VIN question

[280z-racer]

If you have the vin to a car, is there anyway to find out where the car is and who owns it? I had heard a while a go (not from a relaible source) that you can write to the CA DMV and they can tell you if the car is in the state and then contact the current owner and let the current owner decide if they want to call you back

[Sparks280zt]

Im not sure, but I do know that in 1981 the VIN system changed from a 10 digit system to a 13 digit system. Its possible that pre-1981 cars will not be pulled up in the database.

[280z-racer]

its a 1995 so its the full 17-digit vin. this was the first car i ever bought and i only bought cause the Z wasnt relaible. ive kicked myself for gettin rid of it for the last 4 years. im sure it ended up wholesaled to mexico or something but it would be cool to know, and buy it back if i can find it.

[Sparks280zt]

I'd say its worth a shot then, what is it?

[280z-racer]

95 honda del sol (dont laugh) that little car got me all over socal for 3 years. its really just a sentimental thing really. if i can find it i dont care what shape its in (minus fire, or being totalled).

[pete280z]

I managed to get a title search done in Texas with just a VIN. My situation was a little different though. The car was on my property and I needed to figure out who owned it. I wouldn't be surprised if privacy laws restrict access to that kind of info these days. Either way it's worth a shot.

[Stealth-Z]

If it is a California vehicle, DMV can do a search for it. For a fee of course!

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/forms/inf/inf70.pdf

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/forms/inf/inf70_r8_2004.pdf

 

Another option would be to run a carfax on the VIN. At least then you could find out a general idea of where it might be.

[280z-racer]

If it is a California vehicle, DMV can do a search for it. For a fee of course!

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/forms/inf/inf70.pdf

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/forms/inf/inf70_r8_2004.pdf

 

Another option would be to run a carfax on the VIN. At least then you could find out a general idea of where it might be.

 

sweet! thanks.

[DavyZ]

...I wouldn't be surprised if privacy laws restrict access to that kind of info these days....

 

I was under the assumtion that this was true and was, in fact, told it was this way. Maybe it's different??? I looked at the forms that Stealth-Z posted and it appears that you can get the ownership record.

 

Davy

[pete280z]

The forms I used outlined about 4 specific cases that justified a title search. If I remember correctly most of them had to criminal investigations and leinholders. None of them would apply to someone who was just curious about what happened to their old car. The back of the form was basically a longwinded, small-print warning that boiled down to "lying on this form is a felony."

 

The case I was instructed to use was for property holders in the process of applying for a mechanic's lein.

 

From the instructions for this form, it doesn't appear that it's allowed:

SECTION D – Purpose of Request – “Permissible Use”

Federal law, the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2721-2725),

states that information contained in a motor vehicle record cannot be released unless the information

is requested and used for a “permissible use.” A “permissible use” only allows release of non-

confidential information and includes:

• Motor vehicle or driver safety and theft - For use in connection with matters of motor vehicle

or driver safety and theft; motor vehicle emissions; motor vehicle product alterations, recalls, or

advisories; performance monitoring of motor vehicles, motor vehicle parts and dealers; motor

vehicle market research activities, including survey research; and removal of non-owner records

from the original owner records of motor vehicle manufacturers.

• Legitimate business - For use by a legitimate business or its agents, employees, or contractors,

to verify the accuracy of personal information submitted by the individual for the purposes of

preventing fraud by, pursuing legal remedies against, or recovering on a debt or security interest

against, the individual.

• Civil, criminal, administrative or arbitral processing - For use in connection with any civil,

criminal, administrative, or arbitral proceeding in any Federal, State, or local court or agency or

before any self-regulatory body, including the service of process, investigation in anticipation of

litigation, and the execution or enforcement of judgments and orders, or pursuant to an order of a

Federal, State, or local court.

• Insurance Purposes - For use by any insurer or insurance support organization, or by a self-

insured entity, or its agents, employees, or contractors, in connection with claims investigation

activities, anti-fraud activities, rating or underwriting.

• Employer of commercial drivers - For use by an employer or its agents or insurer to obtain or

verify information relating to a holder of a commercial driver's license that is required under the

Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986 (49 U.S.C. App. 2710 et seq.).

• Any other use specifically authorized under California law - For any other use specifically

authorized under the law of the State that holds the record, if such use is related to the operation

of a motor vehicle or public safety. (Include state law, identified by code name and section

number, which requires or permits use.)

 

CIVIL/CRIMINAL PENALTIES

State law, California Vehicle Code section 1808.45 and federal law, the Drivers Privacy Protection Act

of 1994, states in summary, that the willful, unauthorized disclosure, false representation to obtain,

use of information for a purpose other than the one stated in the request and approved by the DMV,

or the sale or other distribution of any information not disclosed in the request, is a misdemeanor,

punishable by a fine not exceeding five thousand dollars ($5,000) or by imprisonment in the county

jail not exceeding one year, or both fine and imprisonment. Federal law, the Driver’s Privacy

Protection Act of 1994 (United States Code, TITLE 18, PART I, CHAPTER 123, Sec. 2724), will further

subject any person who knowingly obtains, discloses or uses personal information from any motor

vehicle record for an unauthorized purpose to be liable to the record subject who may bring a civil

action in a United States district court. Remedies that may be awarded by the court include: actual

damages not less than $2,500; punitive damages; reasonable attorneys' fees and other litigation

costs; and other preliminary and equitable relief as the court determines to be appropriate.