Anyone Dealt with NCDMV License & Theft Bureau regarding a project vehicle from out of state?

madcowdungbeetle

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2005
Location
Charlotte, NC
So I bought myself a project truck from out of state and got it home. Totally excited, trying to get back into the 4x4 and off-road world, and it is definitely going to be a ground up PROJECT.

Since buying it I have learned that as part of getting a NC title in my name, an officer from NCDMV License & Theft Bureau will have to come out, inspect and document the vehicle and verify the VIN #'s, as part of theft/fraud prevention initiative because the vehicle came from out of state and is over 30 years old. If the truck already had an NC title, NONE of this would have to be done. Annoying, but OK, whatever, it's on me for not knowing this ahead of time. Live and learn.

What I am unsure of is, as part of this house call "inspection" process and what they will be looking for. Obviously the VIN #'s, and those match so no worries there, but will they also be evaluating the vehicles overall condition & ability to run or not?

The thing I DO NOT want to get stuck with is an an operable vehicle title, because from my limited understanding is that will drastically limit any modifications I can potentially do, because to get a clear NC title it would have to undergo a second inspection where they would again verify VIN #'s on the frame as well as the trucks condition.
****I'm not 100% certain on this part, this is from me trying to parse the legal documents and posts on Hotrod forums I've been able to find****

The only definition I've been able to find of an "Inoperable Vehicle" in NC is a vehicle that is "substantially disassembled and is unfit or unsafe to be operated on the highway."

So what do they consider to be "substantially disassembled"? Will they be happy with a complete, but ugly body on a frame with the entire drivetrain in place and intact? Or does it need to have the full interior, dashboard, as well?

If I am incorrect on anything I've said in this post please set me straight, I've never dealt with this before, and never want to again. I just want to get the truck cleanly titled so I can tear it down and begin the build process.

Also if anyone has a contact or knows an inspector at NCDMV License & Theft that would be willing to talk me through the process and what they are looking for that would be AMAZING, and I have a case of beer with your name on it, name your brew.
 
I went through it getting the title for my M817. It already had a WV title but the license and theft officer had to come out before they would issue a title. The inspector had the personality of a rock, but he was professional and to the point. He asked my intended usage and I told him I never really planned to tag it , I use it on my farm, but I needed a title for insurance purposes. He looked at the vin # and signed off on everything. He never asked to see it run or asked me anything about the overall condition. I know this doesn't help much with some of your questions but it's what I experienced with my situation.
 
It does not matter what shape it's in. All they are verifying is that it's the vehicle that the title states it is. As long as the vin matches and there hasn't been any tampering, it will be fine. If it's all in peices, they will want to see the stamping on the frame and the normal places on the body.
Edit...
It's much faster if you can take it to them. I know around here, the wait is several months for them to come to you. They could see me almost any day the last time i went.
 
I hope it’s not a Rover :flipoff2:
 
YotaOnRocks said:
I went through it getting the title for my M817. It already had a WV title but the license and theft officer had to come out before they would issue a title. The inspector had the personality of a rock, but he was professional and to the point. He asked my intended usage and I told him I never really planned to tag it , I use it on my farm, but I needed a title for insurance purposes. He looked at the vin # and signed off on everything. He never asked to see it run or asked me anything about the overall condition. I know this doesn't help much with some of your questions but it's what I experienced with my situation.
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When you went through this, did you take the title to the title office, and take the truck on a different day to the L&T office, or were you able to do it all at the same time?
 
The process will take several weeks to several months to get a title back. You will not know after the inspection if you will get a clear title. The information that l and t gather will be sent to the dmv and they will do their own investigation. No need for you to go to the dmv.
 
madcowdungbeetle said:
When you went through this, did you take the title to the title office, and take the truck on a different day to the L&T office, or were you able to do it all at the same time?
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I took the title to the license plate agency first. They sent it off with no indication that I would need an inspection from the L&T department. I received a letter from the dmv several months later, stating that it would need an inspection from a L&T officer before I would be issued a NC title. I called the license and theft department and told them I would need an inspector to come to me as the vehicle would require a lowboy to transport it to their office. The officer called me shortly after and scheduled the appointment.
 
The officer told me before he left that I would be receiving my title through the mail in a few months.
 
I went through this with my 51 Merc. They couldn’t verify the appropriate number of VIN numbers due to a custom dash and I was forced to go the bond route. As long as all the VIN numbers are where they are supposed to be you won’t have any issues.
 
Myself and my good friend two doors down have done this process 4 times combined. All 4 times the vehicles were similar to what you described. No issues other than the wait For titles. We’re in Gaston county where now they come to your house. Years back you had to load up the vehicle and take to them
 
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