Question 1

Does Michigan require a smog check or safety inspection before registration?

Accepted Answer

No. Michigan has no routine emissions or safety inspections for regular passenger vehicles, and the emissions testing program that once covered parts of the Detroit metro area ended in 1995. Inspections only happen in special cases, such as retitling a salvage vehicle. Since no inspector will ever screen the car before it is registered to you, a VIN history check is the only vetting the vehicle gets.

Question 2

What is the difference between a salvage title and a scrap title in Michigan?

Accepted Answer

For late-model vehicles, Michigan issues a salvage title when the estimated cost of repair is from 75 percent to less than 91 percent of the vehicle's pre-damage actual cash value, and a scrap title when it reaches 91 percent or more. A scrap-titled vehicle cannot be retitled or registered for road use — it can only be sold for parts. A VIN check shows whether a car ever carried either brand, even if the seller only shows you the current paper title.

Question 3

Can a salvage-titled car be driven legally in Michigan again?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but only after it is repaired and passes a salvage vehicle inspection performed by a specially trained law enforcement officer, applied for on form TR-13A; police departments charge up to 100 dollars for the inspection. The vehicle then receives a title permanently branded rebuilt salvage, which follows it onto every future Michigan title. Checking the VIN reveals the original salvage event behind a rebuilt brand, including the state where it happened.

Question 4

Does Michigan put a flood brand on water-damaged car titles?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Michigan defines a flood vehicle as one submerged deep enough that water entered the passenger compartment or trunk over the door sill or trunk floor pan sill, or one an insurer acquired settling a water-damage claim. The flood brand stays on all future Michigan titles, and the state also carries over flood, salvage, scrap, and rebuilt brands from other states. The Michigan Attorney General warns that flood-damaged cars can be shipped across the country within days and resold far from the storm area with no mention of the damage, so run the VIN to catch out-of-state flood records before the car reached Michigan.

Question 5

Does Michigan's lemon law brand buyback vehicles on the title?

Accepted Answer

No. Michigan's lemon law, MCL 257.1401 through 257.1410, does not put any brand on the title when a manufacturer buys back a defective vehicle. A separate statute, MCL 257.235, requires the dealer to obtain the buyer's signed statement acknowledging they were told the manufacturer reacquired the car through arbitration, a customer satisfaction policy, or the lemon law — but the title itself still looks clean, and nothing on it follows the car to later owners. A VIN history check, which pulls buyback records reported by manufacturers and other states, is the practical way to spot one.

Question 6

How long do I have to transfer a car title in Michigan after buying?

Accepted Answer

You have 15 days from the sale date to file the transfer with the Michigan Secretary of State; filing later adds a 15 dollar late fee on top of the 15 dollar title fee, and most sales owe 6 percent tax at the counter. For vehicles of model year 2011 and newer, the seller must also give you a written odometer disclosure at transfer under MCL 257.233a. Compare that stated mileage against the readings in a VIN history report before you sign.

Michigan VIN Check & Full Vehicle History Report

What’s in a Michigan vehicle history report?

Title brands & ownership history

Accident & damage records

Odometer history

Open safety recalls

Theft & lien alerts

Specs from the MI VIN

Where to find the VIN on a vehicle in Michigan

Michigan Department of State

Frequently asked questions about Michigan VIN checks

Run a VIN check in another state

U.S. territories

Don’t buy a used car in Michigan blind.