Applying for a rebuilt title in New York is a procedure offered by the state Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to car owners who have repaired a salvage vehicle. In order to obtain a restored car salvage title, applicants must own a motor vehicle that was declared salvage by the original owner or by an insurance company. In such cases, the owner can certify the damage on the back of the original title, or an insurance company can acquire the salvage vehicle with a Salvage Certificate (Form MV-907A).

After a vehicle has been repaired, its owner can apply for a rebuilt salvage title in NY by submitting certain documents through a DMV office. In addition, applicants will need to schedule a vehicle inspection. Once the vehicle passes the examination procedure, it will become eligible for a new branded certificate, which will allow the issuance of a new car registration and license plates. To learn more about the rebuilt and salvage title procedures offered in New York, read the following sections.

What is the New York rebuilt salvage title?

A New York rebuilt car title is a certificate issued for vehicles that were previously declared salvage due to the extensive damages they have sustained. An NY rebuilt certificate indicates that the motor vehicle has been restored to an operable condition, and that it can be legally and safely driven on public roads. The purpose of rebuilt titles is to inform potential buyers of the true history of each vehicle. State law also requires sellers of salvage and rebuilt salvage vehicles to provide a disclosure statement of the vehicle’s salvage history to any potential buyer. Failure to disclose this information may lead to a fine of up to $2,000.

New York Salvage Title and Rebuilt Salvage Title Eligibility Requirements

In order to obtain a New York restored salvage title, your vehicle will have to meet certain eligibility requirements. Thus, the car must meet the definition of a salvage vehicle. As such, vehicles will be declared salvage under one of the following circumstances:

• The vehicle was obtained by an insurer with a salvage certificate.
• The car was transferred to New York on an out-of-state title.
• The motor vehicle has been damaged to the extent that its repair costs are greater than 75 percent of its retail value before the damages occurred.
• The car was declared a wrecked vehicle on the back of its title certificate by its original owner.

Once the motor vehicle is branded as salvage, it will qualify for a NY rebuilt title only if the salvage certificate was labeled as “rebuildable.” If the vehicle ownership document is a DMV salvage title labeled as non-repairable, scrapped, parts-only or destroyed, the vehicle cannot be relicensed again, regardless of whether or not it was restored to operable status. If and when the vehicle is rebuilt, it will have to pass a salvage examination for purposes of verifying that it can be legally and safely operated on public roads.

Note: The state DMV will issue a rebuilt certificate only for motor vehicles that are newer than nine model years.

How to Get a Rebuilt Salvage Title in New York

The application process for a rebuilt salvage title in New York includes a few steps. Moreover, you will be asked to submit several types of documents and complete a vehicle inspection before receiving a restored title. The steps that you must follow to obtain a rebuilt vehicle title are outlined below:

1. Visit a nearby DMV office.
2. Submit the documents necessary to obtain a sales tax receipt (Form FS-6T):
   1. The original vehicle title marked correspondingly, the bill of sale or the MV-907A Salvage Certificate issued for salvage vehicles
   2. A receipt of a paid sales tax
   3. An official identification document, if required
3. Mail the following items to the DMV Title Services Bureau in order to schedule your salvage vehicle inspection:
   1. A completed Salvage Examination/Title Application (Form MV-83SAL)
   2. The vehicle ownership document
   3. The FS-6T tax receipt
   4. Lien release forms, if applicable
   5. A copy of an official identification document
   6. A filled out Odometer and Damage Disclosure Statement (Form MV-103)
   7. The inspection fee payment in the form of a check
4. Prepare for your upcoming vehicle inspection after receiving the DMV mail or email notification with a date, time and location of the car inspection.
5. Arrive on time for your scheduled inspection to avoid rescheduling and paying extra fees. While there, submit the following items:
   1. Bills of sale or other ownership documents for the parts used to rebuild the motor vehicle
   2. An identification document, if required

If your motor vehicle passes the salvage car inspection in NY, the DMV will process your request for a rebuilt certificate, manufacture a new title and mail it to your address on file within five to 10 days. At this point, you can return to the DMV to initiate the car registration procedure.

Salvage Car Inspections in New York

The New York salvage vehicle examination is not like an emissions inspection. Instead, the purpose of this examination is to determine whether or not a rebuilt salvage vehicle is roadworthy, and whether or not it was restored by using stolen components. As such, the main goal of a DMV salvage vehicle examination is to prevent the theft of motor vehicles or their individual parts, ultimately protecting vehicle buyers and sellers.

When applying for an NY rebuilt title and inspection, you can supply the DMV with your email address as well, which will allow you to receive details about your upcoming inspection electronically. If you are unable to arrive at the inspection site on the scheduled date and time, you can also postpone the examination by email or phone. If you are unable to transport your vehicle with a truck, you can apply for a temporary permit to drive it.

New York Rebuilt Salvage Title Fees

An important step when getting a New York rebuilt car title is arranging payment for the applicable fees. First, you will have to pay the applicable sales tax after obtaining a vehicle with a salvage certificate or a signed-over title certificate. Then, you will have to arrange payment in the form of a check for a combined fee that includes both the costs for the inspection and the issuance of the rebuilt title.

This fee is currently set at $200 if your proof of ownership is the NYS Salvage Certificate (Form MV-907A). If you hold a standard signed-over title or a bill of sale, you will have to pay a cost of $205. If your vehicle is already registered, but you are still informed that you must pass the NY salvage car inspection, you will only have to pay the $155 inspection fee. If you miss your appointment, on the other hand, you have to arrange payment for the $150 reapplication fee.

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