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Auto Dealer Insight: Can You Sell A Car Without A Title?

can you sell a car without a title?

Every successful business needs to make sales. However, sales don’t look the same across every industry. Different documents are necessary for different tractions. For example, perhaps you own a car dealership. Can you sell a car without a title? Of course not. 

If you’re an auto dealer, you absolutely need a car title to sell a vehicle. Without one, you could ruin your business and reputation and cause your customers a lot of stress and headaches. But getting a car title for each vehicle on your lot isn’t that easy. 

Most states don’t offer an online application for new or duplicate titles, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to get this document. There’s an easy avenue you can take to get what you need, and it doesn’t require you to do an in-person visit to your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). 

The solution is much simpler than that—but before this article reveals it, you must know everything about car titles. Otherwise, it’ll be hard to run a successful auto dealership.  

What is a car title? 

Sometimes, people confuse car titles with vehicle registration, but the former document is entirely different. A car title is what establishes legal ownership of a vehicle. 

States will issue this document, and specifically, the state where you purchase the vehicle will be the one that provides the car title. However, perhaps you recently bought a used car. In that case, the previous owner needs to transfer the title to you. 

However, regardless of whether you have a new or used vehicle, once you get the title, you must keep it until you sell the car. Ideally, put this document somewhere safe. That way, you don’t have to worry about losing it or someone stealing or destroying it. 

Additionally, safeguarding this document will ensure you have it when it’s time to transfer it. After every sale, you must provide the accompanying car title to the new owner. But it’s impossible to do this if you don’t have the document safely in your possession.   

What information should a car title include?

Can you sell a car without a title? Learn more.

When you get a car title, you should notice that it has several pieces of information. This information will be present on every title that your auto dealership has, so don’t worry if things start to look similar. 

Keeping that in mind, here’s what to expect on a car title:

  • Owner’s name and address: This insight will refer to the details about your business. 
  • Identifying information: This section will include the make, model, year, VIN, and color of your vehicle.
  • Issue date: The date you purchased your car will also be on the title.
  • Liens: If a financing lender was involved in your transaction, this insight would be available as well.
  • Odometer: Your title will have your vehicle’s odometer reading and specify when that reading happened. 
  • Signatures: The signatures on your title will include you as the buyer, the seller, and a state representative.

If you’re buying a used car, it’s not unheard of to come across scammers. Sometimes, sellers will provide something that looks like a title, but it’s only a false document. Ultimately, it’s your job to make sure the title you’re getting for a used car is real. 

Luckily, if you don’t want to get duped, there are several things you can look for, including the following:

  • The VIN: Verify that the VIN is accurate by getting a vehicle history report. 
  • Issuing state: Double-check this information to ensure it aligns with the state you’re doing the transaction in. If it doesn’t, the title is probably not valid. 
  • A watermark: If the car title you’re getting doesn’t include a watermark, that’s a sign that it’s a copy, not the original. 
  • Unclear or fuzzy printing: The document should be clear and easy to read. If the printing seems off, the title is likely a copy. 

These indicators will tell you what type of car title you’re getting for a used vehicle. And it should go without saying that you shouldn’t purchase a used car before verifying that the title is the original. 

What happens when you don’t have a car title?

Remember when the beginning of the article mentioned that not having a car title could negatively affect your business, reputation, and customers? Well, there’s an example to prove it, and it comes straight out of Chicago. 

After a man and his girlfriend bought a new car, they had so much trouble getting the title from the dealership that they called the overall process a nightmare. Without the title, they couldn’t drive the vehicle on the street.

The owner of the dealership in Chicago said he originally bought the car at an auction, but there were issues with getting the title. Apparently, the previous owner had to apply for a new one, but it doesn’t sound like that person ever took this step. The auto dealer in Chicago never got a valid car title, so the couple he sold it to never got one either. 

It wasn’t until the couple complained and got the Secretary of State involved that things finally started to move in a positive direction. Still, that hasn’t prevented the man and his girlfriend from expressing frustration to reporters and naming the dealership they bought the vehicle from. 

While the dealership owner in Chicago says that none of the issues was his fault, this is an excellent example of what happens when you don’t have the car title in your possession. Not only do you get dissatisfied customers, but you also get poor reviews and negative attention in news articles. 

How your auto dealership can get a car title

Now that you have a clear understanding of car titles and the importance of having them, there’s only one thing left to cover. How do you actually get a car title? 

The traditional answer is the one you hear about most often, and that’s to visit your local DMV office. However, if you don’t have time to complete this task in person—since you’re running a car dealership—you can have our team at Barry Risk Management handle everything for you. 

As a transportation agency with over 30 years of experience in the DMV industry, we know how to get a car title for every vehicle on your lot. And it doesn’t matter where your business is located. Our team understands the tricky rules and regulations for getting a car title in each state, so we’ll be able to get what you need without any problems.

Even better, our process is entirely online. You don’t have to visit our office. All you must do is give us a call and tell us that you need a car title for one of the vehicles on your lot. Then, the rest of the process happens digitally. That way, things stay simple, quick, and efficient. 

Ready to get a car title for a vehicle on your lot? Dial 1-888-995-TAGS(8247) to contact Barry Risk Management for help. 

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The Simple Way to Get a New Car Title

new car title

When you get a new car, what’s the first thing that you think about? The sleek, clean look of it as you drive off the car dealership’s parking lot? The fresh smell of its leather, reminding you that you’re the first person to sit in its driver’s seat? Or the trip that you’ll have to take to the DMV to get a new car title? 

Most likely, the DMV is the last thing on your mind. 

As you’re figuring out the new features in your car and syncing your Bluetooth to your vehicle, you’re too excited to think about the DMV, and rightfully so. A new car is something you should get excited about. The DMV, on the other hand, is a source of dread. 

Still, when you get a new car, you’ll need to get a new car title. If you go to the DMV, you’ll have to carve out a few hours for the time-consuming process, wait in long lines that never seem to end, sit next to people who look miserable and defeated, and make repeat trips to experience the pain all over again. What’s worse is that the process for getting a duplicate car title is just as difficult. 

Regardless of the type of car title you need, you might develop a headache if you try to get it from the DMV. However, there is an easier way to get a duplicate or new car title, and it doesn’t require the DMV at all. But before you learn about that solution, you need to know everything there is to know about car titles. 

this car needs a new car title

What is a car title?

A car title is formerly known as a Certificate of Title. It’s the official proof of ownership for a truck, car, motorcycle, travel or utility trailer, motorboat, or mobile home. Your car title is the only thing that proves you own your vehicle. 

However, your car title also lists any lienholders that you used. For example, if you borrowed money from someone to buy your vehicle or mobile home, that person would be considered a lien and be on your title. 

If you ever decide to sell your vehicle or mobile home, you will have to transfer your ownership to the buyer using your car title. And if you lose this document, you will need to get a new car title before you can transfer ownership.

Keeping your car title safe is of utmost importance. It will help if you put it somewhere secure and reliable, so you can ensure you never lose or destroy it. Please don’t carry your car title with you or put it in your vehicle. Those are quick ways to misplace or damage it.

Instead, keep your car title in your home, and put it somewhere that you’ll remember. The last thing you want to do is hide your car title from yourself and go to the DMV because you need a duplicate one.

What’s the difference between registration and a car title?

Registration and a car title are both necessary. However, while they’re equally important, they’re also very different. 

A car title proves that you own a car, mobile home, motorboat, motorcycle, or truck. Registration, on the other hand, gives you the right to operate a motor vehicle or a motorboat. 

Mobile homes are the only things that don’t require registration. What’s also important to remember is that your registration needs to remain in your car at all times. 

If you get pulled over, the police officer will ask for your insurance and registration, not your car title. So, you need to keep your registration in your glove department or somewhere else in your car to avoid an additional ticket. 

How do you typically get a new car title?

As you know, anything that involves the DMV can become time-consuming. And getting a new car title is no different. When you need a new car title, you will automatically apply for it when you register your vehicle or motorboat. 

The DMV provides the application online for you to download, but you can also request it by contacting the DMV Call Center. Regardless of the route you choose, once you get the form, you will have to pay a fee for the car title and the costs associated with the registration, license plates, and sales tax. 

The DMV will provide your car title once it accepts your application. However, the method the DMV uses to provide your car title will depend on where you live. For example, in New York, the DMV doesn’t offer your car title over the counter. State law requires the DMV in New York to provide your title by mail only after it vigorously analyzes and verifies the proof of ownership that you submitted with your application.

If your proof of ownership doesn’t hold up or you provide the wrong documents, the DMV will contact you to resolve the issue and have you resubmit what the organization needs. Then, the application process will start over, spearheaded by the DMV’s rigorous and lengthy examination. 

Consequently, getting a new car title can take several weeks. What’s worse is if the information on the car title is wrong. When that happens, you have to contact the DMV Call center, which will likely require you to wait for about twenty minutes to speak with an associate. Then, once you finally talk to someone, you’ll have to explain the mistakes on your new car title, ask for an amended car title, and wait a few more weeks to get it. 

How to get a replacement title if the original is lost or stolen

Getting a duplicate car title through the DMV is just as time-consuming as getting one when you have a new car. 

After filling out the application for a duplicate title, you will have to pay a fee for the DMV to process and provide the document. In most states, you can get the application online.

But if that option is unavailable to you, you’ll need to call the DMV Contact Center to request for someone to mail you the application. If you don’t want to do that, you can visit a DMV office, wait in line for an hour or two, and ask for the application once an employee calls your number. 

Either way, make sure you provide the correct documents during the application process, or you will delay things even further. Most states will ask you to present some form of identification like your driver’s license. And you will typically need to provide the vehicle’s documentation, such as its registration.

However, every state is different. If you use the DMV to get a duplicate car title, make sure you know what your DMV needs. 

Simplifying the title application process

Applying for a duplicate or new car title shouldn’t be so hard. And it’s not when you avoid the DMV. 

Companies like Barry Risk Management, Inc., for example, offer the same services as the DMV but simplifies them. If you want a duplicate or new car title, you don’t have to get the application by waiting in long lines at the DMV, calling the DMV Contact Center, or searching the DMV’s website for the right form.

A representative from Barry Risk Management, Inc. can provide everything that you need. And what’s even better is that the representative will help you handle everything from the comfort of your own home. All you need to do is sit back and let the representative guide you. Then, you’ll receive your car title shortly after. 

There are no long wait times. No long lines. No lengthy phone calls. And no resubmissions or errors.

You can get a duplicate or new car title quickly with Barry Risk Management, Inc. and avoid the DMV altogether. 

Do you need a new or duplicate car title but don’t want to go to the DMV? Experience a fast, efficient, and simple process by contacting Barry Risk Management, Inc!