A certificate of title is issued by the motor vehicle agency of the state where a vehicle is registered. It names the legal owner, records the vehicle identification number, and carries any brands the state has applied after damage or unusual history.
A title is not the same as a registration. Registration is permission to drive the vehicle on public roads and is renewed periodically. The title is the ownership record, and it changes hands only when the vehicle is sold, inherited or repossessed.
Because each state issues its own titles, the same vehicle can carry different wording as it moves between states. That inconsistency is what makes a nationwide history check useful rather than optional.
Why it matters
You cannot legally transfer a vehicle without a title in the seller's name. If the person selling is not the person named on the title, stop and find out why before any money changes hands.
How to check it
Ask to see the physical title and check that the VIN on it matches the VIN on the dashboard and door jamb. Compare the name on the title to the seller's photo identification.
Does this apply to the car you are looking at?
Run the VIN or plate and see what is actually on record.
Related terms
Definitions are general guidance, not legal advice. Title rules, total loss thresholds and inspection requirements are set by each state and change over time, so confirm the position with the motor vehicle agency for the state the vehicle is titled in before relying on it.