VIN decode · NHTSA recalls · Michigan titles
Michigan VIN Check: Salvage, Rebuilt Salvage and Recertification
Michigan brands a vehicle salvage at damage from 75% to less than 91% of its pre-damage cash value, keeps it off public roads until a certified inspector recertifies it on TR-13A, and then titles it REBUILT SALVAGE. Decode the VIN, clear open NHTSA recalls, then check the title for that brand.
VIN decoder
- Paste the 17-character VIN
- Press Decode
- Read specs & recalls
Decoded vehicle
Open safety recalls
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Affiliate link: EpicVIN pays us a commission if you buy; specs and recalls above come from NHTSA.
Affiliate link: EpicVIN pays us a commission if you buy; your price is the same. EpicVIN starts with $1 for a 3-day trial, then a monthly plan until you cancel.
Decode the VIN and Pull Open Recalls
The VIN tool on this page decodes any 17-character VIN for model year 1981 and newer using NHTSA vPIC data. The decode returns year, make, model, trim, engine, body style and assembly plant. The same tool lists open NHTSA safety recalls tied to that VIN at no cost.
Recall repairs are performed at no charge by a franchised dealer. A recall shown as open on the VIN is unfinished work on that vehicle, and the repair stays available until it is completed.
- Confirm the VIN is 17 characters with no letters I, O or Q.
- Compare the decoded year, model and engine against the seller's listing.
- Review every open recall before you negotiate.
Michigan Title Transfer and VIN Inspection Rules
The Michigan Secretary of State (michigan.gov/sos) handles title work at a Secretary of State office. To convert an out-of-state title, bring the out-of-state title, your driver's license or ID, Michigan No-Fault insurance, and the out-of-state registration if the vehicle was registered in another state.
A vehicle brought into Michigan with a rebuilt, salvage, scrap or flood title from another state receives the matching Michigan brand. Brands follow the VIN across states, so an out-of-state brand carries into the Michigan record.
Salvage, Rebuilt and Recertification in Michigan
Michigan defines a salvage title as damage from 75% to less than 91% of the pre-damage cash value. A salvage vehicle cannot be plated or driven on public roads until a certified salvage vehicle inspector, a specially trained law enforcement officer, recertifies it.
| Item | Michigan detail |
|---|---|
| Salvage threshold | Damage from 75% to less than 91% of pre-damage cash value |
| Driving restriction | No plating or public-road driving until recertification |
| Inspector | Certified salvage vehicle inspector (specially trained law enforcement officer) |
| Forms | TR-13A (Application for Salvage Vehicle Inspection); TR-13B (Salvage Vehicle Recertification) |
| Inspection fee | Up to $100 |
| Title application fee | $15 |
| New title brand | REBUILT SALVAGE |
After recertification and the title application, the new Michigan title reads REBUILT SALVAGE. That brand stays with the VIN.
Title Brands, Odometer and Total-Loss History
NMVTIS, the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System run by the U.S. Department of Justice, collects title brands such as salvage, junk, flood and rebuilt, odometer readings from titles, and total-loss reports from insurers, junk yards and salvage yards. Because brands follow the VIN across states, an NMVTIS-based report shows what happened to the vehicle outside Michigan as well.
Full vehicle history reports on this site come from the partner EpicVIN: $1 for a 3-day trial, then a monthly plan until you cancel. Under the DPPA (18 U.S.C. 2721), owner names, addresses and phone numbers in DMV records stay private except for permissible purposes; this site shows vehicle data only.
Buyer checklist
- Match the VIN on the dashboard, the driver door jamb and the title.
- Decode the VIN and compare year, model and engine to the listing.
- Check open recalls on the VIN.
- Check title brands, odometer readings and total-loss history before paying.
Affiliate link: EpicVIN pays us a commission if you buy; your price is the same. EpicVIN starts with $1 for a 3-day trial, then a monthly plan until you cancel.
Questions people ask
What do I bring to convert an out-of-state title in Michigan?
Converting an out-of-state title at a Secretary of State office requires the out-of-state title, a driver's license or ID, Michigan No-Fault insurance and the out-of-state registration if the vehicle was registered in another state.
When does a Michigan vehicle get a salvage title?
Michigan issues a salvage title when damage runs from 75% to less than 91% of the pre-damage cash value. The vehicle cannot be plated or driven on public roads until a certified salvage vehicle inspector recertifies it using forms TR-13A and TR-13B.
What does the new title read after salvage recertification in Michigan?
After a certified salvage vehicle inspector recertifies the vehicle and the title application is filed, the new Michigan title reads REBUILT SALVAGE. The inspection fee runs up to $100 and the title application fee is $15.