Vehicle title numbers are printed on car titles, which are legal documents proving ownership of a vehicle. They contain seven or eight digits and are generally located in the "information" section of your car's title. A title number is usually used to locate a vehicle, though it won't yield the same information that a VIN number or car history report could.

A vehicle title number will also often be required to acquire a lien or insure a vehicle. If you intend to register or sell your vehicle, the DMV will require that you provide your vehicle title number along with other important details. If you've lost your title, a vehicle title number can help you find or replace it. If you want to find your vehicle title number, it should be above your VIN number on your car's title.

A car title is the document you receive when purchasing a vehicle that shows any governing body or law enforcement agent you are the car's legal owner. Besides your vehicle title number, your car title will include important details like:

• Name and Address: Your title will have your full legal name and current address printed on it to help identify you as the legal owner.
• License Plate Number: Your full license plate number should be printed on your car title near your name and address.
• VIN Number: Your vehicle identification number, also known as a VIN, is a 17 character sequence of numbers and letters. This number will be unique to your vehicle and is one of the best tools to help identify you as the car's owner.
• Make, Model and Year: A car title will also contain the vehicles make, model, and year; a vehicle's make refers to the manufacturer who created the car, the model is the name of the line of products that vehicle is in, and the year is simply the year the car was constructed.
• Technical Information: The technical information section of your car title will have details relating to the vehicle's power, purchase price, and gross weight. It also may have additional technical details depending on the vehicle's manufacturer and total age.
• Lienholder Information: A lien is a lender's way of assuring they will receive repayment for a loan. As the lienholder, the lender will need full payment before a car can be resold. Your title should contain all information related to liens and the lienholder.
• Title Type: Whatever title type your vehicle has should be printed clearly on your car title. There are a variety of different title types, including:
  • Clean: A clean car title indicates a car has never been deemed a loss or salvaged, and usually has a higher resale value.
  • Junk: A junk title means that a car has undergone significant wear or damage, and will likely be disassembled and sold for scrap.
  • Salvage: If a vehicle decreases in value more than 75% of its original worth, it will be given a salvage title. Unlike junk cars, these cars may be drivable after repair and inspection but they will need to attain a new title.
  • Reconstructed: When a car is heavily modified for repaired it is usually given a reconstructed title. This will be issued by the automotive specialist who completed the repairs or the company insuring the vehicle.
  • Bonded: If your vehicle is missing important identification documents, it will be given a bonded title. This is also known as a certificate of surety bond, and it helps establish you as the owner despite the lack of documentation.
  • Rebuilt: Rebuilt titles are very similar to reconstructed titles, and are usually issued after the car has undergone significant repairs.
  • Affidavit: Often associated with car titles, an affidavit will indicate whether your car title has been replaced.
  • Odometer Rollback: If a vehicle's odometer is tampered with to obscure the true mileage, it may receive an odometer rollback title. These titles make the vehicle difficult to insure or sell.
  • Water Damage: A water damage title is assigned to a vehicle after it has gone through a natural disaster involving water damage; these include flooding, hurricanes, or accidents where a vehicle is submerged.
  • Dismantled: Similar to salvage and junk titles, a dismantled title indicates a car has experienced heavy damage and should be dismantled for usable parts.

Whether you are looking for your car title number or just want to get more information about a vehicle you are considering purchasing, doing research can be a bit of a hassle. Car research tools can help you get valuable information about a vehicle, like:

• VIN number
• Residual Value
• Vehicle History Reports
• Vehicle Recalls

Vehicle history reports also contain a variety of other essential details. Car-buying can be a stressful process, and the more research you do beforehand the easier it will be. Vehicle search engines can also help you avoid being the victim of a scam: by finding out all the important facts and figures beforehand, you can compare what you've found to the information provided by the seller. If anything doesn't match up you can avoid the transaction, saving yourself time and money. Proper due diligence will also help you avoid scams like title washing, lemon cars, and odometer rollback.