A car's title is an official, paper-based document issued by your state's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) that serves as a certificate of ownership. It's typically an 8.5" x 11" piece of paper, often on security paper with watermarks or color-shifting ink to prevent forgery. While the exact layout varies by state, every title contains the same core information that proves you legally own the vehicle.
The most critical sections are the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), a unique 17-character code for the car; the owner's name and address; and the vehicle's details like year, make, and model. A crucial part to check is the "lienholder" section. If a bank financed the car, they will be listed as a lienholder until the loan is paid off, meaning they have a financial interest in the vehicle. Titles also have an "odometer reading" at the time of the last sale to help prevent fraud. When you sell the car, you sign the title over to the new owner in a designated area, officially transferring ownership.
| Data Field | Example Data 1 (California) | Example Data 2 (Texas) | Example Data 3 (Florida) | Example Data 4 (New York) | Example Data 5 (Illinois) |
|---|
| Document Type | Certificate of Title | Certificate of Title | Certificate of Title | Certificate of Title | Certificate of Title |
| Title Number | 8T67A123456789 | 123456789012345 | T678901234 | 123456789012 | 1234567890A |
| VIN | 1HGCM82633A123456 | 2FMDK4GC5DBA12345 | 5XYZU3LBXBG123456 | JM1BL1W57B1234567 | 1C4RJFDG5EC123456 |
| Owner Name | John A. Smith | Maria G. Rodriguez | Robert & Sarah Chen | James K. Williams LLC | David L. Thompson |
| Owner Address | 123 Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90001 | 456 Oak Ave, Houston, TX 77002 | 789 Palm Blvd, Miami, FL 33101 | 101 Broadway, New York, NY 10001 | 202 River St, Chicago, IL 60601 |
| Vehicle Year | 2018 | 2021 | 2015 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Vehicle Make | Honda | Ford | Kia | Mazda | Jeep |
| Vehicle Model | Civic | Escape | Sorento | CX-5 | Grand Cherokee |
| Odometer Reading | 45,123 mi | 18,456 mi | 82,901 mi | 30,567 mi | 55,210 mi |
| Lienholder | Western State Credit Union | (Blank - No Lien) | Sun Coast Bank | Empire Financial | Midwest Auto Lenders |
| Date Issued | 08/15/2023 | 11/02/2022 | 03/21/2021 | 01/10/2024 | 06/17/2020 |
| Brands/Labels | (Clean) | SALVAGE | (Clean) | WATER DAMAGE | REBUILT |
Always keep your title in a safe place, like a fireproof box or a bank safety deposit box. You only need to carry your vehicle registration and driver's license while driving. If you lose your title, you can request a duplicate from your local DMV for a small fee.
