We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with
confidence. And while our site doesn't feature every company or
financial product available on the market, we're proud that the
guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are
objective, independent, straightforward — and free.
So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence
which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on
the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are
grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our partners cannot pay us to
guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. Here is a list of our partners.
Title Jumping: What It Is and How to Fix It for Your Car
If the seller's name differs from what's listed on your car's title, be on high alert for title jumping activity.
Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our advertising
partners who compensate us when you take certain actions on our website or
click to take an action on their website. However, this does not influence our
evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and
here's how we make money.
Updated · 2 min read
How is this page expert verified?
NerdWallet's content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness and
relevance. It undergoes a thorough review process involving writers and
editors to ensure the information is as clear and complete as possible.
Benjamin Din is a lead travel writer at NerdWallet. He previously was a technology reporter at Politico, where he authored a daily newsletter covering tech and telecom policy.
Benjamin loves to travel — both for work and for fun. He’s reported from three continents and visited more than 45 countries. He has written for The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg News, The Washington Post, The San Francisco Chronicle and The (Johannesburg) Star, as well as covered two Olympics with NBC Sports.
His goal is to visit a new country and a new state each year.
Julie Myhre-Nunes leads the Auto Loans, Student Loans and Home Services teams at NerdWallet. Julie has over a decade of experience in personal finance. Before joining NerdWallet, she led editorial teams at Red Ventures and several startups. Her personal finance insights have been featured in Forbes, The Boston Globe and CNBC, while her writing has appeared in USA Today, Business Insider, Wired Insights and more.
Published in
Managing Editor
SOME CARD INFO MAY BE OUTDATED
This page includes information about these cards, currently unavailable on
NerdWallet. The information has been collected by NerdWallet and has not
been provided or reviewed by the card issuer.
Title jumping is when someone purchases a car and then resells it without having titled it in their own name. Also known as floating a title, the practice is illegal.
A title is a record of the vehicle’s ownership history kept by the state. Title jumping leaves no trace of the previous owner, leaving the buyer vulnerable if there are issues at the DMV, such as missing signatures and unpaid fees.
A jumped title doesn’t necessarily mean the seller is trying to scam you, but you can save yourself from a lot of potential headaches down the road by resolving the issue before the transaction — or by buying a car elsewhere.
Protecting yourself from title jumping
Before purchasing a used car, make sure the title was properly transferred to the seller. One quick way to check is to confirm that the seller’s name matches the name on the title. If the document is an open title — where someone else is listed as the seller and the buyer’s information is left blank — think twice about going through with the transaction. If you decide to purchase, get a bill of sale (and consider having it notarized) in case anything goes awry later on.
If you’re selling a car to someone else, keep detailed records of the sale and get the buyer’s contact information to follow up on whether they’ve successfully transferred the title. Each state has its own requirements on what you need to do, such as reporting a sale to the department of motor vehicles. If you don't make sure the transfer is complete, you could be on the hook for things like traffic violations and parking tickets, despite someone else having possession of the vehicle.
Why do people title jump?
There are several reasons why someone might title jump, such as:
Not wanting to pay taxes and fees before reselling. If someone is looking to quickly flip a used car for profit, sales tax, registration and titling fees, and other costs can quickly add up.
Not wanting to register as a licensed dealer. States can require you to do so if you sell more than a certain number of used vehicles per year, which can be a costly process that might include additional expenses like dedicated office space for your dealership.
Not wanting to disclose negative vehicle history to buyers. Some car titles may be branded “flood damaged” or “salvage.” However, that information may not show up until the title is transferred, so an unwitting buyer can be duped with an older title that still says the vehicle is clean.
Buyers should be particularly wary of title jumping when purchasing a vehicle through private-party transactions. Online shopping platforms like Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist have made it easy for people to connect with others locally and find great deals on cheap used cars. However, few, if any, protections exist from these platforms for buyers or sellers who are scammed.
One alternative is to use some of the top car-buying apps that allow you to filter for dealer listings only.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account factors like maximum rates, variety of loan options, visibility of borrower requirements, accessibility, speed of funding, fees and more.
Best for borrowers with good or excellent credit who want fast approval and funding to buy a new car.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account factors like maximum rates, variety of loan options, visibility of borrower requirements, accessibility, speed of funding, fees and more.
4.5
Est. APR:
Annual percentage rate (APR) represents the true cost of
borrowing money. It is your interest rate plus any loan fees,
and is expressed as a percentage.
Annual percentage rate (APR) represents the true cost of
borrowing money. It is your interest rate plus any loan fees,
and is expressed as a percentage.
6.74 - 15.24%
Term: 24 - 84 months
You will be redirected to the partner's website.
The terms presented here are estimated and provided solely to assist you
in finding a great lender. The terms may vary based on the partner's terms
and conditions.
You will be redirected to the partner's website
The terms presented here are estimated and provided solely to assist you in finding a great lender. The monthly payment amount, Annual Percentage Rate (APR), and any other terms are based on standard Consumers Credit Union rates and terms for your NerdWallet provided credit score, zip code, and the other self-provided information. These terms may vary based on your credit history, your individual income, or other terms of the lender.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account factors like maximum rates, variety of loan options, visibility of borrower requirements, accessibility, speed of funding, fees and more.
Best for applicants who want to compare multiple new car purchase loan offers.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account factors like maximum rates, variety of loan options, visibility of borrower requirements, accessibility, speed of funding, fees and more.
4.0
Est. APR:
Annual percentage rate (APR) represents the true cost of
borrowing money. It is your interest rate plus any loan fees,
and is expressed as a percentage.
Annual percentage rate (APR) represents the true cost of
borrowing money. It is your interest rate plus any loan fees,
and is expressed as a percentage.
6.24 - 29.90%
Term: 24 - 84 months
You will be redirected to the partner's website.
The terms presented here are estimated and provided solely to assist you
in finding a great lender. The terms may vary based on the partner's terms
and conditions.
You will be redirected to the partner's website
The terms presented here are estimated and provided solely to assist you in finding a great lender. The monthly payment amount, Annual Percentage Rate (APR), and any other terms are based on standard Consumers Credit Union rates and terms for your NerdWallet provided credit score, zip code, and the other self-provided information. These terms may vary based on your credit history, your individual income, or other terms of the lender.
Auto Credit Express
New car purchase loan
Not yet rated
Best for new-car buyers who can’t qualify for a lower-rate loan through a traditional lender and need help finding a dealer with subprime lending.
Min score: 525
Amount: $5,000 - $50,000
Min. Amount$5,000
Max. Amount$50,000
Not yet rated
Est. APR:
Annual percentage rate (APR) represents the true cost of
borrowing money. It is your interest rate plus any loan fees,
and is expressed as a percentage.
Annual percentage rate (APR) represents the true cost of
borrowing money. It is your interest rate plus any loan fees,
and is expressed as a percentage.
N/A - N/A
Term: 24 - 84 months
You will be redirected to the partner's website.
The terms presented here are estimated and provided solely to assist you
in finding a great lender. The terms may vary based on the partner's terms
and conditions.
You will be redirected to the partner's website
The terms presented here are estimated and provided solely to assist you in finding a great lender. The monthly payment amount, Annual Percentage Rate (APR), and any other terms are based on standard Consumers Credit Union rates and terms for your NerdWallet provided credit score, zip code, and the other self-provided information. These terms may vary based on your credit history, your individual income, or other terms of the lender.
If this happens to you, although your options may be limited, there are still avenues for you to pursue.
Your first instinct may be to sue the seller for their fraudulent behavior. However, a scammer may delete their Facebook account or stop responding to your emails after they’ve taken your money. Because the title doesn’t list their name and they may have given you a fake name, you’re going to have a tough time locating them.
Instead, you can get a bonded title from your state’s department of motor vehicles (if it offers them) by purchasing a lost-title bond from a surety company. This is an option when you lack the necessary documentation to prove your ownership. Your title will be branded as “bonded” for a period of time, during which someone can make a claim on your bond by saying they are the owner of your vehicle, before you can apply for a clean title. State requirements vary, but those that allow for bonded titles generally mandate holding the bond for three to five years.
Cost for a lost-title bond depends on the value of the car, but is typically $100 to $250 for the least expensive vehicles; a lost-title bond on a $100,000 vehicle could cost $1,000 or more.
Article sources Article sources
NerdWallet writers are subject matter authorities who use primary,
trustworthy sources to inform their work, including peer-reviewed
studies, government websites, academic research and interviews with
industry experts. All content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness
and relevance. You can learn more about NerdWallet's high
standards for journalism by reading our
editorial guidelines.
