Follow the ownership and inspection process for a New Hampshire total-loss vehicle

Determine the recorded status before repairing or buying

The DMV salvage and rebuilt page explains that a vehicle declared a total loss because of damage or theft enters a special title process. Obtain the existing title and insurance disposition before paying for major repairs or buying from an auction. Determine whether the record says salvage, rebuilt, recovered theft, or another jurisdiction's equivalent. A vehicle that starts and moves can still require the salvage process before ordinary road registration.

The controlling RSA 261:22 defines total loss using both insurance-claim practicality and a specified repair-cost test for newer vehicles. Its 75-percent provision has an age limitation and excludes identified cost categories; it should not be presented as a universal percentage for every damaged car. Ask the insurer which statutory basis and ownership disposition apply, particularly when the owner retains the vehicle after settlement.

Back to the topics

Have the salvage title application completed on time

For a nonexempt vehicle declared a total loss, the statute requires the insurer or its representative to apply for a salvage certificate within 20 days after the total-loss payment. The application includes the title and other requested ownership or security-interest evidence. The TDMV 24 application specifies preparation requirements, including typewritten information. Read the current form carefully instead of altering a completed assignment with erasures or strikeouts.

The statute lists a $10 salvage-certificate fee. This differs from the later rebuilt-title and inspection charges. When the owner retains the vehicle, coordinate with the insurer about whose name will appear and what document the owner will receive. A settlement letter alone should not be mistaken for the certificate that establishes the salvage ownership record and supports the next transfer or rebuilding step.

Back to the topics

Resolve missing insurer-transfer documents through the specific law

RSA 261:22 contains a separate process when an insurer has paid a total loss, the owner has not retained the vehicle, and the required ownership documents remain unavailable after the specified period. That procedure requires evidence of payment and documented requests to the owner and recorded lienholder. It is not a general permission for a private purchaser to discard an unavailable title or declare a known lien nonexistent.

The current statute also addresses electronic signatures and notarization for supporting documents transferring ownership to an insurer after payment. Use those provisions only within their stated scope. A repair-shop affidavit, a buyer's assignment, and an insurer's supporting transfer document may serve different purposes. Keep the settlement and document-request records so the basis for any special application can be demonstrated if the Title Bureau asks for further evidence.

Back to the topics

Preserve repair and component evidence

Keep the insurance adjuster's collision or appraisal report itemizing the damage, proof of repair, and bills of sale or titles for major replacement components. The inspection information sheet identifies these documents along with the vehicle ownership evidence. The DSMV 545A salvage affidavit requires the owner or dealer to make specific statements about restoration and the integrity of identifying numbers and title documents.

The current salvage rules describe an alternative when the insurer cannot provide its collision report: written confirmation from the insurer plus the specified notarized repairer's statement detailing damage and repairs. Obtain instructions before substituting an informal handwritten summary. Match component receipts to the actual engine, transmission, frame, or other major part used so the examiner can trace the repaired vehicle's identity and repair history.

Back to the topics

Prepare the vehicle for the specific salvage examination

Saf-C 1922 includes examination of VINs, major-component documents, and required safety-related features. The listed checks include functioning seatbelts and factory-equipped airbags, seat mounting, visibility-related components, steering and suspension, and other specified items according to the examination category. Cosmetic completion alone is insufficient when safety equipment has not been restored. Do not sign the affidavit until its factual certifications are accurate.

The general annual inspection notice currently suspends that annual program, but the salvage examination remains a separate requirement under the title law. Schedule it through the Title Bureau using the current salvage page and location instructions. The page lists a $60 appointment charge paid when scheduling and specifies Visa or MasterCard. The location sheet warns that refunds require Department of Safety authorization, so resolve scheduling questions before paying.

Back to the topics

Arrange lawful transportation to the examination

The DMV page permits transport on a flatbed or use of the qualifying 20-day temporary plate. The temporary-registration guidance should be consulted before choosing to drive the repaired vehicle. A salvage certificate is ownership evidence and does not independently authorize road operation. If the vehicle cannot safely be operated or does not have valid registration permission, use appropriate transport instead of treating the inspection appointment as a travel permit.

Saf-C 1922.01 provides a single nonrenewable 20-day registration for a resident to transport a repaired vehicle to an authorized salvage inspection location, with one additional such registration if the vehicle fails inspection. This limited rule should not be turned into a succession of temporary plates for ordinary use. Confirm the permitted vehicle, dates, and purpose with DMV and make the repair and transport plan fit those conditions.

Back to the topics

Complete the rebuilt title and registration after approval

When approved through the ordinary rebuilt process, the vehicle receives the required salvage decal and the owner receives the vehicle-identification report, DSMV 547. DMV directs the owner to the town or city clerk to register and apply for the new title. The registration process includes local and state components, and the title application instructions govern the ownership record. Check the final documents for the correct VIN and owner.

The statute requires a rebuilt-vehicle legend on the subsequent title and registration, and the decal remains attached as prescribed. Do not remove it to improve the vehicle's appearance or make a later sale easier. The title fee and current fee schedule should be used to budget the new-title transaction, registration, and plates separately from the $60 salvage examination already paid.

Back to the topics

Address recovered theft and out-of-state salvage carefully

For a total-loss theft vehicle recovered without damage, Saf-C 1922.03 requires the appropriate affidavit and an insurer's written no-damage statement. After the authorized physical examination and confirmation, the title is branded recovered theft and no salvage decal is attached under that provision. An owner's opinion that the car appears undamaged does not replace the insurer confirmation and agency examination specified by the rule.

Vehicles carrying another state's salvage or junk documentation require review under Saf-C 1922.02. The rule identifies the foreign ownership records and inspection evidence, including circumstances involving an out-of-state salvage inspection form. Have the Bureau evaluate that evidence before assuming a prior state's rebuilt status automatically completes every New Hampshire requirement. The title FAQs and DMV contacts provide starting points for identifying the missing records.

Back to the topics

Disclose the history when selling or document final destruction

Before a covered salvage or rebuilt vehicle is sold, RSA 261:22 requires written disclosure of its salvage status and the reason for that designation. The statute also describes a purchaser's rescission right in specified nondisclosure or decal-removal situations. Follow the ordinary vehicle-sale instructions as well, retaining a copy of the disclosure with the assignment and bill of sale. The buyer should receive the documented history before completing the purchase.

If the vehicle is dismantled or destroyed instead, the law and rules impose separate reporting and title-surrender obligations. RSA 261:22 addresses the facility where a vehicle is first crushed, shredded, baled, or sheared and requires the prescribed NMVTIS reporting within 30 days. Use a properly documented disposal arrangement and retain its receipt. The forms directory and Title and Anti-Theft information can help clarify the record closure, so a destroyed vehicle's title is not left available for misuse.

Back to the topics

Frequently Asked Questions

How soon must the insurer apply for a New Hampshire salvage certificate after a covered total-loss payment?
RSA 261:22 sets a twenty-day application period for the nonexempt vehicles covered by that requirement.

What does New Hampshire list as the salvage-inspection appointment charge?
The current DMV salvage page lists a $60 charge paid at scheduling.

Does a New Hampshire salvage title authorize ordinary driving before rebuilding approval?
The salvage certificate establishes ownership; the separate inspection and registration requirements must be satisfied before ordinary road use.

What New Hampshire title legend follows the ordinary rebuilt-vehicle process?
The title and registration carry the rebuilt-vehicle legend required by RSA 261:22.

Can a New Hampshire owner remove the salvage decal after the car is repaired?
The statute prohibits removing or causing removal of the required salvage decal.

What supports New Hampshire’s recovered-theft-with-no-damage treatment?
The rules require the prescribed affidavit, the insurer’s written no-damage statement, and physical examination and confirmation by an authorized agent.

Back to the topics

More New Hampshire DMV guides

The other New Hampshire DMV guides, 52 of them:

The public records that sit beside this page, on SearchSystems: liens and deeds recorded in New Hampshire and deeds and property in New Hampshire.

Property records in the largest New Hampshire counties, each with the local court and office that holds the file: Hillsborough, Rockingham, Merrimack, Strafford, Grafton and Cheshire.