Frequently Asked Questions

Question: *DISCLAIMER

  • This information represents Auto Data Direct's understanding of the rule but is not intended to be legal advice nor a substitute for advice of your counsel. Policy changes occur frequently. While we endeavor to update the FAQs regularly, they may be out of date. Users should consult the NMVTIS.GOV website and their attorney. DOJ issues clarifications at NMVTIS.GOV. We recommend you consult this website frequently during the early stages of implementing the upload rule. The NMVTIS rule for reporting by junk and salvagers, recyclers and insurance carriers can be found at 28 CFR 25 subpart B National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS).

Question: After the vehicle has been picked/pulled apart for parts, do I have to report the vehicle again when I sell it or send it to the crusher/shredder?

  • Yes, a final disposition of the vehicle is required.

Question: Are we expected to send an "initial report" of all our historical total loss vehicles?

  • No, you are not required to send an entire inventory report. However, the Department of Justice encourages reporting all vehicles on your lot. To encourage reporting and get the database rolling, ADD is offering free uploads of all vehicles obtained by your company prior to March 31, 2009 (offer expires December 31, 2009.) All vehicles obtained after March 31, 2009 will be charged the published rates. The Department of Justice has issued a policy clarification on this issue which can be found at www.nmvtis.gov.

Question: Do I have to establish an account to access NMVTIS?

  • Yes. Simply click "Sign-up Corporate Accounts" to establish an account. There is a one-time $100 activation fee plus a minimum $50 to establish your pre-paid account.

Question: Do I have to report whenever I purchase a vehicle AND whenever it is crushed or sold?

  • Because some junk or salvage yards may hold vehicles for several months or years before a final disposition (e.g., crushed, sold, rebuilt) is known, some junk and salvage yards may need to provide a supplemental or additional report at the time of disposition or within 30 days of the date of disposition. The NMVTIS regulations do not preclude a junk or salvage yard from reporting the disposition of a vehicle at the time of first reporting, if such a disposition is known with certainty. Junk and salvage yards are responsible for ensuring the accuracy and completeness of their reporting and for providing corrected information to the system, should the disposition be changed from what was initially reported.

Question: Does ADD aggregate or sell my information?

  • No. ADD does not sell, disclose, compile, or aggregate its customers' information beyond the scope of its contractual obligation to the operator of NMVTIS.

Question: How can I contact Auto Data Direct?

  • To contact Auto Data Direct, call 866-923-3123 or email us.

Question: How do I determine the final disposition of a vehicle?

  • There are 4 dispositions:

        Scrap -   Pick/Pull Apart, Auto Recyclers
        Crush -   Vehicle has been or sent off to be crushed or shredded
        Sold -   The vehicle has been sold (ie, salvage pool sells to a junk yard or junk yard sells to an individual, etc...)
        Salvage -   Insurance carriers, or anyone reporting on their behalf, always use Salvage.

Question: How much does it cost?

  • Insurance -
    (Regardless of who reports the information)

    • 75 cents for all uploads

    Salvage - Pricing is based on a 3 monthly rolling average
    (Excludes reporting on behalf of an insurance carrier)

    • Fewer than 999 uploads per month: $0.35/each
    • 1,000-4,999 uploads per month: $0.30/each
    • 5,000-9,999 uploads per month: $0.25/each
    • 10,000 or greater uploads per month: (Contact us for pricing.)

    Please note: an "upload" is defined as a single vehicle record on a specific day from a specific reporting entity.

    Why is the pricing different for the insurance industry versus the salvage industry?
    Insurance carriers will be required to produce one vehicle upload and to report only vehicles of the current year, plus the previous 4 years. However, the salvage industry will most likely have a minimum of two reports for each vehicle and must report on EVERY vehicle, regardless of age, they take in.

Question: I am a self-insurer. Am I required to report to NMVTIS?

Question: I do not have a computer, are there other ways I can report?

  • ADD has asked one of its longstanding customers, Florida Fast Title Service, to assist new "NMVTIS Vehicle Upload" customers who are not technically ready for this new federal requirement. You may contact this company at 813-237-5805 or you may have a local title company that can assist you with this process.

Question: I have more than one location. How will this work?

  • You will have two options:

    1.)  If the financial separation is necessary for your locations, then each location will be assigned a unique NMVTIS number and ADD PIN,
          separate accounts will be set up, and each individual "User" will have a unique username and password.
    2.)  If finances can be combined, a unique NMVTIS number and ADD PIN will be assigned to the "parent" company and each individual "User"
          on the account will have a unique username and password.

Question: I report salvage/derelict vehicles to my State. Does this count for NMVTIS reporting?

Question: The published deadline is 03/31/2009. When do I need to start reporting? What exactly do we need to have in place by this date?

  • Complete the account activation process by selecting "Sign-up Corporate Accounts" on the ADD123.com website. Vehicles that you obtained on and after March 1, 2009 must be reported even if the report is delayed. Please review the Department of Justice's policy clarification on this issue at www.nmvtis.gov.

Question: The vehicle is crushed or in a condensed state and I cannot identify the VIN. What is the policy on this issue?

  • Pease review the Department of Justice's policy clarification on this issue located at www.nmvtis.gov.

Question: What are the data elements that need to be reported?

  • Insurance Carriers -

    • VIN-Vehicle Identification Number
    • Date on which the automobile was obtained or designated as a total loss
    • Name of the individual or entity from whom the automobile was obtained (owner name or lien-holder name)
    • Who possessed the automobile when it was designated a total loss.
    • Name of the owner of the automobile at the time of the filing of the report with NMVTIS (either the insurance company or the owner, if owner-retained).

    Salvage Industry

    • VIN-Vehicle Identification Number
    • Date the automobile was obtained
    • Name of the individual or entity from whom the automobile was obtained
    • Name of the individual or entity to whom the automobile was provided or transferred
    • Statement of the disposition of the automobile as either "SCRAP", "CRUSH", or "SOLD"
    • Whether the vehicle is intended for export out of the United States

Question: What date should I use to determine the date of total loss?

  • Please review the Department of Justice's policy clarification on this issue located at www.nmvtis.gov.

Question: What format are these data elements reported in?

  • Simply log into your Auto Data Direct account to process individual uploads. If you wish to "batch" or have a Business to Business interface with ADD, please contact our technical department for the data specification. A signed non-disclosure agreement is required to receive the data specs.

Question: What if a vehicle is moved from one lot to another before it is sold?

  • You do not have to report movement of a vehicle from one lot to another, however, we would recommend that internal records are kept as to the location of the vehicle.

Question: What if I reported a vehicle and later discovered that the VIN (vehicle identification number) was incorrect?

  • First, using the initial erroneous VIN, you must send another report stating that the "prior report was entered in error". This report will be appended to that erroneous VIN. Second, you must send a new report with the correct VIN.

Question: What if ownership of the vehicle changes from one insurance carrier to another?

  • This would be a normal "sold" transaction.

Question: What is a NMVTIS Identification number?

  • A NMVTIS number is a unique identification number assigned to your company for the purpose of identifying the reporting entity. Each reporting entity will be assigned a NMVTIS number by Auto Data Direct. The NMVTIS number and ADD PIN must be submitted with every vehicle upload. ADD will make this process easy for your Users.

Question: What is an ADD PIN number and why do I need one?

  • An ADD PIN will be assigned to each NMVTIS Identification number. The purpose of the PIN is to provide your company additional account and data security from outside sources.

Question: What is NMVTIS?

  • The National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) is a system that allows an electronic means to verify and exchange titling, brand, and odometer data amoung motor vehicle administrators, law enforcement officials, prospective purchasers, and insurance carriers.

Question: What is the official definition of a "junk" vehicle?

  • For the official definition of a junk vehicle, refer to the federal rule by clicking here.

Question: What is the official definition of a "salvage" vehicle?

  • For the official definition of a salvage vehicle, refer to the federal rule by clicking here.

Question: What is the penalty for non-compliance to this rule?

  • In regards to penalties for non-compliance, refer to the federal rule by clicking here.

Question: What is the purpose of NMVTIS?

  • NMVTIS was created to prevent the introduction or reintroduction of stolen motor vehicles into interstate commerce; protect states and consumers (individual and commercial) from fraud; reduce the use of stolen vehicles for illicit purposes including funding of criminal enterprises; and provide consumers protection from unsafe vehicles.

Question: What other services does ADD offer?

  • Auto Data Direct, Inc. provides a variety of services such as retrieving motor vehicle, vessel, and recreational vehicle records, retrieving driver license records, mailing certified letters from your computer, and issuing Florida Print on Demand temporary tags via the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV). Visit the "Corporate Services by State" section of the ADD123 website for a complete list of services.

Question: Who is responsible for maintaining the NMVTIS information?

  • The American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) is responsible for maintaining the NMVTIS information.