How to Obtain a Salvage Certificate or Nonrepairable Vehicle Certificate

Salvage or Nonrepairable Vehicle Certificate

Definitions

• Total Loss Salvage Vehicle (VC §544)

  A vehicle that has been wrecked, destroyed, or damaged to the extent that the owner or insurance company considers it uneconomical to repair and, because of this, the vehicle is not repaired for the owner.

  A Salvage Certificate is issued instead of an ownership certificate for a total loss salvage vehicle and becomes the ownership document. This certificate can only be issued in the name of the registered owner or the insurance company.

• Nonrepairable Vehicle

  A vehicle that meets one of the following criteria and has no resale value except as a source of parts or scrap metal:

  • Is irreversibly designated by the owner solely as a source of part or scrap metal
  • Is completely stripped (surgical strip) when recovered from theft
  • Is irreversibly designated by the owner solely as a source of part or scrap metal

A Nonrepairable Vehicle Certificate is issued instead of an ownership certificate for a nonrepairable vehicle and becomes the ownership document. Once this certificate is issued, the vehicle cannot be titled or re-registered for use in California.

• Owner-Retained Total Loss Salvage or Nonrepairable Vehicle

  A total loss salvage or nonrepairable vehicle that the owner retains as a portion of the settlement with an insurance company.

Insurance Company Reporting of Total Loss and Nonrepairable Vehicles

As required by VC §§11515 & 11515.2, when an insurance company makes a settlement on a total loss salvage or nonrepairable vehicle, the insurance company must obtain either a Salvage Certificate or Nonrepairable Vehicle Certificate within 10 days from the date of the settlement.

If the vehicle owner retains possession of the vehicle, the insurance company must notify the DMV of that retention and inform the owner of his/her responsibility to obtain a Salvage Certificate or Nonrepairable Vehicle Certificate within 10 days from the date of the settlement.

Required Total Loss Salvage Vehicle Disclosure

As required by VC §11515 (h)(1), any seller who transfers ownership of a total loss salvage vehicle must disclose to the purchaser at, or prior to, the time of sale, that the vehicle has been declared a total loss salvage vehicle. A seller who fails to make the disclosure may be subject to a civil suit or penalty.

Requirements for Obtaining a Salvage Certificate or Nonrepairable Vehicle Certificate

• An Application for Salvage Certificate or Nonrepairable Vehicle Certificate REG 488C) completed and signed by the owner of the vehicle.
• Proof of ownership. (This is usually the Certificate of Title from California or another state. The title must be signed by the owner(s) and the lienholder, if any, when the Salvage Certificate is being issued to the insurance company.)
  
  NOTE: A properly completed and endorsed Application for Duplicate Title (REG 227) may be used as proof of ownership when the California Certificate of Title is missing. The lienholder's release, if any, must be notarized. If an out-of-state title is missing, a duplicate title must be obtained from the state that issued the out-of-state title.
• A Vehicle Verification (REG 343) completed by an authorized DMV employee, law enforcement, or a licensed vehicle verifier is required when a title from another state is submitted as proof of ownership.
• Any bill(s) of sale needed to complete the chain of ownership.
• Odometer disclosure on the Certificate of Title or on a Vehicle/Vessel Transfer and Reassignment Form (REG 262) is required for motor vehicles 10 model years old or newer.
• The license plates must be surrendered or section three of the Application for Salvage Certificate or Nonrepairable Vehicle Certificate (REG 488C) must be completed to show what has happened to the plates.
• Salvage Certificate or Nonrepairable Vehicle Certificate fee.

How to Obtain a Duplicate Salvage or Nonrepairable Vehicle Certificate

If a Salvage Certificate was issued, but it was not received or has been lost, stolen, or mutilated, the insurance company or person who applied for the original Salvage Certificate may apply for a duplicate. The requirements are:

• A completed Application for Salvage Certificate or Nonrepairable Vehicle Certificate (REG 488C).
• A Statement of Facts (REG 256) that describes the vehicle and indicates that the original Salvage or Nonrepairable Vehicle Certificate was not received or was lost, stolen, or mutilated.
• Duplicate Salvage Certificate or Nonrepairable Vehicle Certificate fee.