Michigan VIN Check

Vehicle History

When you run a Michigan VIN check, you can get a comprehensive vehicle history report verifying whether a seller has provided true reports about the status of a used car. There are 729 used car dealers in Michigan, a 2.8% decrease from the previous year.

Title Verification

You can check the title status for any used vehicle in Michigan via a VIN check. There are over 8.4 million registered vehicles in the state, with an average of 2.5 vehicles owned per household. If you are buying any of these vehicles from a previous owner, a VIN look-up will help ensure you purchase one with a clean title.

Accident History

Over 1,000 motor vehicle crashes happen yearly in Michigan. Therefore, you should consider running a VIN check when purchasing a used car in the state. A VIN check will reveal any structural damage in a car.

Mileage Verification

More than 20,000 cars on Michigan roads are believed to have had their odometers rolled back. You should run a Michigan VIN check to avoid purchasing a car with a rolled-back odometer reading. The Michigan Secretary of State is the agency in charge of odometer fraud.

Recalls and Safety Standards

Car manufacturers have issued recalls for more than 50,000 motor vehicles registered in Michigan. An open recall indicates that a vehicle has one or more serious faults that may put the driver at safety risk. A VIN check will reveal any open recalls on a motor vehicle.

Theft Check

Car theft is a fairly common crime in Michigan. In 2022, over 25,000 cars were stolen in the state. A VIN check will reveal if the car you intend to purchase has a stolen alert placed on it. Hence, a VIN check can protect you from facing legal consequences for buying a stolen car.

Natural Disaster-Related Reasons

Flooding, wildfires, and tornadoes are common natural disasters in Michigan. These can cause structural damage to vehicles, making them unsafe for use. You should run a VIN check before buying a car to ensure natural disasters have not made it unfit for use.

The Title Transfer Process

Unlike other states in the United States, Michigan is a title-holding state; if you buy a vehicle in the state (from a dealer), the title will be issued in your name even if a lien is still on the vehicle. In most other states, the title will remain with the lienholder until the lien is paid off. However, if you purchased the vehicle in a private sale, the responsibility for transferring the title rests with you and the seller; both you and the seller must visit a Michigan Secretary of State (SoS) office to transfer the title.

You can use the meeting scheduling resource on the Michigan website to schedule an office visit to the Michigan SoS. At the appointment, you will need the original (photocopy not accepted) vehicle title with the following:

• Sale price
• Date of sale
• Buyer's signature
• Completed buyer's section
• Completed seller's section
• Seller's signature
• Accurate odometer disclosure statement or odometer reading

If an outstanding lien exists against the vehicle, the seller must submit a lien termination statement. Alternatively, the seller may include a signature from an agent of the financial institution financing the loan stated on the title.

If your vehicle was purchased outside of the State of Michigan, you can convert the title to a Michigan title at the office of the Michigan Secretary of State. At the office of the SoS, you will need to provide:

• The out-of-state title
• Proof of Michigan No-Fault insurance for the vehicle
• If applicable, a lien termination statement or title signed by the financial institution issuing a lien
• Your driver's license or state ID
• The out-of-state vehicle registration. This is only applicable if the vehicle was registered in another state

If the title is held by an out-of-state lienholder, all previously listed documentation and one of the following will be required:

• Memo title
• Vehicle record printed on the issuing state's DMV letterhead attesting that the vehicle is titled in that state.
• Photocopy of fax and your out-of-state title

Michigan Insurance and Registration Requirements

You need proof of a valid Michigan No-Fault insurance policy to register your vehicle and drive legally in the state. Driving in Michigan without insurance is a misdemeanor punishable by a maximum fine of $500 and up to 12 months of imprisonment. In addition, the court may order your license to be suspended for 30 days or till you can provide proof of valid insurance.

Your Michigan auto insurance policy must provide the following:

• Personal injury protection:
  This offers coverage if you are hurt in an automobile accident. It will pay all necessary and reasonable medical costs for your lifetime up to the maximum coverage amount in the policy. It also covers wage loss and replacement services for a maximum of three years after the accident date. The new auto insurance law in Michigan allows you to choose your personal injury protection medical limit on your policy. The medical coverage pays for allowable expenses for medical care, rehabilitation, and recovery if you sustain injuries from an automobile accident.
• Property protection:
  This offers coverage for up to $1 million for damages your vehicle causes in Michigan to other people's property, including fences and buildings. It also pays for damages your car causes to another person's properly parked cars but not for any other damage to cars.
• Residual bodily injury and Property Damage Liability:
  This protects insured persons from lawsuits arising due to an automobile accident, except in limited circumstances. This includes when an injured party does not have sufficient coverage to pay for treatment or when payment is required to compensate someone killed or seriously injured. Under Michigan's new auto insurance law, the BI/PD coverage limits are up to $250,000 for someone hurt or killed in an accident, up to $500,000 for each accident when several individuals are hurt or killed, and up to $10,000 for property damage in another state.

However, the new law allows motorists to have the option of purchasing coverage limits. The lowest permitted coverage limits that may be purchased are $10,000 for property damage in another state, $100,00 for each accident if several people are hurt or killed, and $50,000 for an individual hurt or killed in an accident.

Michigan Titling Requirements and Sales Tax

You should transfer the vehicle title within 15 days of buying a vehicle in Michigan, as a $15 late fee is charged if you fail to transfer the title in time. To title and register a vehicle in Michigan, you must present the original title (the dealer will complete the titling process for you if you purchase from a dealership) with the following:

• Your signature. All titled owners are required to sign when the title is transferred. If an owner cannot visit the office of the Secretary of State to sign the tile, they may appoint a representative or agent to sign on their behalf by completing the Appointment of Agent form.
• Seller's signature. If the vehicle seller does not intend to visit a Secretary of State office with you (the buyer), the seller must complete and sign the seller's portion of the title
• Odometer disclosure statement. If no space is provided on the title for recording the odometer reading, complete and submit an Odometer Mileage Statement instead
• Statement from the loan provider, if applicable. If a loan existed against the vehicle, provide the signed title from the financial institution administering the loan or the lien termination statement. If an active loan exists on the vehicle, provide a letter of authorization from the lienholder when submitting the title application
• Your Michigan driver's license or ID
• $15 title transfer fee. The Michigan Secretary of State accepts payment by check, cash, money order, or credit or debit card. Credit and debit card payments may attract additional fees
• Appropriate registration fee. You can use Michigan's vehicle registration fee calculator to determine the appropriate registration fee
• 6% sales tax (not charged for vehicles sold to immediate family members)

You may use the meeting scheduling resource on the Michigan SoS website to schedule a visit to the office of the Michigan Secretary of State

If you are an out-of-state resident, you can title and register your vehicle by submitting the following at a Michigan Secretary of State location:

• The original vehicle title, including the seller's signature, an accurate odometer mileage reading, and a completed and signed purchaser's section
• Proof of Michigan No-Fault insurance for the vehicle
• Completed and signed Application for Michigan Vehicle Title
• A statement from the loan provider, if no loan or lien is against the vehicle
• Payment for the $15 title transfer fee ($16 if a loan is on the vehicle), vehicle registration fees, and 6% sales tax

If you run a VIN check on a vehicle before purchasing it, you can determine if the current owner of the vehicle has any lien against the vehicle and whether the vehicle registration is up to date. Hence, a VIN check is a vital step in ensuring that the person selling a vehicle has the legal right to do so and that the person is not withholding information on any outstanding loan against the car.