Wheel ScoutClean title vs branded title
A clean title has no brand. It doesn't mean the car was never in an accident: a crash that an insurer paid to repair, or that the owner fixed with cash, leaves the title clean. A branded title carries a word the state is required to print, and the brand follows the car to every future owner.
The common title brands
| Salvage | Written off by an insurer, or damaged past the state's threshold. Usually can't be driven until rebuilt. Salvage vs rebuilt. |
|---|---|
| Rebuilt, reconstructed, prior salvage | A salvage car repaired and passed by the state's inspection. Drivable, worth less. |
| Junk, non-repairable, certificate of destruction | Parts or scrap only. It should never be titled to drive again; a drivable car with this history is a red flag. |
| Flood or water damage | Water got into the car. Some states brand any flood total loss; others add flood to a salvage brand. Flood damage check. |
| Fire, hail | Used by some states to say what caused the loss. |
| Lemon, manufacturer buyback | The maker bought the car back under a state lemon law for a defect it couldn't fix. Details below. |
| Not actual mileage, exceeds mechanical limits | Odometer brands. The miles shown aren't the real miles, or the odometer rolled past its limit. |
| Theft recovery | Used by some states for a stolen car that was recovered, often after an insurer paid the claim. |
The exact words differ by state. Your state's plate lookup page lists the brands it uses: Texas, California, Florida, or any state.
Lemon and manufacturer buyback titles
Every state has a lemon law for new cars. When a defect covered by the warranty can't be fixed after a set number of tries, the maker has to replace the car or buy it back. Many states then require the title to be branded and the next buyer to be told in writing. California, for example, brands these titles "Lemon Law Buyback" and requires a disclosure to the next buyer. A buyback isn't automatically a bad car, since the maker may have fixed the problem before reselling it, but you should know what the defect was and pay less for it.
- Ask for the buyback disclosure. It should say what the defect was and what was repaired.
- Check the title history. A buyback car that went through a dealer auction and into another state can lose the brand on paper; the $10 full report lists lemon brands along with the rest of the car's history.
Title washing
Title washing is moving a branded car to a state with different rules and getting a new title that comes out without the brand. Congress created NMVTIS, the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System, in the Anti Car Theft Act of 1992 to stop it. States, insurers, junk yards and salvage yards report to NMVTIS, so a brand recorded in one state stays in the federal record even when the paper title in hand looks clean.
Signs a title might be washed: a recent title from a different state than where the car has spent its life, a title issued just before the sale, or a car that's priced well under similar cars with no explanation.
The reports
Both reports show title brands. The full report adds lemon brands, owners and accidents.
Basic history report
By VIN or license plate · official NMVTIS record · shows right away
- Salvage, junk, flood and rebuilt title brands
- Title history by state, with dates
- Odometer readings and rollback flags
- Total-loss records from insurers
- Theft check
- Market value for the car
Full vehicle history report
By VIN or license plate · Not instant: emailed or texted to you within two hours
- Every owner, how they used it (personal, lease, rental or fleet) and where
- Accidents and damage reports
- Title brands: salvage, junk, rebuilt, flood, fire, hail, lemon
- Odometer readings over time, checked for rollbacks
- Service and maintenance history
- Open recalls and common owner complaints for the model
Branded title questions
What is a branded title?
A title with a permanent word printed on it that records a serious event: salvage, rebuilt, junk, flood, fire, hail, lemon buyback or an odometer problem.
What is a clean title?
A title with no brand. It doesn't mean the car was never in an accident; repaired crashes that weren't total losses usually leave the title clean.
Can a branded title become clean again?
Not legally. A brand stays on every future title. A clean title on a car with a brand in its history usually means it was moved to another state, which is title washing, and the federal record still shows the brand.
Is it bad to buy a car with a branded title?
It depends on the brand and the price. Branded cars are worth less, are harder to insure and finance, and are harder to sell. Know exactly what happened and pay accordingly.
What is a lemon title?
A brand for a car the maker bought back under a state lemon law because of a defect it couldn't fix. Many states require the next buyer to be told in writing.
What is title washing?
Retitling a branded car in another state so the brand drops off the paper title. NMVTIS, the federal title database, was set up to stop it, and a title check by VIN reads it.
More ways to check a car
Buying guides
Find the deal, then check it.
Wheel Scout alerts you the moment an underpriced car posts on Marketplace, OfferUp or Craigslist near you, and runs the history right in the app.
The basic history report uses NMVTIS data from an approved NMVTIS data provider. NMVTIS records come from states, insurers and salvage yards; not every event is reported to it. Vehicle specs and recalls come from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Wheel Scout is not affiliated with any marketplace or government agency.