How to Get a Rebuilt Title in Virginia
To get a rebuilt title in Virginia, you’ll need to pay $125 for a vehicle examination and provide a Virginia Salvage certificate.
Written by Jason Tushinski
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
In order to get a rebuilt title in Virginia, you’ll have to mail in an original Virginia Salvage Certificate of Title with your name on it, a Request for Examination of Rebuilt Salvage Vehicle (LES 022A), and the $125 examination fee. Once your application is accepted, a Special Agent from Virginia's Department of Motor Vehicles will contact you to schedule a vehicle inspection. Your car will then be referred to Virginia’s Vehicle Branding Center to be issued a rebuilt title certificate.
In most cases, when a car is totaled, that’s the end of the line. The insurance company deems it a write-off, then it’s stripped for salvageable parts and crushed into a cube. Sometimes though, a wreck-of-an-automobile is given a new lease on life—courtesy of a rebuilt title.
If you want to breathe new life into a totaled car in Virginia, you’ll need to apply to have it rebranded from a salvage title to a rebuilt title. In this article,
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What is a rebuilt title?
A
rebuilt title
certifies that a car that was once deemed a total loss now meets all of the legal and safety requirements to be considered drivable. Usually, to be branded a rebuilt title car, a car needs to be have a salvage title first. This means the car is not in drivable condition. Once you take care of the necessary repairs, the salvage title can be replaced with a rebuilt title, so long as it passes the required examination.
Does my car need a rebuilt title?
If your vehicle was totaled in an accident but you still want to drive it, you’ll need to get a rebuilt title. If you want to sell the vehicle with a salvage title, you can do this, but it might be difficult to find a buyer.
Finding a buyer for a car carrying a rebuilt title will likely be easier. A rebuilt title does not expunge a vehicle’s history, but it does stand as proof that the vehicle meets legal and safety standards and is allowed to be driven. This is the only legal way to drive a car that was once deemed a total loss.
MORE: How to insure a car with a salvage title
How to get a rebuilt title in Virginia
If you’re applying for a rebuilt title in Virginia, you’ll have to title the car as a salvage, then restore it, then certify it with a rebuilt title.
Apply for the salvage title
If your car doesn’t have a salvage title, you’ll need to apply for one by mailing the following documents and appropriate fees to Virginia's Vehicle Branding Center:
- Vehicle’s original title
- Itemized list of necessary repairs from either your insurance company or an independent appraiser, with the following:
- Vehicle’s make, model, year, VINAny new or used parts that require repairs, and costsTotal parts and labor costsInsurance company or appraiser signature
- $15 salvage title fee
Mail the above to the following address: DMV, Virginia Vehicle Branding Center, P.O. Box 27412, Richmond, Virginia 23269-0001
Make the necessary repairs to your vehicle
Upon receipt of your salvage title, you can begin repairs on the vehicle, or take it to a mechanic who is qualified to do so.
Essential documents to apply for a rebuilt Virginia title
Once your car has been repaired, you’ll need to apply by mail for a rebuilt title with the following:
- The vehicle’s original Virginia Salvage certificate of title
- A $125 examination fee
- $15 substitute title fee
Mail to: DMV, Virginia Vehicle Branding Center, P.O. Box 27412, Richmond, Virginia 23269-0001
Upon receipt of your documents and fees, a DMV Special Agent will contact you to schedule your examination for a rebuilt title.
Essential documents for an Examination of Rebuilt Salvage vehicle in Virginia
For your examination, you’ll need to bring the following:
- Proof your vehicle has passed a Virginia safety inspection
- A photocopy of the Request for Examination Rebuilt Salvage Vehicle
- Receipts for any original parts
- A photo of the vehicle prior to any repairs
- Old components with the vehicle’s VIN (if applicable)
- Once the vehicle has passed its inspection, the DMV Special Agent will notify the Vehicle Branding Center, and the rebuilt title will be mailed to you
How long does a rebuilt title take in Virginia?
From start to finish, the process of applying for a rebuilt title in Virginia can take a few months. The exact length of time depends on how long it takes to make the necessary repairs to the vehicle.
MORE: Penalty for not having car insurance in Virginia
Finding cheap car insurance in Virginia
Virginia is one of two U.S. states where car insurance is not required. However, it is highly recommended that you do buy
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Is a rebuilt title bad in Virginia?
This depends on a few factors. In Virginia, a rebuilt title certifies that a vehicle is safe to drive. However, that doesn’t mean it's problems are over. A rebuilt car can have problems hiding under the surface, more so than a vehicle that wasn’t previously deemed a total loss.
How much does it cost to get a rebuilt title in Virginia?
It costs $125 for the examination necessary to get a vehicle’s title rebranded to rebuilt status, plus another $15 substitute title fee.
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