A few steps to make title process easier.

[mr48chev]

For the umpteenth time or umpteenth hundredth time we have someone show up asking how to get a title in XXXXX state for their AD truck.


I don't claim to be any sort of expert but do have a few suggestions that should make the process go smoother. This is to do it legally and above board in the state you live in. You really aren't interested in how it is done in ___________ because you are not in ___________ or ____________.


1. Go to your states DMV website and study what they have. you have to do some searches that usually don't take too long.
In the past I have searched for things like: (fill in your state)

________________ motor vehicle code.
________________ Assembled vehicles
_________________ motor vehicle rcw's (washington state)
________________ vehicle title/registration

Hunt through and find what applies to what you intend to do.

If you go to a dmv office it is usually pertinent to go to the highest level of office that deals with car titles. Walking into Jane's title and registration shop down at the mini mall usually won't be productive and sometimes a visit to the courthouse isn't productive.

If your state has state run vehicle inspection stations that is a good place to ask what you need to do to have your ducks in a row.


When you buy a body, engine or frame or ?? major component get a legit bill of sale or sales slip. You might even want to go to the office supply and get a receipt book to carry with you for sellers to sign if you aren't buying from a business. It's a lot easier to tell the inspector that "I get individuals who don't have businesses to fill out a receipt for me to show who I bought it from" than to have a blank stare when asked where you got the _____________ major component.

If you buy a donor car or truck for a major component such as an S-10 for the frame and it comes with a title, make a copy of the title and then put the weight slip or ticket the junk yard or scrap yard gave you when you hauled the hulk in if you gave them the title with it. That leaves no doubt that you owned the donor and where the remains went.

Keep a "build book" Just a 3 ring binder that you put some plastic page savers in and then stick each receipt or document for a major component in. If you can't deal with your significant other finding out what you spent you are in the wrong hobby and or maybe the wrong relationship.
Along with the receipt or paperwork put a print of the photo you took of said part when you bought it or found it. That proves the condition it was in when purchased (may be needed for tax arguments) And for an assembled rig shows that you actually did get a part here and a part there and put everything together and come out with a truck in the process. It doesn't hurt to have it well organized with a section for the cab, a section for the frame and a section for the engine. Again, ducks in a nice little organized row and easy to understand support info for what you are doing.

I probably left out a lot but maybe this will help someone through the process.