2026-13149NoticeWallet

DOJ Seeks Routine Feedback on Car Title Database

Published Date: 6/30/2026

Notice

Summary

The Department of Justice wants to update how it collects info for the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS), which helps track car titles and prevent fraud. They’re asking for public feedback by July 30, 2026, to make sure the process is clear, useful, and not too much work. This update affects anyone who reports or uses vehicle title info and aims to keep things smooth and efficient without extra costs.

Analyzed Economic Effects

5 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 5 costs, 0 mixed.

Civil Penalty for Nonreporting

Failure to report required information to NMVTIS may result in assessment of a civil penalty of $1,000 per violation. The reporting rule requires submission within one month of receiving a vehicle.

Estimated Reporting Burden and Scale

The DOJ estimates 50,383 entities in the NMVTIS JSI system (21,612 have submitted at least one report). Estimated reporting time is 30–60 minutes per respondent (monthly for manual reporters). The notice lists a "Total Estimated Annual Time Burden" of 259,00 hours and provides other annual burden calculations: 21,612 × 30 minutes × 12 = 648,360 and 21,612 × 60 minutes × 12 = 1,296,720.

Broad Definitions Expand Who Must Report

The NMVTIS regulations’ definitions explicitly include auto recyclers, scrap-vehicle shredders, scrap-metal processors, pull- or pick-apart yards, salvage pools, salvage auctions, vehicle remarketers, used automobile dealers, brokers, and other entities that handle salvage or junk vehicles — and industries not specifically listed may still meet the definitions and be subject to reporting.

Monthly NMVTIS Reporting Duty

If you operate a junk or salvage yard, you must provide an inventory to the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) on a monthly basis — specifically, report specific information within one month of receiving each junk or salvage vehicle. This reporting requirement stems from 28 CFR part 25 and has applied since March 2009.

5-Vehicle Threshold for Reporting

You are subject to NMVTIS reporting requirements if your business handles 5 or more junk or salvage motor vehicles per year and you are engaged in acquiring or owning them for resale, parts, rebuilding, restoration, or crushing. The regulatory definitions are in 28 CFR 25.52.

Your PRIA Score

Score Hidden

Personalized for You

How does this regulation affect your finances?

Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this federal register document and every other regulation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to start

Key Dates

Published Date
Comments Due
6/30/2026
7/30/2026

Department and Agencies

Department
Independent Agency
Agency
Justice Department
Source: View HTML

Related Federal Register Documents

Previous / Next Documents

Back to Federal Register