How Do You Pass a Salvage Title Inspection?
Finish repairs to factory specs, clear recalls, bring damage photos and parts receipts. VIN Lookup sells the original ClearVIN PDF for $14.99.
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See what the paid report includes →To pass a salvage title inspection, finish every repair to the manufacturer’s specifications, clear open recalls, keep photos of the damage and receipts for every part, and bring the salvage title and the forms your state lists. VIN Lookup (free-vin-lookup.com) sells the original ClearVIN PDF for $14.99 — one report, no account. Inspectors check that the car is safe and that its parts are not stolen, so the paperwork matters as much as the repair. The ClearVIN PDF lists title brands, odometer, damage, auction and sale records, with photos where available, so a buyer can match the auction photos of the damage with your repair record. For two or more cars, ClearVIN’s own packs cost less than VIN Lookup’s: on October 26, 2026, $23.98 for two and $28.99 for five on clearvin.com, against $29.99 for three and $44.99 for five at VIN Lookup.
- California’s safety systems inspection checks body structure, brakes, lights, the passenger compartment, steering, suspension, tires and wheels, then scans for codes, checks recalls and road-tests the car.
- Common failures there: open recalls, brakes, lights, airbags or seat belts, a cracked windshield, worn tires and repairs not done to OEM specifications.
- Georgia, Alabama and Nevada ask for parts receipts; Georgia also wants photos of the car before repairs.
- VIN Lookup sells the original ClearVIN PDF, with title brands and auction records where returned, for $14.99.
One VIN. One $14.99 history report.
For $14.99, VIN Lookup delivers an original ClearVIN vehicle-history PDF for the VIN you enter. ClearVIN is on the U.S. Department of Justice’s list of approved NMVTIS data providers; VIN Lookup sells that original report. The report may include data beyond the NMVTIS core, but the records returned vary by VIN.
The VIN decode is free. No card is needed until you choose to buy; applicable tax is shown at checkout. A missing record is not proof that an event never happened.No account · Refund reviewed if not delivered, unopenable or wrong VIN by our error · Sold by VIN Lookup (SH LLC, Sheridan, WY)Original provider PDF
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How do you pass a salvage title inspection?
Treat it as two tests: a safety test of the repaired car and a paper test of where its parts came from. Virginia’s DMV examination, for example, checks that the car and its parts are in safe operating condition and have not been stolen. North Carolina adds a State Highway Patrol anti-theft inspection for salvage cars six model years old or newer.
So the work starts before the repair. Photograph the damage, keep every receipt, and use parts you can trace. Then finish the repair completely: Pennsylvania says a reconstructed car must be restored to the manufacturer’s original specifications, including air bags, seat belts and emissions parts.
Rules vary by state, from who inspects to which forms you bring. The states below are examples; read your own agency’s page before you start.
Rebuilt Vehicle Examinations — read November 11, 2026 · Vehicle Title Special Cases — read November 11, 2026 · Fact Sheet: Reconstructed Vehicle Titling Procedure — read November 11, 2026
What a salvage inspection checks: California’s list
California’s Bureau of Automotive Repair publishes the clearest list. Its vehicle safety systems inspection, required before a revived salvage car can be registered and driven again, covers the body structure, brakes and lights, the passenger compartment, steering and suspension, and tires and wheels. It also scans the on-board diagnostics, checks for open safety recalls and includes a road test.
The cost varies by station. If the car passes, the station sends the electronic certificate to the DMV and gives you a vehicle safety report to keep.
Safety systems inspections for revived salvage vehicles — read November 11, 2026 · Register Your Revived Junk or Salvage Vehicle — read November 11, 2026
Paperwork that gets a rebuilt car through: five state examples
Each row is that agency’s own page, read November 11, 2026.
| State | Who inspects | What to bring or keep |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia | The rebuilt inspection before a rebuilt title | Photos of the car wrecked, before repairs; receipts for parts, with the source VIN for used parts |
| Alabama | A Motor Vehicle Inspector, who contacts you 1 to 2 weeks after the request | The salvage title, bills of sale for parts, proof you owned the car before the loss, and a $90 inspection fee in certified funds |
| Pennsylvania | An enhanced vehicle safety inspection station | Form MV-426B, proof of ownership and proof of insurance; the inspector photographs the car |
| Nevada | A registered garage, licensed body shop or rebuilder, then a DMV inspection station | A pre-repair authorization for cars 5 model years old or newer, and receipts for all parts |
| Texas | Any state inspection station, for safety and/or emissions | At the county office: Form 130-U, a Rebuilt Vehicle Statement, ID and proof of insurance |
Titles for Rebuilt or Restored Vehicles — read November 11, 2026 · Salvage and Rebuilt Vehicles — read November 11, 2026 · Nevada DMV - Salvage Vehicles — read November 11, 2026 · FAQs: My vehicle was salvaged. What do I need to do to get it on the road again? — read November 11, 2026
Why rebuilt cars fail, and how to avoid it
California’s list of common failures is a good pre-check anywhere: open safety recalls, brake problems, headlights, brake lights or turn signals that do not work, missing or faulty seat belts and airbags, a cracked windshield, worn tires or a lit tire-pressure light, and repairs that do not follow the manufacturer’s repair specifications.
Recalls are the easy part: BAR says the manufacturer or dealer does recall repairs at no cost, and the recall must show as cleared before the next inspection. After a failure, the station inspects every safety system again, not only the part you fixed.
Nevada adds two traps for newer cars: a car 5 model years old or newer needs a DMV authorization before any repair starts, and a car repaired without it may not be titled or registered.
Safety systems inspections for revived salvage vehicles — read November 11, 2026
Buying a car someone else rebuilt: what to ask for
In California, a rebuilder must get the car inspected before selling it and give you a copy of the vehicle safety report. Ask for the equivalent record in any state, along with the before-repair photos and the parts receipts.
A passed inspection shows the car met the state’s checks on that day, not how well hidden structural work was done. BAR offers no-cost inspections of collision repairs in California; elsewhere, pay an independent body shop. The ClearVIN PDF lists title brands, odometer, damage, auction and sale records, with photos where available.
One report from each seller: packs and terms, checked October 26, 2026
Every report seller’s price on this page comes from this table. Each row is the seller’s own page read on October 26, 2026 (CARFAX’s is its U.S. App Store listing).
On October 26, 2026, the DOJ’s approved-provider page said consumers cannot get NMVTIS reports from Carfax, DMVDesk or Experian, which sells AutoCheck.
| Provider | One report | Packs, trial or renewal | NMVTIS status | Includes | Lacks | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titlecheck.us | $9.98 | No packs and no subscription; no charge if NMVTIS has no record | Approved: on the DOJ consumer list | NMVTIS title, brand, odometer, junk, salvage and total-loss records | No repairs, minor accidents, owner names or recalls (its homepage and FAQ) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| VinAudit | $9.99 | 5 for $19.99 ($4.00 each); 10 for $29.99 ($3.00 each) | Approved: on the DOJ consumer list | NMVTIS plus theft, lien, impound, export and sale records when available | No service or maintenance records advertised | Oct 26, 2026 |
| VIN Lookup (free-vin-lookup.com), original ClearVIN PDF | $14.99 | 3 for $29.99 ($10.00 each); 5 for $44.99 ($9.00 each); one-time, no subscription or renewal | Sells the report of ClearVIN, which is on the DOJ approved list | The original ClearVIN PDF: title brands, odometer, damage, total-loss, theft, lien, auction and sale records where returned | Same report as ClearVIN, which states it has no maintenance records | Oct 26, 2026 |
| ClearVIN (direct) | $17.99 | 2 for $23.98 ($11.99 each); 5 for $28.99 ($5.80 each); prepaid credits, no subscription | Approved: on the DOJ consumer list | Title brands, odometer, damage, auction and sale records, with photos where available | No maintenance records (its own FAQ) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| AutoCheck (Experian) | $29.99 | 5 for $59.99 ($12.00 each, within 21 days); one-time, no recurring charge | Not an NMVTIS source for consumers (DOJ) | Experian report with AutoCheck Score and 21 days of updates | Not an NMVTIS consumer report; the 5-pack expires after 21 days | Oct 26, 2026 |
| CARFAX | $49.99 | 2 for $69.99 ($35.00 each); 4 for $119.99 ($30.00 each); its iPhone app also sells 10 for $274.99, 15 for $399.99 and 20 for $499.99 | Not an NMVTIS source for consumers (DOJ) | Records reported to CARFAX; free CARFAX reports on CARFAX used-car listings | Not an NMVTIS consumer report; only events reported to CARFAX | Oct 26, 2026 (U.S. App Store) |
Titlecheck.us: Titlecheck.us homepage (“Only $9.98 per report”) — checked October 26, 2026 · Titlecheck.us: Titlecheck.us FAQ — checked October 26, 2026 · VinAudit: VinAudit homepage FAQ (single report and bundles) — checked October 26, 2026 · VIN Lookup (free-vin-lookup.com): VIN Lookup report and package prices — checked October 26, 2026 · ClearVIN (direct): ClearVIN report credits — checked October 26, 2026 · AutoCheck (Experian): AutoCheck vehicle history reports — checked October 26, 2026 · CARFAX: CARFAX U.S. App Store in-app purchases — checked October 26, 2026 · CARFAX: CARFAX U.S. report prices article — checked October 22, 2026; redirected outside the U.S. on October 26, 2026 · Approved NMVTIS Data Providers — checked October 26, 2026
Buyer checklist
- Photograph the damage before any repair starts.
- Keep a receipt for every part, with the source VIN for used parts.
- Ask whether your state needs an authorization before repairs.
- Repair to the manufacturer’s specifications, airbags and seat belts included.
- Clear open recalls and check lights, brakes, tires and the windshield.
- Bring the salvage title, the state’s forms and proof of insurance.
What this research cannot prove
- The Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, California BAR and DMV, Georgia, Alabama, Nevada and Texas pages were read on November 11, 2026, from a connection outside the United States; no account was opened, no VIN was entered and nothing was bought.
- Inspection rules, forms, waits and fees vary by state; the states here are examples, so read the page of the state where the car will be titled.
- California’s inspection list is BAR’s; other states may check more or less. A passed inspection is not a warranty of the repair.
- Prices come from our October 26, 2026 price sheet and may have changed. Records in any report vary by VIN, and a missing record is not proof that nothing happened.
Sources reviewed
Open the underlying public source and verify that its scope matches the question you are asking.
- VIN Lookup report and package prices — checked October 26, 2026VIN Lookup (free-vin-lookup.com)
- Annotated original ClearVIN sampleVIN Lookup
- Rebuilt Vehicle Examinations — read November 11, 2026Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
- Vehicle Title Special Cases — read November 11, 2026North Carolina Department of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles
- Fact Sheet: Reconstructed Vehicle Titling Procedure — read November 11, 2026Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
- Safety systems inspections for revived salvage vehicles — read November 11, 2026California Bureau of Automotive Repair
- Register Your Revived Junk or Salvage Vehicle — read November 11, 2026California Department of Motor Vehicles
- Titles for Rebuilt or Restored Vehicles — read November 11, 2026Georgia Department of Revenue
- Salvage and Rebuilt Vehicles — read November 11, 2026Alabama Department of Revenue
- Nevada DMV - Salvage Vehicles — read November 11, 2026Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles
- FAQs: My vehicle was salvaged. What do I need to do to get it on the road again? — read November 11, 2026Texas Department of Motor Vehicles
- Approved NMVTIS Data Providers — checked October 26, 2026U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance
- Titlecheck.us homepage (“Only $9.98 per report”) — checked October 26, 2026Titlecheck.us
- Titlecheck.us FAQ — checked October 26, 2026Titlecheck.us
- VinAudit homepage FAQ (single report and bundles) — checked October 26, 2026VinAudit
- ClearVIN report credits — checked October 26, 2026ClearVIN (direct)
- AutoCheck vehicle history reports — checked October 26, 2026AutoCheck (Experian)
- CARFAX U.S. App Store in-app purchases — checked October 26, 2026CARFAX
- CARFAX U.S. report prices article — checked October 22, 2026; redirected outside the U.S. on October 26, 2026CARFAX
Frequently asked questions
How do you pass a salvage title inspection?
Finish every repair to the manufacturer’s specifications, clear open recalls, and bring the salvage title, photos of the damage before repair and receipts for every part. Georgia asks for those photos and receipts; Pennsylvania requires airbags, seat belts and emissions parts restored to original specifications.
What does a salvage title inspection check?
In California: body structure, brakes and lights, the passenger compartment, steering and suspension, tires and wheels, plus a diagnostics scan, an open-recall check and a road test. Virginia’s examination also checks that the parts are not stolen.
How long does a salvage title inspection take?
Scheduling takes longer than the inspection. Alabama says its inspector contacts you 1 to 2 weeks after your request is received, and Texas says the salvage title itself arrives within 3 weeks of applying.
What happens if a car fails the salvage inspection?
You repair everything listed on the report and book a new inspection. California’s BAR says the station must then inspect all safety systems again, not only the repaired areas.
Who issues the report VIN Lookup sells?
ClearVIN. VIN Lookup (free-vin-lookup.com) sells the original ClearVIN PDF for $14.99, one time, with no subscription; ClearVIN, which issues the report, is on the DOJ list of approved NMVTIS data providers.