How to Get Title to Grandpa’s A

[Bruce of MN]

Originally Posted by Synchro909

Coming from a country where cars don't have titles, it seems to me that they cause a lot of problems but for what benefit? Just curious!

It probably was instituted as a way to make car theft tougher by putting up an additional step to getting license plates. Can you show up at your license plate office with a car, pay a fee, and get a set of plates, or is there a step where you prove ownership? It would be interesting to compare car theft statistics between the US and Australia.

[Synchro909]

Originally Posted by Bruce of MN

It probably was instituted as a way to make car theft tougher by putting up an additional step to getting license plates. Can you show up at your license plate office with a car, pay a fee, and get a set of plates, or is there a step where you prove ownership? It would be interesting to compare car theft statistics between the US and Australia.

To register a car here (in this state - others will vary), we have to produce proof of ownership - usually in the form of a receipt for the purchase. The registration office will check behind the scenes that there is no lien on the car and that it is not reported stolen. The Police database is used for that. (Any member of the public can do a similar check before they pay out their hard earned) If all is clear, a RWC (Road worthiness certificate) issued by an approved tester is the next requirement. Once all that is done and you pay the fees, you're on your way. The registration is transferred to you, the new owner.
I agree, a comparison of figures would be interesting for both thefts and recoveries.