Title history request denied

Josh Rutter

Josh Rutter

Has anyone ever been denied a title history copy for a vehicle based on the federal privacy act? I was told by someone over the phone from the NC DMV that all I had to do was print a form and mail it in and would get its history. Well today I received a letter of denial due to the federal privacy act and it gave no other explanation. Extremely annoying.
 
Yep, I had the same thing happen to me in California.

I bought a project '59 Oldsmobile from someone, went to DMV and was basically told they had a different (previous) owner on file and I need a bill of sale from them.

Due to privacy, they refused to tell me who owned it, although they were looking at the record right there on their screen. Made me fill out a history request form, send it to DMV high command somewhere, to have that promptly rejected again on grounds of privacy! Talk about a screwy system... good luck
 
I tried last July to get a owner registration history on my 55 Meteor from Missouri, they told me to go on their web site and print request form, this I did and about three weeks later I received a letter from Mo stating that The Driver Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) the Federal Law, that protects personal information in driver, no driver and vehicle registration records..
The Fed's are looking out for us....BS
 
Well that is discouraging...all I know is the last person/funeral it was in service for and potentially a dealership it was at before then (no way to verify that though) based on old registration papers and keychain advertisements. I really want to find out who ordered it.
 
inspection

i dont know if you have safety inspections where you live but you can go back here on safety inspections and get some history. im a dealer and can do a title search and pay a small fee and find out where its been but only in texas. know that probaly dont help ya but i was halfway trough 2 finger typing when i answered my own question. sorry..
 
Josh, these privacy laws are strictly enforced nowadays. When you go to a doctor, buy insurance and such, they have these Privacy Act papers to sign. It makes it difficult to trace vehicle history. However, if a vehicle is 1981, or newer, with a seventeen digit VIN, you can run a Carfax report. You can get lots of history there, including Title Numbers, City, State and Dates, from this info you probably could trace a history of a vehicle.
 
Bill Marcy said:
Josh, these privacy laws are strictly enforced nowadays. When you go to a doctor, buy insurance and such, they have these Privacy Act papers to sign. It makes it difficult to trace vehicle history. However, if a vehicle is 1981, or newer, with a seventeen digit VIN, you can run a Carfax report. You can get lots of history there, including Title Numbers, City, State and Dates, from this info you probably could trace a history of a vehicle.
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Yeah used Carfax before and its definately worth its weight in gold, just wish there was a good easy system to get info on our pre-81 cars. Curiosity sure is a killer
 
they say privacy but it turns into right to know. you don't have a right to know this information. only ?? does. hang on it's going to get worse.
 
yes sir mr. renstrom

John ED Renstrom said:
they say privacy but it turns into right to know. you don't have a right to know this information. only ?? does. hang on it's going to get worse.
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you betcha gonna get worse. national database with all our info. but for goverment only. whats next? bar codes on our baby's? chips implanted at birth? say it again, give up one right opens the door to taking more. it's a comin.
 
I have received info on three cars getting around the privacy act by marking on the form that you are the owner of the car and sending them a copy of the title. they are still not supposed to send the info but it looked official enough that they did.
 
Gene Rafferty said:
I have received info on three cars getting around the privacy act by marking on the form that you are the owner of the car and sending them a copy of the title. they are still not supposed to send the info but it looked official enough that they did.
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Awesome, I was going to try again once the car is in my name but good idea to send copy of title with it as well.
 
up here in Ontario if the car is over 25 years old you need to get an appraisal done on the car BRFORE you can even put it in your name ! I went to but the 78 Horton in my name unfit and was told I had to have it a appraised ! so I asked them how I can do that and they said take it over to someone who does it....well I can't drive it with no plates on it and no Insurance ( my insurance Co. won't put insurance on something not in my name ) so I now I have to find someone who will do it site unseen ! ( under the table as it were ) its a $40.00 fee but what BS !
 
the lets get rid of any car over ten years old mentality still floats loose in government. up threw or down here. me I get the instruction in writing and carry papers with me. your only do as you were instructed right. in SD we can get temporary tags for 15 days now that will let you legally get things done.
 
John ED Renstrom said:
the lets get rid of any car over ten years old mentality still floats loose in government. up threw or down here. me I get the instruction in writing and carry papers with me. your only do as you were instructed right. in SD we can get temporary tags for 15 days now that will let you legally get things done.
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No temporary 15 day tags here, but you have 14 days to put it in your name. As long as you carry the title (signed by seller and buyer and dated) with you to show the police if they stop you for no plates you are good to go. If buying from a dealer you will get a temporary plate that is good for 30 days.
 
Mike Boyer said:
up here in Ontario if the car is over 25 years old you need to get an appraisal done on the car BRFORE you can even put it in your name ! I went to but the 78 Horton in my name unfit and was told I had to have it a appraised ! so I asked them how I can do that and they said take it over to someone who does it....well I can't drive it with no plates on it and no Insurance ( my insurance Co. won't put insurance on something not in my name ) so I now I have to find someone who will do it site unseen ! ( under the table as it were ) its a $40.00 fee but what BS !
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I dont understand why you need a car appraised any time for transfer let alone for something over 25 years old. Goverment BS I guess, anything to make a buck.
In my county last year they started requiring a bill of sale to get a car transfered. No more buying a car for $5,000 and telling them you only paid $100 for it, (not that I have ever done that) :rolleyes:
 
I applied for and received the title history for my '73 Lifeliner from the Idaho DMV with no problems. I filled out the form and sent it in along with the $22 fee. I had to state on the form that I was using the material for "research" purposes and would not act on the information I received (as in contact the previous owners).

Not only did they send me the information via email as pdf copies, they send me nice hard copies as well. The title history also included any material associated with the title transfer (some old photo not so well copied county auction photos) and prices paid (I'll cover that in a later post perhapds).

So if you buy a vehicle that has been through Idaho, they are very helpful.
 
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