Copart Says the Title Is Coming 'Tomorrow.' What to Do When It Doesn't

You won the car. You paid. You towed it home. Now you're waiting on the title, and every time you ask, it's "should be soon."

Late titles are one of the most common complaints from auction buyers. Most show up. Some don't. Here's what's going on and what to do.

01Why titles are slow

Most salvage cars at Copart and IAA come from insurance companies. When a car is totaled, the insurer pays off the owner and the lender, gets the title signed over, and then sends it to the auction. Every step takes time:

• The lender has to release the lien
• The owner has to sign
• The state may have to issue a salvage title first
• The paperwork has to travel to the right yard

Some lots are sold with the title still "pending." The listing tells you. Read it before you bid. See reading a Copart listing.

02A bill of sale is not a title

The auction gives you a bill of sale. It proves you bought the car. In most states it will not let you register, rebuild or retitle it. Some lots are even sold on a bill of sale marked for parts or scrap only. That paperwork can get the car to a salvage yard, not onto the road.

Never plan a flip around "I'll just register it with the bill of sale."

03What to do when it's late

1. Check the listing and your invoice for the title type and status at the time of sale.
2. Ask the yard for specifics in writing: where is the title right now, who is it waiting on, and a date.
3. Check the seller. Often you don't see the seller name until the title arrives.
4. Keep everything: the invoice, emails, chat logs, the dates you asked.
5. Escalate through the auction's customer service or title department if the dates keep slipping.

04When the title is truly lost

Then it's a paperwork problem between the seller, the auction, and the state. Depending on your state, the fix can be a duplicate title from the seller, or in some cases a bonded title or court process. That can take months.

05Before you bid

• Avoid "title pending" or "bill of sale only" lots unless you know exactly what you're getting.
• Check your state's rules for registering an out-of-state salvage title. See rebuilt title inspections.
• Don't start spending money on parts until the title is in your hand.

A car without a title is a parts car, no matter how nice it is.

Sources (2)

CarTitles.com: Copart auction vehicle title · Bill of Sale Now: North Carolina auction buyer guide

Photo by myrfa on Pixabay.

Related: Carfax After the Sale: Why a Total Loss Can Show Up Late