Title Check: what a Georgia car title really says
No brand, salvage, rebuilt, flood and the other brands this state uses. Each word changes what the car is worth and what you can do with it.
The title is the document that says who owns the car and what serious things have happened to it. Brands and disclosures depend on the issuing jurisdiction’s rules; also review available records from previous states. A branded car can be the right buy at the right price; the problem is paying a no-brand price for one that has a brand.
Title brands and disclosure information in Georgia
| Brand or condition | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| No brand | An unbranded title does not establish that there were no accidents, flooding or repairs. Review available records and the car’s condition. | Check odometer and listing history, and get a pre-purchase inspection. |
| Salvage | Damaged to the point that making it operable requires replacing two or more "major component parts" (front clip, rear clip, engine and transmission, frame, or a complete side), or an insurer paid a total loss and it was not repaired (§ 40-3-2(11)). It cannot be driven in Georgia. Georgia uses no damage percentage: the threshold is parts, two or more major component parts, or an insurer-paid total loss. Two details from § 40-3-37: motorcycles over 25 years old are exempt from Georgia's salvage laws; and if the state's inspection finds the damage so extensive that returning the car to a safe, operable condition is impossible, it revokes the salvage certificate and that car can never be titled, only used for parts or scrap. | Not a car to drive; a project, and in Georgia only a licensed rebuilder can rebuild it for title. |
| Rebuilt | It was salvage, a licensed rebuilder rebuilt it, it passed a state or state-authorized private inspection before paint, and the title carries the word "rebuilt" on its face and affixed to the car, for example on the door post (§ 40-3-37(d)). | Can be a good buy if the repair was serious. The rebuilder had to file damage photos, parts receipts and Form T-129: ask for them. |
| Flood · Water · Fire · Total Loss (de otro estado) | Georgia treats as salvage any car another state branded "Total Loss", "Salvage", "Fire", "Flood" or "Water"; to drive here it must go through the rebuilt process. Water or fire damage is never counted as merely cosmetic (§ 40-3-2(11)). | For most buyers: no. Water destroys wiring, modules and airbags over time. |
| Manufacturer reacquired (Lemon Law buyback) | The maker bought it back under Georgia's Lemon Law. It cannot be resold without written disclosure of the buyback and the defect, and the maker must warrant the fix for 1 year or 12,000 miles (O.C.G.A. § 10-1-790). | Ask for that written disclosure and the warranty before paying. |
| Assembled (armado) · Unconventional | A car or motorcycle built from a kit, from fabricated parts, a replica or an original design goes through the same inspection process as a rebuilt vehicle and gets a title carrying the word "rebuilt". Paperwork: MV-1, MV-100, T-129, the parts receipts and a copy of the rebuilder's license; $100 to the inspection station and then $168 for a car ($18 title plus $150 state processing) or $143 for a motorcycle ($18 plus $125). "Unconventional" vehicles, which do not meet Chapter 8 of Title 40 or the federal standards, are not titled or registered in Georgia at all. | Ask for the inspector's report and the rebuilder's license before paying. If the seller has no Georgia title in hand, it may be an "unconventional" vehicle that will never get one. |
The law protects you, if you use it
Georgia has no single list of brands a private seller must disclose in writing. What it does require: the title of a rebuilt car must say "rebuilt" on its face and carry the word affixed to the vehicle (§ 40-3-37(d)); whoever rebuilds a salvage must obtain the title before selling it (§ 40-3-37(e)); and a lemon-law buyback can only be resold with the buyback and the defect disclosed in writing (§ 10-1-790). Before buying, check the title status in DRIVES e-Services.
How to review the title and available history
- Georgia DRIVES e-Services — Title Status: check the service coverage, costs and access requirements; not every service displays title-brand history.
- NMVTIS: the federal title-history system. Consumer access is through approved providers; report prices and limitations depend on the service.
- NICB VINCheck: thefts and total losses reported by insurers.
- The paper: ask to see the physical title (or the printed electronic one) before handing over money. The VIN on the title must be the car's, and the name the seller's.
Odometer: the other brand
Where an odometer disclosure is required, review the mileage and any notation of unknown mileage or counter limits. Exemptions exist; check current requirements and compare the odometer with maintenance and inspection records.
How much it changes the price
This guide sets no fixed discount and recommends no individual vehicle price. Consider condition, documented repairs, insurance terms and market context, supported by an independent inspection.
From a guide to the individual vehicle
Sources
- GA DOR — What are Component Parts? (salvage branding: replacement of two or more major component parts)
- GA DOR — Statute Governing Inspection of Salvage Vehicles (current text of O.C.G.A. § 40-3-37)
- GA DOR — Salvage Titles
- GA DOR — Titles for Rebuilt or Restored Vehicles
- GA DOR — Assembled and Unconventional Vehicles
- GA DOR — Salvage Vehicles Ten Years and Older
- GA DOR — Scrapped, Dismantled or Demolished Vehicle (O.C.G.A. § 40-3-36)
- GA DOR MVD — Georgia DRIVES e-Services — Title Status
- NMVTIS — National Motor Vehicle Title Information System
- NICB — VINCheck
- NHTSA — Odometer Fraud
- FTC — Buying a Used Car From a Dealer
This guide informs; it is not legal or financial advice, nor an offer, quote or appraisal. Every figure carries its source and date; check it is still current before you decide.