How to read a title: what the statuses of a car's title mean

A title is the document that proves ownership. Its status determines auction fees, whether the car can be registered in the destination country and the resale price. Below is a general outline; specific rules differ by state and by country, so check them for your own lot.

The main statuses

• Clean. A car without a "brand" from an insurer or the state. Copart applies a separate fee table to such lots.
• Salvage. An insurer declared the car a "total loss" (repair cost exceeded a threshold that differs by state). Such lots are usually the cheapest but need repair and extra checks.
• Rebuilt / Reconstructed. A salvage car that was repaired and passed an inspection. The status stays in the car's history and affects the resale price.
• Parts only / Junk. The car cannot be registered for road use. Such a lot is mostly good for parts; whether it can be imported and registered in your country should be checked separately.
• Flood, fire and other brands. Some states add special brands. They sharply reduce how easily the car resells.

What to check before bidding

1. The title status on the lot and its type (original or copy, bill of sale).
2. The VIN history across several databases.
3. Whether the status matches the real condition: photos, damage description, "primary damage" and "secondary damage".
4. Whether the destination country accepts a car with that status and which extra checks apply.
5. How it changes fees: see whether your lot falls under the Clean or the Non-Clean table.

How it affects the calculation

In the ImportOS calculator the title status selects the auction fee table. Repair is estimated as a range by damage code rather than a single number. If the data is incomplete, the calculation lowers confidence in the result and warns you.

The main rule

Do not bid on a lot whose title status you cannot explain to the client. If in doubt, build the worst case into the cost, or walk away.