CarfaxLess CARFAX Title Brands Explained — Every Type
What salvage, rebuilt, flood, lemon, and other title brands mean on a CARFAX report.
Title brands are the most critical section of any vehicle history report. Each brand tells a story about past damage or legal issues. Use this guide alongside our CARFAX guide and individual checks for salvage, rebuilt, and flood titles.
Every Title Brand Explained
Complete reference for all vehicle title designations.
| Brand | Meaning | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Salvage | Total loss declared by insurer | Check → |
| Rebuilt | Repaired after salvage, passed inspection | Check → |
| Flood | Significant water damage | Check → |
| Lemon | Manufacturer buyback for defects | Check → |
| Junk | Not repairable, parts only | VIN Report → |
| Theft Recovery | Stolen and recovered | Check → |
Check any VIN for title brands. Full report — $5 →
Title Washing — The Biggest Title Brand Risk
How criminals remove title brands across state lines.
Title washing is the practice of re-registering a branded-title vehicle in a state with different titling rules to remove the brand. A car with a salvage title in Pennsylvania might receive a clean title when registered in a state with a higher damage threshold.
This is illegal but difficult to prosecute because it exploits legitimate differences between state DMV systems. The result: hundreds of thousands of vehicles with hidden damage histories circulating with clean titles.
A CARFAX report is the primary defense against title washing. It checks title records across all 50 states and Canadian provinces simultaneously, revealing brand history regardless of how many times the vehicle has been re-titled. At $5, it is the cheapest protection against a practice that can cost buyers thousands.
CARFAX Title Brands Explained — FAQ
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