Pub. 54 2013-2014 Issue 3

34 T here are several automation projects that will be coming from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (Tx- DMV) this year. One of them will allow TxDMV to provide much better protec- tion for both dealers and consumers. It is known as the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS), but to make it easy, we’ll just call it “Title Check.” TxDMV is working closely with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to imple- ment Title Check/NMVTIS in Texas. The system will be rolled out statewide in April. This is when the TxDMVwill begin running all Texas title applications through NMVTIS, which is required by federal law. What it is NMVTIS is a nationwide database of ve- hicle title history information. By running Texas title applications through the data- base, the system identifies titles that have brands or other-value limiting remarks on them and lets us know. The system will help us stop title fraud, keep unsafe vehicles off our roadways, and keep stolen vehicles from being resold. You won’t find a button on our website that says NMVTIS, but you will be able to access the title information from approved providers by clicking the Title Check icon anywhere you see it on the TxDMV website www.TxDMV.gov – on the Home page, Dealers page, Motorists page, Tax Assessor-Collectors page, or go directly, www.TxDMV.gov/titlecheck. The New Title Check Some of you may have used the Title Check application on the TxDMV website in the past and are wondering, “Why change Title Check?” Previously, the Title Check application did a VIN lookup on title data in the TxDMV’s Registration and Title System database, but it only provided in- formation on the most recent Texas title re- cords. What was missing from it was prior and out-of-state title information – some of which may have included brands that impacted the value of the vehicles. One of the great benefits of fully implementing NMVTIS in Texas is that vehicle dealers, consumers, and businesses will now have access to title history information that represents the entire history of the vehicle title. Title Check now connects you to the approved title information provid- ers. Users will pay a small fee, but they will receive a more complete and accurate title history from the NMVTIS database containing information from states across the country. This is the same database the TxDMV will begin using in April when issuing Texas titles. “The best way dealers and consumers can protect themselves from any surprises when they go to title a vehicle is to connect to ‘Brand’ New at TxDMV The TxDMV NMVTIS Project