Owners of a car salvage in Maryland must properly title their vehicles with the appropriate titles that are issued for vehicles that have been declared as salvage or total loss. The salvage title certificates are issued through the Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) of the Maryland Department of Transportation (MD DOT). However, in order to obtain that title certificate, vehicle owners may have to satisfy certain eligibility criteria.

Motorists who are wondering how to get a salvage title in Maryland need to know that a set or requirements must be completed and a list of documents must be submitted to the MD MVA. As part of the requirements, vehicle owners may be also required to perform a salvage title inspection, depending on their specific situation. Therefore, to learn more information about getting a salvage car title, continue reading the following sections.

What is a Maryland salvage title?

A Maryland salvage title is a legal ownership document issued by the MD MVA that vehicle owners need to obtain in order to establish their ownership rights over their vehicles. The salvage certificate is a document for ownership and it does not enable motorists to operate their salvage vehicles.

Furthermore, a salvage car title may be needed in various situations, such as when an insurance company receives a vehicle due to a claim settlement and its title is lost, destroyed or defective, when the insurance company wants to sell certain damaged vehicle at an auction open to the public, or when vehicle owners report to the insurance company that the vehicle has been stolen. Moreover, a DMV salvage title may be also needed when an individual decides to keep the damaged vehicle or when an individual or a company purchases an abandoned vehicle at a police auction.

Finally, motorists may also have to apply for this type of title in a situation when an automotive dismantler, recycler or scrap processor intends to scrap or dismantle a motor vehicle.

Maryland Salvage Title Eligibility Requirements

Prior to beginning the application procedure for a Maryland salvage certificate of title, motorists need to satisfy certain eligibility criteria. To be eligible to apply for this title, vehicle owners need to have motor vehicles that have damages that total in cost to 75 percent or more of the fair market value of the vehicle. When the damages are higher than 75 percent, but the vehicle is repairable or has sustained flood damage, the MD MVA may brand the vehicles as “rebuilt salvage” or “flood damage”, depending on the type of damage.

How to Get a Salvage Title in Maryland

The application procedure for getting a Maryland salvage title certificate may vary based on the applicant’s situation and depending on the person who applies for such a title. The MD MVA has created six different cases to apply for a salvage car title. Below are the six different cases through which a person or company may obtain a DMV salvage title:

• Case 1: An insurance company obtains a motor vehicle by a claim settlement. The title certificate is lost, destroyed or defective.
• Case 2: An insurance company plans to sell a damaged vehicle at an auction open to the public.
• Case 3: An insurance company gets a report that its customer’s vehicle has been stolen.
• Case 4: An individual or a company purchases an abandoned vehicle at a police auction.
• Case 5: An automotive dismantler, scrap processor or recycler plans to scrap or dismantle a vehicle.
• Case 6: An individual wants to keep the damaged vehicle.

Since there are six possible ways to apply for a DMV salvage title, applicants need to discover which set of requirements they need to satisfy, according to their specific situations. Below are the steps for each of the six possible cases for getting a salvage title certificate. To make a request, vehicle owners need to either visit in person a Glen Burnie Salvage Unit Counter 104 or to use the mailing or delivery service and send the request to an MD MVA Salvage Unit.

When preparing for their specific salvage title cases, individuals or companies need to provide different lists of documents. For instance, Case one requires a completed Insurance Affidavit in Lieu of Title (form VR-449), a copy of the settlement check or proof of the payment and a completed Application for a Salvage Certificate (form VR-028). Case two and case three mandate insurance companies to provide proofs of ownership and lien release. However, in case 3, the company must also provide a completed VR-028 form. Furthermore, when it comes to Case four, individuals or companies must submit an Auctioneer’s Sales Receipt for Police Sales of Abandoned Vehicles Only, proof of identity and a completed VR-028 form. Case five requires only a Certificate of Authority (form CS-078).

Finally, case six, which applies to individuals who want to keep their damaged vehicles and obtain salvage title certificates for them, mandates vehicle owners to complete the following steps:

• Provide proof of ownership, such as certificate of title.
• Provide proof of lien release, if needed.
• Perform an MD Safety inspection within 90 days of the MVA notice.
• Submit payment for the applicable fees.

Salvage Car Inspections in Maryland

Owners of salvage title cars in Maryland must perform an inspection on their salvage motor vehicles as part of the mandatory requirements for repaired vehicles. The salvage vehicle inspection should be conducted by a Maryland State Police (MSP) Salvage Inspector within 90 days of receiving the MVA notice. The MSP salvage inspector is supposed to ensure that the vehicle and its parts have not been stolen or the vehicle’s serial numbers have not been illegally removed.

To conduct a salvage vehicle inspection in Maryland, individuals must first schedule an appointment online, submit a payment for the applicable $25 inspection fee and then provide the following documents on the appointment:

• Proof of identification
• The vehicle salvage certificate
• Proof of ownership

After a successful completion of the inspection, the inspector will stamp and sign the salvage title certificate as a way of confirming the approval.

Maryland Salvage Title Fees

The final step of the Maryland DMV salvage title application procedure is to submit payment for the applicable fee to the MD MVA. The fee is $20, and it must be paid at the time of submitting the required documentation.

However, specific cases may require additional payments of other fees or taxes. Therefore, vehicle owners are encouraged to inquire about the fees and taxes that they need to pay in their specific situation before beginning the application procedure.

Note: Vehicle owners who decide to conduct a salvage vehicle inspection in Maryland may be also required to pay the appropriate inspection fee.

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