New Jersey VIN Lookup

Enter a 17-character VIN to get free factory specs or view a vehicle history report that shows New Jersey title brands (Salvage, Flood Vehicle, Junk, Lemon), odometer readings, total loss, theft history and reported liens. Always read the VIN in the upper left box of a New Jersey Certificate of Ownership. Compare report findings to physical NJMVC paperwork and 2026 title watermarks.

NJ VIN Check Results and Record Limits

Free VIN check decodes basic factory specs. If you upgrade to a full FAXVIN vehicle history report, you can also see title brands, total-loss records, theft records, salvage auction entries, odometer records and liens.

Match the VIN on the Vehicle and NJ Title

Check the VIN in three places before ordering a vehicle history report or signing NJMVC Form OS/SS-2, where buyers certify that they physically checked the paper title or Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin (MCO) against the car:

• Driver-side windshield plate: Look for non-factory rivets, pry marks or fresh paint on the lower-left dash strip identified by the New Jersey State Police Auto Unit.
• Federal door-jamb label: Check that the 17-character code (on all vehicles from 1981 and later; excludes the letters I, O and Q) matches the windshield plate and that no edges are flaking and no numbers have been altered.
• NJ Certificate of Ownership & registration: Look at the title's upper-left Vehicle Identification Number box and find the VIN. Make sure the VIN is the same as the one on the registration card.

New Jersey Title Brands and Salvage Records

Compare any title brand on your vehicle history report to the seller's actual New Jersey Certificate of Ownership. Delays in reporting can occur due to transfers from out of state and recent insurance settlements.

NJ Salvage and Junk Titles: 2026 Paper Changes

Purple certificate stock was retired in New Jersey on January 1, 2026, pursuant to NJMVC Law Enforcement Advisory 2025-01. NJMVC now prints both standard and salvage titles on green paper and Junk titles on brown stock (Form OS/SS-61A). Form OS/SS-61 has a $60 fee ($85 with a lien). Insurers and owners may apply for a Salvage Certificate of Title for a vehicle that is determined to be uneconomical to repair or stolen and not recovered.

Salvage Inspections for Rebuilt Vehicles

Salvage-titled vehicles cannot be operated on public roads (N.J.A.C. 13:21-22.6) – except with a five-day temporary registration for inspection – until they pass an NJMVC anti-theft examination (N.J.A.C. 13:21-22.7) to receive a negotiable Certificate of Ownership retaining a salvage designation. Applicants for inspection shall file:

• Application & fee: Completed Form OS/SS-3 ($200 passenger; $100 motorcycle).
• Repair photographs: Full-angle "before" and "after" color photos showing the areas of damage and repair.
• Component receipts: Itemized bills of sale with donor VINs for used major components or part numbers for new components (engines, transmissions, quarter panels, frame clips).

State-Assigned VINs for Multi-Vehicle Rebuilds

For vehicles rebuilt from major components of more than one salvage vehicle, the NJMVC will issue a unique state-issued VIN (N.J.A.C. 13:21-22.15(c)). A vehicle history report on a state-assigned VIN will not automatically merge the records of the original donor vehicles. Ask the seller for salvage inspection receipts and run a VIN check on each donor VIN individually.

Flood Vehicle and Lemon Title Designations

• Flood Vehicle (N.J.A.C. 13:21-5.6): The NJMVC will not register any vehicle damaged by flooding, unless “FLOOD VEHICLE” is listed below “STATUS” on the title.
• Lemon (N.J.S.A. 39:10-9.3): Use of this title brand requires branding approval by the NJ Department of Law & Public Safety's Lemon Law Unit and a signed request on the manufacturer's letterhead identifying the VIN.

A clean vehicle history report doesn't rule out unreported storm damage or private buybacks.

New Jersey Odometer Records and Mileage Discrepancies

To verify the mileage in a history report, check the seller's assignment on the back of the New Jersey title (or Form OS/SS-2 (R4/23)) and the odometer reading that doesn't include tenths of a mile.

NJ Vehicle Inspection Reports: Emissions vs. Safety

As of August 1, 2010, New Jersey no longer performs mechanical safety inspections on most private passenger vehicles. Therefore, a passing NJMVC inspection entry on most private passenger vehicles is a statement of emissions compliance, not mechanical condition. New passenger cars receive a five-year inspection decal without testing but qualifying older vehicles must undergo OBD-II scans every two years.

• What state inspection lanes test: Inspectors look for OBD-II fault codes, check-engine light status and catalyst/evaporative readiness monitors on 1996-and-newer gasoline or bi-fuel passenger cars – not brake rotors, ball joints, tire tread or road-salt frame corrosion.
• Statutory exemptions (N.J.A.C. 13:20-7.2): The following vehicles require no New Jersey emissions testing:
  • Zero-emission & two-wheel: Battery-electric vehicles and motorcycles.
  • Historic & Collector cars: Historic vehicles (25+ years old with QQ plates) and approved Collector cars (under 3,000 miles/year with a $25 MVC voucher).
  • Older gas passenger cars by weight: MY 1995 or older (up to 8,500 lbs. GVWR) and MY 2007 or older (8,501 to 14,000 lbs. GVWR).

Official NJMVC Title, Lien, and Registration Searches

FAXVIN vehicle history report searches NMVTIS data (through approved vendors) and partner records to find any reported past title brands and liens. The NJMVC Customer Abstract Information Retrieval (CAIR) portal is restricted to authorized institutional accounts.

Official NJ Vehicle Resources