Salvage Vehicles - Fact Sheet

PURPOSE:

This fact sheet provides basic information regarding salvage vehicles, and provides instructions for

applying for salvage certificates and subsequent branded titles with the Idaho Transportation

Department.

Salvage Vehicle: Any vehicle: (1) having a salvage certificate, salvage bill of sale, or other

documentation showing evidence that the vehicle has been declared salvage; (2) which has been

damaged to the extent that the owner or an insurer or other person acting on behalf of the owner,

determines that the cost of parts and labor minus the salvage value makes it uneconomical to repair or

rebuild; or (3) for which an insurance company has paid money or made other settlement as

compensation for a total-loss vehicle. [Section 49-123(2)(o), Idaho Code]

Theft Recovery: A vehicle acquired by an insurance company in the settlement of a theft claim

that has been recovered and is not damaged to the extent that it is a salvage vehicle. [Section 49-

524(11), Idaho Code]

Idaho Code]

owner following the settlement.

Salvage Pool: A licensed vehicle dealer engaged primarily in the business of disposing of salvage

vehicles, recovered stolen vehicles, or both. [Section 49-120(4), Idaho Code]

• A salvage certificate will be issued for any vehicle that meets the definition of “Salvage

• If the vehicle was declared a total loss and an insurance company paid damages to the owner,

and received the certificate of title or comparable ownership document and vehicle, the

insurance company or salvage pool must apply for a salvage certificate of title prior to resale of

the vehicle. They must submit to the department an application for salvage certificate, the

properly released ownership document, VIN Inspection Certification (form ITD 3403) (Only

required if the ownership document was issued by a jurisdiction other than Idaho); and a $14

salvage certificate fee within 30 days of receipt of the properly released ownership document.

[Section 49-524(5),(6), Idaho Code]

without having first obtained the properly released title or comparable ownership document. Within

ten (10) days of the issuance of a salvage certificate to the purchaser, the insurer or the salvage pool

• Sworn statement that it made at least two (2) written attempts to obtain from the owner the

properly released certificate of title or comparable ownership document by sending notice to

the owner at the owner's address of record with the department;

• Copy of each such written attempt;

• Lien Release (form ITD 3726) for any lien or encumbrance appearing on the certificate of title

and/or upon the electronic records of the department;

• VIN Inspection Certification (form ITD 3403) (Only required if the ownership document was

DEPARTMENT)

[Section 49-524(9), Idaho Code]. The owner may not sell or otherwise dispose of the vehicle until he

To obtain a salvage certificate, the applicant needs to submit the following to the department at the

address indicated on the application:

• Application for salvage certificate (form ITD 3312);

• Prior title or other comparable ownership document is issued by another jurisdiction;

If the owner of a retained salvage vehicle fails to surrender the title and be issued a salvage

certificate, or sells the vehicle and does not tell the buyer that the vehicle is totaled, he is guilty of a

misdemeanor, punishable by up to six (6) months in jail, a fine of one thousand dollars ($1,000) or both

[Section 49-524(8), Idaho Code].

The insurance company making the payoff for an owner-retained vehicle must notify the department of

the payoff within 30 days. [Section 49-524(9), Idaho Code].

After a salvage vehicle has been repaired to meet the equipment requirements of Title 49, Chapter 9,

After a salvage certificate has been surrendered with an application for title and other pertinent forms

and fees, the title will be issued with the brand “Rebuilt Salvage”. The brand will appear in the “Other

Pertinent Data” section of the title, just below the vehicle description and to the right of the owner

information. The brand will remain on the title for the life of the vehicle.

If a salvage vehicle is acquired in a state or jurisdiction which does not require the surrender of the

title or comparable ownership document, the purchaser must surrender the title and apply for an Idaho

salvage certificate within 30 days of receipt of the title. [Section 49-524(12), Idaho Code]

If an insurer acquires the properly released title or other comparable ownership document for a vehicle

in a settlement of a theft claim, the insurer shall immediately surrender it to the department along

with an application for salvage certificate in the name of the insurer, the salvage certificate fee, and

other documents as required by the department for processing. [Section 49-524(10), Idaho Code]

If the vehicle is subsequently recovered and is not a salvage vehicle due to damage, the insurance

company must complete an Indemnifying Affidavit (form ITD 3410) stating these facts, and deliver this

form and the salvage certificate to any purchaser. When the documents are submitted with an

titled which have been declared salvage must also comply with these requirements. [Section 49-501A,

Idaho Code]

All forms referenced in this fact sheet are available at your local county assessor’s motor vehicle

office. They are also available in a fillable format on the Internet at dmv.idaho.gov.

This fact sheet has been provided by:

Idaho Transportation Department • Vehicle Services • Post Office Box 7129 • Boise, Idaho 83707-1129

The Idaho Transportation Department is committed to full compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights