This must be done within 10 days of the settlement (insured) or date of occurrence which caused it to be a total loss (uninsured).
If a vehicle has been declared a total loss, the owner or insurance company must apply for a Salvage Title.
- This page, Apply for a salvage title, is offered by
- Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles
Apply for a salvage title
Contacts
Registry of Motor Vehicles
Online
Ask the RMV
Ask the RMV
The Details of Apply for a salvage title
What you need for Apply for a salvage title
Obtaining a Salvage Title by Owner
If the vehicle is uninsured or if the owner decides to keep possession of the vehicle, the owner must apply for a Salvage Title. State law prohibits the operation of the vehicle until it has passed a salvage inspection.
Obtaining a Salvage Title by an Insurance Company
Once the insurance company deems the vehicle to be a total loss, the owner must assign the Title to the insurance company. If there is a lien on the vehicle and the Title is being held by a lienholder, the insurance company will send the owner an Authorization for Payoff of a Salvage Vehicle form* to complete. This form acts as the reassignment of Title.
*The Authorization for Payoff of a Salvage Vehicle form is only to be used when there is an outstanding loan and the lienholder is in possession of the Title. If there was no loan, or if the loan has been satisfied, the vehicle owner must sign the vehicle over to the insurance company by completing the Assignment of Title section on the back of the Title.
How to apply Apply for a salvage title
Mail the following documents to the RMV's Title Department:
- The original Title
- A completed Registration and Title Application, clearly marked as “salvage repairable” and with the appropriate secondary brand(s)
- The Salvage Title fee of $50 and sales tax, if applicable(check or money order) payable to MassDOT
Registry of Motor Vehicles
Attention: Title Department
PO BOX 55889
Boston, MA 02205-5889
Next steps for Apply for a salvage title
Salvage inspection
Once a vehicle with a Salvage Repairable Title has been repaired, the vehicle must pass a salvage inspection. This inspection is not a safety inspection. The purpose of the inspection is to determine if the vehicle or any of its parts are stolen.
More info for Apply for a salvage title
Once a Salvage Title has been issued in Massachusetts or in any other state, the Salvage Title and Salvage Inspection process as stated in Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 90D Section 20D must be completed regardless of the age of the vehicle.
Please allow 7 to 10 business days after receipt of the application for the Salvage Title to be issued and mailed.
Contact for Apply for a salvage title
Online
Ask the RMV
Ask the RMV