand how to read it. 

When you look at a VIN, the 17-digits will represent the vehicle’s year, make, model, engine, location of manufacture, plant code, production number, and more. Sometimes, you might find older vehicles with a VIN that’s 16 characters—but even in those cases, you’ll still discover a lot of information about your desired motor vehicle. 

However, to guarantee you get the most out of using your VIN, here’s a brief explanation about how to decode each number. 

1. The first three digits

When you look at the first three digits in the VIN, you get to see the World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) number. This particular part of the VIN clues you into three specific things: 

  • Country of origin: The very first digit in the VIN will tell you the vehicle’s final point of assembly. Sometimes, this is the location where manufacturers produced the vehicle. But other times, the country of origin is the location of the manufacturer’s headquarters. 
  • Manufacturer: If you want to learn who manufactured the vehicle and the region it was made in, you should look at the second digit in the VIN. 
  • Type: When you review the third digit in the VIN, you’ll learn the vehicle type and the specific manufacturing division that created it. 

The first three digits in the VIN offer some of the most foundational information about the used automobile. And while these insights might seem unimportant, they can help determine if you actually want to buy the car, especially if you care about who manufactured it.    

2. Digits four through nine 

When you start looking at digits four through nine, you’re checking out the Vehicle Descriptor Section. 

Specifically, digits four through eight will reveal the model, engine type, transmission, and body style. Many service shops prefer to reference this information to ensure they understand the vehicle’s systems to service it properly. 

However, the ninth digit is just as important. This number helps determine if a VIN is even valid. The Department of Transportation uses a mathematical formula to create the ninth digit, and with it, you have complete visibility into whether a vehicle has the correct VIN and history. 

3. Digits 10 – 17  

The remaining digits in the VIN suggest the Vehicle Identifier Section. The tenth digit will reveal the model year. The 11th digit will suggest the manufacturing plant that produced the vehicle. And the last digits typically provide the serial number, which tells you when in the sequence the vehicle came off the assembly line. 

Where to find the VIN

Now that you know how to decode a VIN, you may be wondering where you can find it on a vehicle. Luckily, it’s pretty easy to detect. 

You can usually discover a VIN on the dashboard or jamb sticker on the driver’s side door. However, if you can’t find it there, you can also look on the engine, in the trunk, on the frame inside the hood, or in a spare tire area. Those places might sound like unique locations for a VIN, but you’ll sometimes find them in those particular spots. 

How to do a VIN search

Knowing how to understand and find a VIN means you have almost everything you need to do a VIN search. Your last step is just to find a credible company to look up the VIN. 

Your first thought may be to go to the DMV for this service. However, you don’t want to wait in long lines or schedule an appointment for months in advance. Barry Risk Management, Inc. can do a VIN search quickly and easily to ensure you get the historical data you need in a timely manner. 

By using Barry Risk Management, Inc., you’ll get a complete list of accidents, previous owners, repairs, and more so that you know exactly what you’re buying. 

Contact a representative with Barry Risk Management, Inc. today to do the VIN search that you need. 

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How Long Is the DMV Wait Time?

how long is the DMV wait time

Going to the DMV is rarely—if ever—a fun trip to make. Not only do you have to contend with outdated technology, too much paperwork, and disgruntled employees, but you also have to deal with something worse than all three of those combined: wait times. 

In 2018, the Department of Motor Vehicles noticed a decrease in customer satisfaction and decided to conduct a study on wait times. Rightfully so, the DMV thought this was the primary factor contributing to low customer satisfaction, so the organization wanted factual data to help improve. 

The study’s findings, though, come as a slight surprise. The DMV reports that, on average, Americans wait 44 minutes to receive service at one of its offices. What’s more surprising is that major cities measure even shorter wait times. 

In New York, the average DMV wait time is 35 minutes. In New Jersey, it’s 26 minutes. And in Pennsylvania, it’s 21 minutes. 

Do you remember the last time you waited 20-something minutes to get service at your local DMV office? If not, you’re not alone. No one remembers because it rarely happens. 

What are the DMV wait times really like?

While the study indicates short DMV wait times, the reality is much different. As unfortunate as it sounds, unbearable lines are a part of the DMV experience, and you should expect to see them. 

Even if your local DMV claims to have more employees, longer hours, and better technology, you’ll still experience long wait times. And you can be confident in this fact by looking at examples. 

In 2018, California’s DMV Director, Jean Shiomoto, wrote in a letter that DMV wait times were down statewide by an average of 30 minutes. Of course, she cited the increase in staff, advanced technology, and longer hours as the reason for the decrease. 

But one California citizen was curious to see if this announcement was indeed true. She decided to visit a DMV office in Santa Monica during the weekday to get her REAL ID. 

However, before she left, she checked the DMV’s website to look at the wait time for her service. Based on the information she read, the DMV wait time would be an hour—no more, no less. So, she headed off to see if she’d leave the DMV in an hour with her Real ID in hand. 

Unsurprisingly, this did not happen. 

When this California resident got to the DMV, she had to endure a wait before the actual wait. Instead of immediately sitting in the waiting room, a long line was pouring outside of the DMV’s doors. And it took her 48 minutes to finally reach the front of the line to grab her ticket and take a seat.

By then, it was obvious that the one hour wait did not include the amount of time it took to get the ticket number. What’s worse is that by the time she sat down, the original DMV wait time shot up to an hour and a half. 

The real icing on the cake, though, is that the new timeframe wasn’t even accurate. It took her 2 hours and 20 minutes for someone to assist her. And if you add the time it took to get the ticket, she waited a total of 3 hours and 8 minutes. 

Clearly, the DMV wait time had not decreased. It was just as long as usual. 

How the pandemic is worsening DMV wait times

what to know about DMV wait times

During normal times, you can find a couple of customer stories that shed light on the DMV’s slowness and inefficiency. However, during a pandemic, you don’t just find a couple of stories. You find a plethora of them, and they’re not just on personal blogs. 

The DMV wait times have gotten so bad during the pandemic that major news outlets like the New York Times are even reporting about them. Recently, the media outlet wrote a story explaining how people are making money by camping out in front of DMV offices to save someone else’s spot in line. 

This strategy is a step above the one some people were initially using. When the DMV first opened its offices after a nationwide shutdown, most customers got in line as early as 3 a.m. to avoid long wait times. However, because that strategy didn’t work, some people are taking things a step further. 

In New Jersey, a woman and her 4-year-old son set up a tent outside of a Motor Vehicle Commission office. She planned to sleep there until 8 a.m. when the office would open for the day. 

The woman told the New York Times that she didn’t need to get anything from the office. She was simply holding the spot for a motorist who was paying her $150. And unfortunately, this woman’s story is not a rarity. 

You can find many people who are willing to go to the DMV to hold your place in line. Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist are just two websites full of people who are offering to wait in line at a DMV office overnight. Their fees range from $50 to $600—and some of them make enough money to pay their bills. 

The long DMV wait times during the pandemic have created a whole new type of gig worker. And while you might consider having someone wait in line on your behalf, is that convenience really worth your money? What if you had another option? 

How to avoid long DMV wait times  

If you want to avoid DMV wait times, you don’t have to stand in line at 3 a.m. or pay someone to do it for you. In fact, you don’t even have to leave your home. 

You can avoid long wait times by using Barry Risk Management, Inc. for all of your DMV needs. Their services are online. You don’t have to go anywhere.

And if you need one-on-one help, you can reach out to a representative. With well over 30 years of experience in the DMV industry, the team at Barry Risk Management, Inc. has the knowledge and expertise to ensure you get what you need. 

Whether you have a common request like registering a vehicle or a less typical need like getting a driver’s license abstract, Barry Risk Management, Inc. can help you. 

Don’t spend extra time or money to avoid long DMV wait times. Contact Barry Risk Management, Inc. today to complete your DMV needs!