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Abandoned, Stolen, Totaled Vehicles and Title Brands

Some less common vehicle situations are subject to extra requirements due to Oregon law. These situations are described below. Visit Titling and Registering Your Vehicle” for a list of basic title and registration requirements.


You cannot claim ownership of an abandoned vehicle on your property.  DMV cannot give you the name or address of the person who owns the vehicle.

To have an abandoned vehicle towed from your private property, you must first follow the steps in Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) 98.830. DMV does not provide a “form” for the required notice described in the statute. The information can be written on a piece of paper. Give the notice to the tow company that removes the vehicle.

To report an abandoned vehicle on a public road, contact your local law enforcement agency.

​If your vehicle was stolen and was covered by insurance, contact local law enforcement and notify your insurer. Do not notify DMV.
 
If your vehicle was stolen and you did not have insurance, submit a Stolen Vehicle Notification within 60 days of the theft. Follow the instructions on the form.

​You cannot get a title for a junk vehicle in Oregon. Junk vehicles have been determined by another state to be non-repairable. Junk vehicles may be described as:

  • Crushed;
  • Destroyed;
  • Dismantled;
  • Hulk;
  • Junk;
  • Non-repairable;
  • Non-rebuildable;
  • Parts only;
  • Scrap; or
  • Wreck.

You can work with the state that issued the junk certificate, junk title, or similar ownership document to see if the junk status can be removed. If not, the vehicle cannot be titled again.​

Totaled vehicle is defined in ORS 801.527.

If your vehicle is a total loss, you must submit the title to DMV (or to your insurer) within 30 days of the declared loss. You can apply for a salvage title if you do not plan to drive the vehicle and if it has not been declared junk, scrap, or similar language (See Junk Vehicles, on this page). If the vehicle is rebuilt, you can apply for a regular title branded as assembled, reconstructed, or replica. Even if no repairs are done, the vehicle must be re-titled due to the totaled status.

You can get more information on the Division of Financial Regulation​ website.

DMV cannot issue a title if your vehicle has certain kinds of ​damage (see the Junk Vehicles section on this page).

​Oregon titles have a Title Brands box, and brands are listed on registration cards.

Brands on titles:
  • Totaled - Vehicle meets the definition of a totaled vehicle (ORS 801.527).
  • Reconstructed - Vehicle meets the definition of a reconstructed vehicle (ORS 801.408).
  • Replica - Vehicle meets the definition of a replica vehicle (ORS 801.425).  If the brand includes a state name, that means the vehicle was considered a Replica vehicle under that state’s laws.
  • Branded – (state name) - Oregon received a title from another state that listed a damage brand.
  • Flood – (state name) - Vehicle was considered a Flood vehicle under that state’s laws.  Oregon does not use a flood brand.  If a vehicle is flooded in Oregon and meets the Totaled definition, the title will have a Totaled brand.
  • Lemon Law - (state name) - Vehicle was considered a Lemon Law vehicle under that state’s laws.
  • Lemon Law Buyback – Vehicle is considered a Lemon Law Buyback vehicle under Oregon’s consumer warranty law.
  • Glider Kit - This brand will only be shown for large trucks.  It indicates the truck has a remanufactured engine and transmission.  If the brand includes a state name, that means the vehicle was considered a Glider Kit vehicle under that state’s laws.  Without a state name, the brand means the Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin that DMV received showed the vehicle was a glider kit​
Some states include other information on the title, such as whether the vehicle was a taxi, former rental, or police vehicle.  Oregon titles do not include this kind of information.

If you have a title from another state that indicates the vehicle is junk, non-repairable, destroyed or has a Certificate of Destruction, see the Junk Vehicles section on this page.

​When a vehicle is bought back by the manufacturer because of Oregon’s consumer warranty law due to a defect in the vehicle, the title must be branded as “Lemon Law Buyback.”  See the ​Lemon Law Buyback page to learn more.