getting a car title

[66supercharger]

i recently bought a car that i need the title to. the man that i bought it from has the title but has lost it over the years. the car hasn't been registered in a long time, so it isn't in the system. what are some of my options to get a title for this car?

[Wakko]

www.its-titles.com will do it for you for about $200.  Do you know what state it was titled in?  You can ask him to request a duplicate title or you can get power of attorney and do it yourself, if he's willing.

[Blown70]

MY state you contact the Hyw Patrol,  They inspect the car, check the vin is clear.  If you you can APPLY for the title, YOU need a bill of sale to do so.

Cost total $87.

Tom

[MOPARHOUND!]

i recently bought a car that i need the title to. the man that i bought it from has the title but has lost it over the years. the car hasn't been registered in a long time, so it isn't in the system. what are some of my options to get a title for this car?

The man you bought it from should be able to apply with the state for a lost/duplicate title.

In Kansas, I drove 60 miles to the capital in Topeka and went to the title division.  Had a duplicate in 20 minutes.  Of course had to prove who I was.  It can be done through the mail, but takes a lot longer.

[694spdRT]

Be careful with using the title companies as many states are on to that service and flag any that come through.

[Charger1973]

Has anyone here gotten a bonded title before?  It seems simple enough...  Any idea what it would cost? 

This is directly from the Iowa DOT web site:

Bonded Certificate of Title
If your vehicle cannot be titled or registered by your county treasurer because you do not have the proper title documents, you may be able to file a bond as a condition of obtaining a title and registration plates. However, a vehicle issued a junking certificate cannot be reinstated through the bonding procedure unless the vehicle is 25 years or older, ref. Iowa Code 321.24. Submit the following to the Iowa Department of Transportation, Office of Vehicle Services, Park Fair Mall, 100 Euclid, Box 9278, Des Moines IA 50306-9278. Phone 515-237-3148.
To avoid processing delays please submit the following required supporting documents:

An Application for Registration & Bonded Certificate of Title for a Vehicle #411008, completed and signed. A copy of any written document received at the time the vehicle was acquired, such as a bill of sale or cancelled check.

The Department will:

Determine whether there is an active title record or junking certificate record on file for the vehicle in the state of Iowa. If a record is found, the department shall notify, by first-class mail, the owner of the record, at the last known address, that an application for bonded certificate of title has been received. The notice shall include a statement in which the owner of record may assert their right to claim the vehicle or to waive any further claim. If the department receives no further response from the owner of record within 10 days after the date of the mailing or receives a waiver of further claim to the vehicle, the department will continue processing the bond.

Determine the current value of the vehicle and require that a cash bond or surety bond, based on one and one-half times the current value of the vehicle, be filed with the department as a condition of issuing a certificate of title and registration receipt. The bond paper showing the current value of the vehicle and the amount of the bond will be sent to you to be completed and signed by your surety company representative and also by you as the principal. The signed bond must be returned to the Office of Vehicle Services. Cash bonds may be deposited with the state and are held for three years on a non-interest bearing basis, or you may purchase a surety bond from a bonding company licensed to conduct business in the State of Iowa. Fees to obtain a surety bond through a bonding company are set by the company. Please refer to the bonding company for the fee to obtain your surety bond.

Send to the Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Enforcement, a bond receipt and a letter authorizing the county treasurer to issue a title for your vehicle. An investigator will contact you and make an appointment to verify that the information submitted on your application correctly identifies the vehicle that you own. Should your vehicle not meet the specific equipment requirements under Iowa Code Chapter 321., the investigator shall authorize the county treasurer to issue title and registration and immediately suspend registration until such time your vehicle meets the specific equipment requirements. The investigator will give you the bond receipt and a copy of the authorization letter which you shall then take to your county treasurer's office within 30 days of written authorization from the department, make application for certificate of title, pay the appropriate fees and register your vehicle.

Hold the bond for 3 years, after which time the bond will expire and there is no requirement for a bond.

[69charger2002]

man wouldn;t that suck if they found a registered last owner.. and wrote him like they said they would do, and he decides to claim the car. i couldn't imagine watching someone just come pick it up. but that's why it's best to get one with a title if it's worth squat. of course if the car is a lifelong out of state car and you just brought it to iowa, then no worries
i don't understand the 3 year bond thing at the end
trav

[Charger1973]

Im pretty safe on that though.  The guy who sold me this car has had it for the last 10 years and said this was the way to go to get a title in Iowa, and I asked him if I wold have any problem with the previous owner and he said no because she is dead.  Apparently she died in a head on collision (not in this car) and her son traded the car to him for something that ran.  He said if anything like that was to come up he would just charge such a high storage fee that no one would be willing to pay for it anyway.

I think the 3 year thing basically means that after 3 years you get a normal title instead of a bonded one. 

By the way I just got off the phone with the DMV and she made it all sound really simple. 

[DodgeChargerNeeded]

Here in Michigan just have the police inspect it. There is a simple form and if nothing comes back suspicious you get a clean/clear title in the normal time.