Applying for a title, without the required ownership documents, you may be able to file a Surety Bond as a condition of getting the vehicle titled in your name. It could be the documents are unavailable, lost, destroyed or were never received.
This surety bond is known by various names, depending on the State. Names include Defective Title Bond, Motor Vehicle Ownership Surety Bond, Certificate of Title Bond, Indemnity Bond, and Title Bond.
The bond doesn’t protect you; it protects the state from you in case someone with the title claims that the vehicle is theirs. In addition, it protects any prior or subsequent purchaser of the vehicle against loss or damage by the issuance of a Title Bond to the bondholder.
Some states do not have a bond requirement and often different states have different requirements. Below is a summary of the steps necessary to obtain a Bonded Title for a car, or other motor vehicle:
This is a one-time fee. The bond does not renew.
Note: Surety1 will not write bonds for vehicles with salvage titles, or for vehicles in Texas that have a lien listed on the title.
Surety1, an AssuredPartners Agency is a bond-only agency located in Rancho Cordova, CA. Since 2003, Surety1 has been a premier provider of surety bonds nationwide and maintains an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
Our team of surety bond professionals are available Monday – Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm, Pacific time.