A car's title isn't just proof of ownership — it can also carry a "brand," a permanent marker a state DMV attaches when a vehicle has been through something significant, like severe damage or a fraud investigation. Once a title is branded, that brand is meant to follow the car for the rest of its life, even across state lines and re-registrations.
Salvage title
A salvage title is typically issued when an insurer declares a vehicle a total loss — the estimated cost of repairs exceeds a state-defined percentage of its value — and pays out a claim rather than fixing it. A salvage-titled car may be structurally sound after repair, or it may have been patched up just enough to run. The title alone doesn't tell you which.
Rebuilt / reconstructed title
After a salvage vehicle is repaired and passes a state inspection, it's often re-titled as "rebuilt" or "reconstructed" rather than salvage. This status confirms the car has been through the salvage process at some point, even if it looks and drives fine today. Ask for the repair records and inspection paperwork if you're considering a rebuilt-title car.
Flood title
Flood damage can be some of the hardest to spot after a cosmetic cleanup — electrical systems, sensors, and corrosion-prone components can fail months or years later. A flood brand on the title is one of the strongest signals to slow down and get an independent inspection before buying.
Why the brand doesn't always show up right away
Title washing — re-registering a branded vehicle in a state with weaker disclosure rules in hopes the new title comes back clean — is a known problem in the used-car market. That's part of why pulling a title history from multiple sources, not just reading the physical title in front of you, matters before you commit to a purchase.
If a report shows any brand at all, treat it as a starting point for questions rather than an automatic dealbreaker — but always get an independent inspection to match the disclosed history before you buy.
