Missouri VIN Check

Vehicle History

A Missouri VIN check reveals information on the vehicle's history, such as title history, mileage, and accident history. You can get this information for any vehicle sold by any of the state's 663 used car dealers.

Title Verification

You can verify that the title of a car matches its vehicle identification number prior to purchase via a VIN check. This information is available for the about 5.4 million registered vehicles in the state - an average of 2.3 vehicles per household.

Accident History

About 1,000 crashes occur yearly in Missouri in recent times. This indicates that some cars may have undergone structural damage that can impact their safety. If you conduct a VIN check, you can see if a used car has been badly damaged from previous accidents.

Mileage Verification

To avoid buying a vehicle with a rolled-back odometer reading, it is important to conduct a VIN check. Over 25,000 vehicles are operating in the state with inaccurate mileage. The Criminal Investigative Bureau of the Department of Revenue is in charge of odometer fraud. Recalls and Safety Standards Missouri has more than 35,000 cars with open recalls operating on its roads. If you buy and use any of such cars, you put your safety at risk when driving. To ensure there are no unrepaired manufacturer-identified faults in a car, run a VIN check before buying the car.

Theft Check

Missouri recorded 29,345 cars stolen in 2022 and 27,279 stolen vehicles in 2023. This indicates a fairly high car theft rate in the state. You should protect yourself from purchasing a stolen car by running a VIN check prior to purchase.

Natural Disaster-Related Reasons

Due to its geography, Missouri experiences natural disasters like storms, ice storms, tornadoes, and flooding. These natural disasters can severely damage vehicles. Running a VIN check for a car in Missouri will help you verify its status.

The Title Transfer Process

Missouri, unlike most other states in the United States, is a title-holding state. This means that if you buy a vehicle with a lien against it, the vehicle title with the vehicle owner's name and the lien holder's name on it will be the vehicle owner's to hold until the loan is paid off. In a non-title-holding state, the lienholder will hold the vehicle title until the vehicle owner pays off the loan on the car.

In Missouri, to remove the lien from your title after paying off the loan for your vehicle, submit an application to any Missouri license office. To submit a complete application, gather the following:

• A copy of the original notarized lien release
• Your current title
• An $8.50 title fee
• A $6 processing fee

After your application is approved, a new title in your name, without the lien, will be issued within five business days and be mailed to your address as provided on the application.

If you prefer to submit your application by mail, submit the items listed above and a completed and signed Form 108 (Application for Missouri Title and License). Your signature on the form must be notarized if you are not in possession of your current vehicle title. Mailed applications may take up to 6 weeks to process. Submit the mail application to:

Missouri Department of Revenue
Motor Vehicle Bureau
301 West High Street
Room 370
Jefferson City, MO 65105-0100

The Missouri Department of Revenue recommends that you keep the original notarized release for your personal record, as the copy submitted with your application will not be returned.

However, if you are a new resident in Missouri and your lienholder currently has your out-of-state title, you must complete the owner and vehicle/unit portions of Form 5834 (Owner Out-of-State Title Request). After, fax or email the completed Form 5834 to your lienholder to obtain the original out-of-state vehicle title. If, for any reason, the lienholder cannot release the out-of-state title to you, they may complete and notarize the bottom section of the form and return the completed form with acceptable documents serving as proof of ownership. Once you receive the out-of-state title or proof of ownership documents, you can apply for a Missouri title and registration.

Missouri Insurance and Registration Requirements

Motor vehicle owners and drivers are required to maintain vehicle liability insurance coverage. Proof of this coverage is required when registering a vehicle and renewing registration. Vehicle liability insurance covers a vehicle driver's legal liability when property damage or injuries happen due to the policyholder's actions. The minimum insurance coverage levels mandated by Missouri law are:

• $25,000 per accident per property
• $50,000 per accident for bodily injury
• $25,000 per person for bodily injury

Missouri law also requires drivers to have uninsured motorist coverage of $50,000 for bodily injury per accident and $25,000 for bodily injury per person. Non-Missouri residents are also required to maintain vehicle insurance in line with the state requirements for residents. Proof of insurance must be in the vehicle at all times. If you cannot provide proof of insurance when asked by a law enforcement officer, the officer may issue you a ticket.

Missouri Titling Requirements and Sales Tax

To title your motor vehicle in Missouri, you will need the following:

• The properly signed over Certificate of Title or Manufacturer's Statement of Origin (MSO). You can use the Missouri DOR Instructions for Completing a Title Assignment for guidelines on properly signed-over titles.
• A signed Form 108 - Application for Missouri Title and License
• An identification number and odometer inspection if the vehicle ownership was transferred to you on a title issued by another state. The inspection must be completed by a Missouri-approved inspection station. A safety inspection done within the last 60 days suffices.
• Completed Form 3019 - Odometer Disclosure Statement, if applicable
• Completed and notarized Form 4809 - Lien Release, if applicable
• Additional documentation that may be requested at the time of titling
• An $8.50 title fee
• A $6 processing fee
• A 4.225%, plus your local sales tax on the purchase price, less trade-in allowance. You can calculate an estimated sales tax using the Missouri Department of Revenue's sales tax calculator

Submit the required items to:

Missouri Department of Revenue
Motor Vehicle Bureau
301 West High Street
Room 370
Jefferson City, MO 65105-0100

To obtain a Missouri title and registration for a motor vehicle with a current tile from another state, you will need the following:

• Original title or proof of ownership per the laws in the other state where the vehicle is currently titled in your name
• A signed Application for Missouri Title and License
• Identification number and odometer inspection
• A current insurance ID card or other proof of financial responsibility
• Statement of non-assessment from your Missouri County of Residence assessor's office indicating that you do not owe personal property taxes
• A Missouri safety inspection not older than 60 days
• An $8.50 title fee
• A $6 processing fee
• A $2 electronic transmission fee, if applicable
• Registration and processing fee
• State and local taxes, if applicable
• Any other documentation that may be requested at the time of titling

A VIN check can confirm whether appropriate sales tax was paid by the previous owner of a used car. It can also confirm the number of previous owners and whether the current owner has the legal right to sell the vehicle to you.

Missouri-Assigned VINs

Missouri assigns VINs under specific scenarios. Reconstructed or rebuilt vehicles, homemade or custom-built vehicles, homemade trailers, and recovered vehicles that have had their original VINs tampered with or removed can be issued Missouri-assigned VINs. To obtain an assigned VIN in Missouri, complete the Application for Missouri Assigned Vehicle/Trailer Identification Number Plate or Verification and the required documents and required fee (both are stated on the application) to the Motor Vehicle Bureau of the Missouri Department of Revenue.

Prior to the approval of the application, the Missouri State Highway Patrol will inspect the vehicle for roadworthiness. Upon the approval of the application, a Missouri-assigned VIN will be issued by the Department of Revenue and the new VIN plate will be affixed to the vehicle.