Title Brands

What are title brands?

If a vehicle is “branded”, it means that one of the states has issued a “brand” on the vehicle title indicating that a prior issue. For example, common brands include “Salvage”, “Flood”, or “Theft”. While each state has a different set of possible title brands, the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS), unifies the state-issued brands into the list of 60 brands listed below.

Before you buy a used vehicle, it’s extremely important to check its title for brands. By law, once a vehicle has been branded, this becomes a permanent part of its title. A seller may rebuild or repair a branded vehicle to bring it back up to working order, but its title must always state its branded status.

How can I check whether my vehicle has title brands?

Through VinAudit.com, you can look up records associated with your VIN instantly:

Comparing a branded title vs lemon title

A “lemon title” is not a common term. Instead, the accurate term is “lemon law buyback.” A lemon law buyback occurs when a new vehicle has persistent defects, leading the manufacturer to repurchase or replace it. The title may be branded with a notation like “manufacturer buyback” or “lemon law buyback,” signaling a history of significant issues. Buyers should be cautious, as these vehicles may have ongoing problems or reduced resale value.

The general term “branded title” and “lemon buyback” or “manufacturer buyback” both carry specific designations that indicate potential issues in their history, but they differ in the nature of these issues and their implications for buyers:

Branded title vehicles focus on specific events like damage, while lemon title vehicles highlight ongoing mechanical problems.
Branded title vehicles may have a broader range of events in their history, while lemon title vehicles specifically point to reliability and performance issues during the warranty period.
Branded title vehicles may have undergone repairs and inspections to ensure roadworthiness, while lemon title vehicles often involve a manufacturer buyback, indicating unresolved defects and potential safety concerns.

In summary, the key difference lies in the nature of the issues. Both types of titles require careful consideration by buyers, who should weigh the potential risks and impact on the vehicle’s value.

Potential title brands checked by VinAudit

Each of our vehicle history reports includes checks for all of the following potential title problems:

Flood Damage
Vehicle has been damaged by freshwater flood (or it is unknown whether the damage was caused by fresh water or salt water.
Fire Damage
Vehicle has been damaged by fire.
Hail Damage
Vehicle has been damaged by hail.
Salt Water Damage
Vehicle has been damaged by a saltwater flood.
Vandalism
Vehicle has been damaged by vandals.
Kit
A Vehicle that has been built by combining a chassis with a different (non-matching VIN) frame, engine, and body parts. The VIN on the chassis is used as the vehicle\’s VIN.
Dismantled
The vehicle can only be sold as parts and can not be legally driven.
Junk
The vehicle is incapable of safe operation for use on the roads or highways and has no resale value except as a source of parts or scrap, or the vehicle\’s owner has irreversibly designated the vehicle as a source of parts or scrap. This vehicle shall never be titled or registered. Also known as non-repairable, scrapped, or destroyed.
Rebuilt
The vehicle, previously branded “salvage”, has passed anti-theft and safety inspections, or other jurisdiction procedures, to ensure the vehicle was rebuilt to required standards. Also known as prior salvage (salvaged).
Reconstructed
A vehicle that has been permanently altered from original construction by removing, adding, or substituting major components.
Salvage: Damage
A salvage vehicle is a vehicle that has been wrecked or damaged beyond repair; declared a total loss by the insurer; or declared a total loss by reason of theft. When an insurance company as a result of a total loss settlement acquires a vehicle, the insurance company must apply for a Salvage Certificate. If the owner retains possession of a salvage vehicle, the owner must obtain a Salvage Certificate before receiving a total loss statement from the insurance company.
Salvage: Stolen
Any vehicle the reporting jurisdiction considers salvage because an insurance company has acquired ownership pursuant to a settlement based on the theft of the vehicle.
Salvage: Other
Reasons Other Than Damage or Stolen – Any vehicle the reporting jurisdiction considers salvage based on criteria, such as abandonment, not covered by the Salvage–Damage or Not Specified and Salvage–Stolen brands.
Test Vehicle
The vehicle is built and retained by the manufacturer for testing.
Refurbished
Any vehicle modified by the installation of a new cab and chassis for the existing coach which has been renovated, resulting in a vehicle of greater value or a vehicle with a new style.
Collision
Vehicle damaged by collision.
Salvage Retention
The vehicle is branded salvage and is kept by the owner.
Prior Taxi
Vehicle previously registered as a taxi.
Prior Police
Vehicle previously registered as a police vehicle.
Original Taxi
Vehicle is currently registered as a taxi.
Original Police
Vehicle is currently registered as a police vehicle.
Remanufactured
Vehicle was reconstructed by the manufacturer.
Gray Market
Vehicle was manufactured for use outside of the United States and has been brought into the United States.
Warranty Return
Vehicle returned to the manufacturer because of a breach in the warranty.
Antique
The vehicle is over 50 years old.
Classic
The vehicle is over 20 years old and adheres to other jurisdiction-specific criteria, e.g., vehicle make, condition, etc.
Agricultural Vehicle
The vehicle will primarily be operated on private roads for agricultural purposes.
Logging Vehicle
The vehicle will primarily be operated on private roads for logging purposes.
Street Rod
The vehicle has been modified to not conform with the manufacturer\’s specifications, and the modifications adhere to jurisdiction-specific criteria.
Reissued VIN
The chassis VIN has been reissued, i.e. the same VIN is reused.
Replica
A vehicle with a body built to resemble and be a reproduction of another vehicle of a given year and given manufacturer.
Totaled
A vehicle that is declared a total loss by a jurisdiction or an insurer that is obligated to cover the loss or that the insurer takes possession of or title to.
Owner Retained
A vehicle that has been declared by the insurance company to be a total loss but the owner maintains possession and ownership of the vehicle.
Bond Posted
The insurance company has issued a bond on the vehicle because the ownership of the vehicle cannot be proven; this allows the vehicle to be sold and titled. Note: This brand is not valid after January 17, 2003.
Memorandum Copy
The title document is a facsimile title and not the active (original or duplicate) title document.
Recovered Theft
The vehicle was previously titled as salvage due to theft. The Vehicle has been repaired and inspected (or complied with other jurisdiction procedures) and may be legally driven.
Prior Owner Retained
A vehicle that was previously branded owner retained and was sold. The new owner\’s title contains this brand.
Non-conformity: Uncorrected
A non-safety defect reported to the jurisdiction by the vehicle manufacturer remains uncorrected.
Non-conformity: Corrected
A non-safety defect reported to the jurisdiction by the vehicle manufacturer has been corrected.
Safety Defect: Uncorrected
A safety defect reported to the jurisdiction by the vehicle manufacturer remains uncorrected.
Safety Defect: Corrected
A safety defect reported to the jurisdiction by the vehicle manufacturer has been corrected.
VIN Replaced
A title should not be issued for the VIN. This brand can be issued for rebuilt vehicles.
Gray Market
Vehicle was manufactured for use outside the United States and has been brought into the United States. The vehicle is not in compliance with applicable federal standards.
Manufacturer Buy Back
A vehicle that has been bought back by the manufacturer under jurisdiction -defined regulations or laws, such as lemon laws. For example, the manufacturer could be obligated to buy back the vehicle when a specified number of repair attempts fails to correct a major problem on a new vehicle, or if a new vehicle has been out of service for repair for the same problem for a cumulative period of 30 days or more, within one year of purchase.
Former Rental
It used to be a rental vehicle.
Disclosed Damage
The vehicle has sustained damage to the extent that the damage is required to be disclosed under the jurisdiction\’s damage disclosure law.
Prior Non-Repairable / Repaired
A vehicle constructed by repairing a vehicle that has been destroyed or declared to be non-repairable or otherwise declared to not be eligible for titling because of the extent of damage to the vehicle but has been issued a title pursuant to state law after falling within this criterion with this brand on the face of the certificate of title.
Crushed
The frame or chassis of the vehicle has been crushed or otherwise destroyed so that it is physically impossible to use it in constructing a vehicle.
Hazardous
Hazardous: The jurisdiction has determined that the vehicle has been contaminated by a ‘hazardous substance’ and is unsafe for use. Excluding flood damaged vehicles. A ‘hazardous substance’ is any substance that could diminish the safety of the vehicle or cause injury to its occupants. The ‘hazardous substance’ has one or more, but is not limited to the following intrinsic ‘hazardous properties’: explosiveness, flammability, ability to oxidize (accelerate a fire), human toxicity (acute or chronic), corrosiveness (to human tissue or metal), eco toxicity (with or without bioaccumulation), or capacity, on contact with air or water, to develop one or more of the above properties.
Export Only Vehicle
A salvage or junk vehicle determined for exportation outside of the United States and/or its territories, is not eligible for re-title/re-registration for on-road use in the United States.
Odometer: Actual
The true mileage for the vehicle. The odometer has not been tampered with, reached its mechanical limits, or been altered.
Odometer: Not Actual
The odometer reading is known to be other than the true mileage for the vehicle.
Odometer: Tampering Verified
The odometer reading is known to be other that the true mileage for the vehicle, due to tampering.
Odometer: Exempt from Disclosure
The vehicle falls within criteria that allow it to change ownership without disclosure of the odometer reading.
Odometer: Exceeds Mechanical Limits
The odometer reading is less than the true mileage of the vehicle because the odometer can not display the total number of true miles.
Odometer: Exceeds Mechanical Limits Rectified
A state other than the brander corrected brand 72 “Exceeds Mechanical Limits”.
Odometer: May be Altered
The titling authority has reason to believe that the odometer reading does not reflect the true mileage of the vehicle because of an alteration to the odometer.
Odometer: Replaced
The odometer in the vehicle is not the odometer put in the vehicle when manufactured.
Odometer: Reading at Time of Renewal
The odometer reading was recorded when the registration was renewed.
Odometer: Discrepancy
The titling authority has reason to believe that the odometer reading does not reflect the true mileage of the vehicle because of known previous recorded values of odometer for the vehicle.
Titling Issue
The titling authority knows of some problem with the odometer reading that it cannot print on a title. Titling authority will discuss the problem (manual process) with authorized inquirers.

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