Almost every Delaware auto auction offers salvage vehicles with the helpful review. A vehicle that has a salvage title cannot be driven on the roads in Delaware until it has undergone reconstruction, passes several inspections, and gets a new title.
What Are the Steps?
After a Delaware car auction for public or dealership, you will first need to get a salvage title by going to any Division of Motor Vehicles office. Make an odometer disclosure on the back of the title and sign it. Sign and print your name in Section 1 under Signature of Buyer and Printed Name of Buyer.
Provide several documents to the office at this time including the title, a letter from the insurance company stating that it is a total loss (with a signature from a representative of the insurance company), as well as the date of the loss, model and make of the car, VIN, and name of the owner. You will also have to surrender your license plate at this time. The DMV will then issue a salvage certificate for the vehicle.
It is also possible to take care of this by mail. You still need to provide all of the above information and documentation, and will then mail the documents and plates to the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles, Title Section, PO Box 698, Dover, Delaware 19903. They will process the forms and send the salvage title to you by mail.
Registering a Vehicle
Once you have the salvage title in your name, you can then rebuild the vehicle to get it back in shape for the road.
Before rebuilding, you will need to take color photos of the vehicle before performing any repairs. The Delaware DMV requires two photos that show the rear of the vehicle, as well as the full left and right side of the vehicle.
You must document all of the repairs performed on the vehicle and keep receipts for all of the parts used. Date receipts and have the name, address, and zip code of the purchaser, as well as the name, address, and zip code of the seller. These receipts are necessary for the VIN inspection, which ensures that the parts were not stolen.
It is important to note that the Delaware State Police, who perform the inspections, will not approve salvage vehicles that have been repaired by a previous salvage owner.
There are three different offices in Delaware where these inspections are performed.
- Dover Inspection Lane, 303 Transportation Circle, Dover, DE 19901 – Inspections are on the second Thursday of each month from 8:30 AM to noon and from 1 PM to 3:30 PM
- Georgetown Inspection Lane, 23737 DuPont Blvd., Georgetown, DE 19947 – Inspections are on the third Thursday of each month from 8:30 AM to noon and from 1 PM to 3:30 PM.
- Delaware City Inspection Lane 2101 Mid County Drive, New Castle, DE 19720 – Inspections are on the first and fourth Thursday of each month from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM.
After passing the theft inspection, the officers will give you an Application of Title. You will then need to bring the vehicle to the Division of Motor Vehicles, where it will undergo a safety and emissions inspection. This step may be completed right after the vehicle has been rebuilt and before the VIN inspection.
You can then present the salvage certificate and the Application for Title, along with proof of insurance and the vehicle inspection to the DMV to receive a new title. The current cost of getting a new title is $35.
Find information on Rebuilt Title Laws for the Other US States. Explore our Vehicle Auctions and Buying With Us.
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