FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, October 2, 2023

AFTER NEW YORK EXPERIENCES EXCESSIVE RAINFALL, DMV REMINDS NEW YORKERS TO BEWARE OF BUYING FLOOD-DAMAGED VEHICLES

Customers can check the VIN to see if a car has been reported as salvaged or stolen

After heavy rains impacted New York State, the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) reminded consumers to take precautions in the weeks and months ahead against unintentionally purchasing vehicles damaged by flooding.

When vehicles are registered in New York State, DMV checks the history of the vehicle and will alert consumers if they have a history of flood damage; however, buyers are encouraged to check before they purchase the vehicle, whether it is online, in a private sale, or from a used vehicle dealer.

“Flood damage is often not obvious,” said DMV Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder. “We urge buyers to check any vehicles they buy carefully in advance, and we are happy to provide tips and resources that enable New Yorkers to know if a vehicle is damaged before they purchase it.”

Having a title from an area that was not flooded does not guarantee that the vehicle is not damaged. Some sellers take the vehicle from a flooded area and get a new title in a different state.

Flood damage can affect the engine or transmission, corrode wiring, harm the airbag or impair the vehicle’s computers.

Consumers can check whether a vehicle has been reported as salvaged or stolen at no cost using a free service by The National Insurance Crime Bureau’s (NICB) VINCheck. A customer enters the Vehicle Identification Number of the vehicle they are looking to buy, and they can learn if the vehicle was ever flooded or stolen. They can search up to five VINs per day.

The NICB also offers a free brochure on its website with tips on how to avoid post-disaster fraud.

DMV’s website also shares tips on buying vehicles, including protections available whether purchasing a used vehicle through a private sale or from an auto dealer.

A person or dealer who sells a rebuilt salvage vehicle must provide the buyer a disclosure statement, regardless of the vehicle’s age. The disclosure statement is on the back of New York State title certificates.

A seller who fails to disclose the salvage history of a vehicle can pay a maximum fine of $2,000 and any additional penalties described in the New York State Penal Law. 

If a salvage vehicle is rebuilt for use on roadways, DMV must examine it before issuing a new title certificate or registration. The required examination is part of the NY State Auto Theft Prevention Program. The program includes vehicles that were issued a New York State Salvage Certificate and rebuilt salvage vehicles from most other states.

A New York State Title Certificate issued after the date of May 18, 1999, for a rebuilt salvage vehicle displays the brand, ‘REBUILT SALVAGE’. Some title certificates issued before May 19, 1999, also show this brand.

More information about the Salvage Vehicle Examination Program can be found on DMV’s website.

For more information about DMV, visit dmv.ny.gov, or follow the DMV conversation online at Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

###