Title Check: what a Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts
| 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 — Repairable | Total loss: the car was stolen and not recovered, or the collision, fire, water (flood) or other damage was so bad the owner or insurer decided it was not worth repairing. Massachusetts sets no percentage: the legal test is that the owner or insurer considers it uneconomical to repair (M.G.L. c. 90D, § 1). Watch out: a passenger vehicle 10 years old or more needs no salvage title (§ 20B), so an old total loss can be sold with an ordinary title and no brand. The title carries a sub-brand with the cause of damage. It cannot be registered until it passes the RMV salvage inspection. If you buy one, you have 10 days from delivery to apply for a new salvage title in your name (§ 20C(b)), and that also applies when the salvage title comes from another state. | It is a project, not a car to drive. Ask the cause of damage; if it is flood, for most buyers the answer is no. |
| Salvage — Parts only | A total loss that cannot be repaired. The insurer decides this brand. It can never be titled or registered again in Massachusetts. | Parts only. If someone offers it as a road car, walk away. |
| Reconstructed | It was repairable salvage, was fixed and passed the salvage inspection; the new title carries the notation "reconstructed" (§ 20D(b)). Note: the statute itself says that inspection checks the VIN and where the parts came from, and that it is not for checking whether the car is safe or roadworthy. | Pay for an independent mechanical inspection. Ask for the major-parts receipts and the insurer's damage report; the rebuilder had to file them. |
| Recovered theft | It was stolen, the insurer declared it a total loss, and it was later recovered. If it is recovered undamaged, the new title carries the notation "recovered theft vehicle" (§ 20D(b)). | Check the ignition, locks, radio and that the VIN numbers match all over the car. |
| Owner-retained | The insurer declared it a total loss, but the owner kept the car. It must have an active registration and be drivable. | Ask what the damage was and what was repaired. Price it as a car with a total-loss history. |
| Junk | Whoever took it for scrap surrendered the title to the RMV. The record says "JUNK" and it can never be titled or registered again in Massachusetts. | Never as a road car. |
| Manufacturer buyback (Resale Vehicle Notice) | The maker bought it back under the lemon law (M.G.L. c. 90, § 7N½). A dealer selling it must display the RESALE VEHICLE NOTICE: the first owner returned it because it had one or more defects (940 CMR 5.04(19)–(20)). | Ask in writing what the defect was and whether it was corrected. |
| Former daily rental · Former leased · Taxi · Police | Not a title brand, but the dealer must say it in the ad and in the contract if it knows or should know the car was a daily rental, leased, a taxi or a police car (940 CMR 5.02(2)(c) and 5.04(2)(c)). | Price by real use, not by model year. |
The law protects you, if you use it
Anyone selling a car with a salvage title must fully and fairly disclose it to any buyer (M.G.L. c. 90D, § 20C(d)). The dealer contract must state whether the car was a daily rental, leased or rebuilt after a total loss (940 CMR 5.04(2)(c)), and ads must say whether it was a demo, taxi, police car, leased or rental (940 CMR 5.02(2)(c)). A private seller must tell you, before closing, every known defect that affects safety or use; if not, you can cancel the purchase within 30 days (M.G.L. c. 90, § 7N¼(8)).
How to review the title and available history
- Check the status of your vehicle's title (myRMV): 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
- Mass.gov — Title types and definitions
- Mass.gov — Total loss and salvage vehicles
- M.G.L. c. 90D, § 20 — Total loss salvage vehicles; salvage title
- M.G.L. c. 90D, § 20C — Transfer of vehicle with salvage title; disclosure
- M.G.L. c. 90D, § 20D — Reconstruction of total loss salvage vehicle
- Attorney General — 940 CMR 5.00 Motor Vehicle Regulations
- RMV — Application for Inspection of a Salvaged Motor Vehicle (TTL109)
- M.G.L. c. 90D, § 1 — "Total loss salvage motor vehicle" defined by an uneconomical-to-repair test, with no percentage threshold
- M.G.L. c. 90D, § 20A — Application for a salvage title
- M.G.L. c. 90D, § 20B — No salvage title needed for a passenger vehicle 10 or more years old
- RMV — Check the status of your vehicle's title (myRMV)
- 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.