Before you buy a used vehicle, obtain the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of the vehicle you're interested in and run it through Title Check, a consumer protection database provided by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles.

Each year the value of hundreds of vehicles are adversely affected by a variety of issues. The titles to these vehicles may be reported as salvage, manufacturer buyback, or flood damaged, among other branding remarks, in our database. Unfortunately, too many Texans fail to research whether the vehicle they plan to buy has a clean title. Don't let this happen to you.

Title Check will check to see if the title of the vehicle you're thinking about buying has any issues impacting its value, but keep in mind Title Check only has information on vehicles titled in Texas.

(Click here to learn how to find the VIN.)

We also encourage you to check the vehicle's title history by using the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) or one of the many well-known private companies that offer this service.

Please note:

If a vehicle title is branded with a value-limiting remark in another state, it will not be recorded in our database.
If you cannot find the vehicle in our database, it's possible the VIN was recorded incorrectly on the title or the vehicle is titled in another state. There is still a chance that vehicle's title carries a value-limiting remark.
The results are subject to change as value-limiting brands are added to vehicles daily. Title Check is not a substitute for a visit to a mechanic before you buy the vehicle.

For more consumer tips, visit Protect your title, Texas and Buying a Used Vehicle.