WHAT IS A BRANDED TITLE?

A Branded Title is a Certificate of Title which has a permanent flag regarding a vehicle’s history.  If the vehicle has a certain condition or has an event in its history, the DMV requires that it be noted in the red-bordered rectangle on the title’s upper right corner.

WHAT CONDITIONS OR EVENTS REQUIRE A TITLE BE BRANDED?

  • Salvage vehicles

    • If the title has SALVAGED noted in the vehicle history box, it indicates that the vehicle was declared a total loss by an insurance company.  The vehicle had severe damage from an accident, fire, flood or theft and the cost of repairing the vehicle was more than the value of the vehicle.

  • Vehicles with Taxi or Police History

    • If the title has Original Taxi/Prior Taxi or Original Police/Prior Police in the vehicle history box, it is a note that the vehicle was was used for hire or for law enforcement.  Vehicles with that designation typically have high mileage and significant wear and tear.

  • Non-USA (Grey Market)

    • If the title has Non-USA noted in the vehicle history box, it is a Grey Market vehicle that was manufactured outside the US.  These vehicles enter into the country through non-official channels and frequently do not comply with local safety, emissions, or regulatory standards.  They often lack warranties and may require expensive repairs in order to modify them to be legal.

  • Warranty Return (Lemon Law Buyback)

    • If the title has Warranty Return noted in the vehicle history box, it indicates that the vehicle was returned to the manufacturer under California’s Lemon Law.  A vehicle returned to the manufacturer due to recurrent, unresolved defects may have questionable reliability and will not have a full warranty.

  • Remanufactured Vehicles

    • If the title has Remanufactured Vehicle noted in the vehicle history box, it was assembled by a licensed remanufacturer from reconditioned or used parts.

  • Park Trailers

    • If the title has Park Trailer noted in the vehicle history box, it is meant to identify the vehicle as a specialized vehicle designed for temporary recreational or seasonal use, not permanent residential housing.

The DMV uses Branded Titles as a means to alert consumers of important issues in an used vehicle’s history.
With special regard to Salvaged Branded Titles, considered to be the most worst Branded Title, a buyer should hesitate before buying a vehicle with that designation.  A Salvage may have been improperly repaired, requiring further expensive repairs down the road.  It may be difficult to insure or finance.  The resale value will be poor.  While a Salvage vehicle is likely to be cheaper, a buyer should do their due diligence.

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