Salvage, Clean, Rebuilt: what US car titles mean
Every car in the USA has an ownership document (title). Its type shows the car's history and decides whether the car can be repaired and registered in Lithuania. You see the title type on every auction page.
What Salvage means
A salvage title means an insurer declared the car a total loss: the repair in the USA would have cost it too much compared with the car's value. It does not mean the car cannot be repaired: many such cars are bought exactly to be repaired, and they can be registered in Lithuania.
Title types
- Clear / Clean title: a clean document, can be repaired and registered.
- Salvage title: a damaged car's document, can be repaired and registered.
- Rebuilt (Salvage rebuilt, Clear rebuilt): salvage before, repaired and inspected in the USA, can be registered.
- Junk, Non repairable, Scrap, No title / Parts only: cannot be registered, good for parts, can be shipped.
- Certificate of destruction, stolen or with a changed VIN: cannot be shipped, we cannot bid on such cars.
- Bill of sale: usually cannot be registered. The exception is a Washington State Bill of Sale: ask us.
- Flood (in the name): the car was submerged. A petrol or diesel car can be shipped, and with "Salvage" registered too; a hybrid or electric car cannot be shipped.
How to check a specific title
Enter the title name from the auction page in the title check: you will see whether it can be registered. In the search the title type is coloured: green is fine, red is not. Mileage and accidents are shown by a Carfax report. Regitra publishes no official list of which US titles can be registered: the US title is submitted to it as the prior ownership document, and the technical inspection and Regitra decide. This classification follows our and our partners' practice.