If it has recently come to your attention that you require a VIN Verification for one or more of your motor vehicles, you probably wonder what that means and how it will affect you. Every motorist should know their vehicle’s VIN and its verification status because these details greatly affect your car. The VIN Number keeps your car safe by proving and tracing its ownership. The number also comes in handy in valuing a car during negotiations as it reveals the ownership and maintenance history.
What is a VIN Number?
A Vehicle Identification Number is a seventeen-digit alphanumeric tag that is often found on the dashboard of most cars. You can think of a VIN Number like a fingerprint that the manufacturers imprint on cars. No two vehicles can share a VIN Number. These numbers are unique yet conform to a standard code that ensures they never overlap.
A VIN Number gives access to a lot of technical information about your car, e.g., country of manufacture of constituent parts, country of assembly, make, and body type model. The VIN Number also reveals a detailed history of title and maintenance. It reveals how many people have owned the car, how long, and if they have been involved in motor vehicle accidents. Your VIN Number is also important to find out whether the manufacturer has recalled your vehicle.
What is Vin Verification, and why is it Required
VIN Verification is a process whereby a physical examination of your vehicle’s VIN Number has to be carried out by a DMV or CHP officer, usually for free. Mobile VIN Verifiers have also been licensed to carry out quick and efficient VIN Verification which can be carried out at your home. The need for this process is triggered by certain categories of motor vehicles or certain scenarios in which motor vehicles may be involved.
For example, if you perform extensive bodywork on your vehicle, eventually altering its body type model, a VIN Verification will be necessary. The same applies to vehicles that have been brought in from out of state or country. Some cars fall off the DMV database for various reasons and seem to have no record; such vehicles also require a VIN Verification before being reentered into the database.
What do I need for a VIN Verification?
For the traditional method of VIN Verification, all you need is to present your car and relevant documents to a DMV or CHP official. This method of VIN Verification requires you to supply the officer with the standard form, REG 31. Form REG 31 can be gotten physically at the DMV or printed online off of the DMV website. Other documents that are relevant to the title history are not mandatory but may be required, so it is a good idea to keep them handy.
The next step is to physically present your car at the DMV for inspection, whereupon the DMV official shall fill out Form REG 31 for you. The final step is particularly challenging because some cars requiring VIN Verification are not in a roadworthy state. Towing the car to the DMV is an expense that the majority of motorists find prohibitive. Many motorists also find the DMV and CHP route lengthy and unnecessarily bureaucratic.
Why Mobile VIN Verification is the Preferred Option
If you are looking forward to having your car back on the road as soon as possible, Mobile VIN Verification is the only way to go. Mobile VIN Verification may not be free like the traditional DMV route, and the extra cost is usually worth it for most motorists.
Mobile VIN Verifiers are extremely efficient and reliable. Depending on your budget, they offer you the option of driving to their offices for the physical inspection or having them come to you at an additional charge. The Mobile VIN Verifiers also bring along the standard form REG 31 they fill out upon the inspection. Except for the very few categories and scenarios that Mobile VIN Verifiers are not licensed to inspect, this is the preferred VIN Verification method for most motorists.
Do not pout if the DMV makes you get a VIN Verification, like going to the dentist, and it is ultimately for your good. Only, getting a VIN Verification does not have to be a foreboding and complicated process. Mobile VIN Verifiers have made getting a VIN Verification as simple as making the right call. Be sure to do some research before settling on a Mobile VIN Verifier. Usually, online reviews, testimonials or word-of-mouth, or word-of-mouth referrals are good ways of finding reliable Mobile VIN Verifiers.
