Vehicle serial numbers on title, revisited

[Bobacuda]

Some time back there was a discussion basically about where the number is located that goes on the title.  I commented that the title number in Texas is the engine number, which caused some debate. I know my truck’s title had its engine number.

 

I now think I know why there is disagreement over the ID number on the title. 
 

While getting our ‘54 Chev wagon inspected and registered, the inspector noted that the insurance card has a number, the old inspection sticker has another number, and the door tag was different as well. Had to figure this out to get plates. 
 
Discovered that the number on the title is the one we gave the insurance company, and it is the number on the engine block.
 

The number on the old inspection sticker was an inaccurate transcription of the serial number tag in the door.

And this appears to be where the “What is the number?” confusion appears to come from. The old Texas titles for my truck and the wagon require the motor number, not the vehicle number. It says “motor number” on the titles. However, current state registration requires the vehicle’s ID number. 
 

With this in mind, i get to go to vehicle registration with the old title, old and new inspection records, and past proof of insurance.  To support all of this documentation, I will bring photos.

 

In conclusion, in Texas your classic might be registered with the vehicle ID or the engine number. 

[JBNeal]

The last time I registered a vehicle that had not been registered in awhile and there was a change in ownership due to liquidation of an estate, I was ping-ponged between TXDOT (now TXDMV) and my county registrar, and kept getting different instructions on paperwork requirements...what a waste of time...at one point, had a DPS detective meet me on the side of I-35 outside of Waco to do as I was told, and even he gave me a cryptic statement about the state does not put any resources into antique vehicles because there was no $$$ in it after he signed an affidavit that ended up not being filed...eventually, after umpteen trips between Belton and Waco, I had a nice older gal at the county look around to make sure the coast was clear, then told me that all she needed to see was the signature on the back of the title, and told me that the govt does not have the resources to verify signatures, but was mainly interested in assessing taxes to the new owner ***WINK***  Confused, I started to ask "but what if the title owner is decea--" NOPE she interrupted, reiterating that she only needed to see the signature on the back...hmmm...So I left the office to "obtain the proper signature", came back 5 minutes later, handed her the cash for the fees, and was out the door with all of the proper paperwork filed

[Los_Control]

First of all, every state is different. .... I also live in Texas.

My 1949 Dodge truck I bought from a guy who bought the truck from a estate sale. It came with a free and clear TX title ..... The deceased owner who died 20 years ago never signed it. He was the 2nd owner and that title was presented in the 1960's. The car flipper that bought it and sold to me .... he signed the title for me.

Nobody ever questioned the signature and there was never a past signature on file after all these years to compare it to.

It was a very pleasant trip to get the title changed over into my name .... The lady would not let me keep the original title for my records .... she happily made me a copy of it to put in my records.

 

Another time I bought a 1994 Dodge Dakota truck from a friend who bought it from a estate sale with no title.

The heirs claimed there was a title for it but would have to return in 2 weeks to pick it up. ..... My friend being lazy never went back to get it.

This time I had to go to my insurance company and pay a $300 fee for a bonded title .... then take that to the tax office and have a new title issued.

That was painless also, except for the $300 for the insurance .... I got over it.

 

Texas is typically a easy state to get along with .... it comes with clean air and clean living ..... If you see something different .... wheeelll ... shrugs shoulders.

[Robert Harrison]

Its typical that titles wind up over time with engine numbers rather than frame numbers.  When new engine numbers usually are the same as frame numbers.  In many states they understand that and basically accept the number on a title you give them.  I had a similar experience in that I felt the state was mostly interested in the sales tax here in Washington.  In most states there is a process for towing companies to surrender abandoned vehicles that is simplified for them.  As it turns out there is also a process where you can do the same with an abandoned car on your property a different form but if you provide a trail where you did all you can do to determine if there was a legal owner and it comes up negative you can have an officer inspect your datta and if he agrees he signs off on the form then you can apply for title.  Most states have limited records for title as especially if they have gone computer and if the vehicle has not been registered in that state for some time.  The last time my truck was plated was in 1961 and the state it came from no longer had a record of title.  Guy is probably dead.  Anyway that state gave me a note stating there is no record of title in the state and that is all I needed.  I bought the truck through Ebay years ago when sales tax was not required for Ebay to collect but if I paid the sales tax the state was happy to provide a title.  Tickled to get it done and it is what it is.  
 

[Eneto-55]

On 9/13/2024 at 6:33 PM, JBNeal said:

The last time I registered a vehicle that had not been registered in awhile and there was a change in ownership due to liquidation of an estate, I was ping-ponged between TXDOT (now TXDMV) and my county registrar, and kept getting different instructions on paperwork requirements...what a waste of time...at one point, had a DPS detective meet me on the side of I-35 outside of Waco to do as I was told, and even he gave me a cryptic statement about the state does not put any resources into antique vehicles because there was no $$$ in it after he signed an affidavit that ended up not being filed...eventually, after umpteen trips between Belton and Waco, I had a nice older gal at the county look around to make sure the coast was clear, then told me that all she needed to see was the signature on the back of the title, and told me that the govt does not have the resources to verify signatures, but was mainly interested in assessing taxes to the new owner ***WINK***  Confused, I started to ask "but what if the title owner is decea--" NOPE she interrupted, reiterating that she only needed to see the signature on the back...hmmm...So I left the office to "obtain the proper signature", came back 5 minutes later, handed her the cash for the fees, and was out the door with all of the proper paperwork filed

It's a rare government employee who understands that it's the "spirit of the law" that is important.

[Los_Control]

On 9/13/2024 at 8:04 PM, Robert Harrison said:

I felt the state was mostly interested in the sales tax here in Washington. 

I was born in Tacoma general hospital, raised in Puyallup.

 

When I was disabled 14 years ago wife and I moved back to Washington for 2 years while taking care of court business. I was disabled, fighting for Social Security disability.

I let my driver license expire because I could not drive at the time ..... as I got better 6 years later I could drive. Washington could not even give me a price to renew my drivers license ... first I had to take a drivers ed course for over $100 .... then pay $50 application fee .... once I completed those steps they would tell me how much more I needed to spend to get my license.

 

We bought a house in Texas and I waited .... I got here and they charged me $25 to get my license.

 

The social security lady in WA that was handling my account was absolutely furious when she found out I finally went to court and had a partial payment of $50K in a bank in New Mexico .... She yelled at me, she wanted to control my money and just give me a little at a time.

I paid cash for a small house and set myself up for life ..... no way I could have done that on her plan

 

Just saying, if you are guessing Washington is a high tax state and very communistic controlling ..... I learned that 35 years ago when I first moved out of there.

 

 

[Sniper]

I too live in Texas. And I knew that the engine serial number was what was on my title. So when I bought the spare 230 to build and put in my 51 I asked the lady at the County Tax Assessor's Office what needed to be done because obviously different engine different serial number. So she went back to ask and a little bit later another lady came out turns out she was the County tax assessor herself. She had some paperwork she gave me and part of that paperwork stated that Texas used engine serial numbers on titles on all 55 and older vehicles except Fords. Don't ask me why I don't know. Anyway she also gave me the paperwork to show me the Hoops I need to jump through if I swapped out the engine. I live in a small town and you get that kind of personalized service

[Eneto-55]

1 hour ago, Sniper said:

I too live in Texas. And I knew that the engine serial number was what was on my title. So when I bought the spare 230 to build and put in my 51 I asked the lady at the County Tax Assessor's Office what needed to be done because obviously different engine different serial number. So she went back to ask and a little bit later another lady came out turns out she was the County tax assessor herself. She had some paperwork she gave me and part of that paperwork stated that Texas used engine serial numbers on titles on all 55 and older vehicles except Fords. Don't ask me why I don't know. Anyway she also gave me the paperwork to show me the Hoops I need to jump through if I swapped out the engine. I live in a small town and you get that kind of personalized service

Maybe Ford didn't bother putting numbers on their engines....