CT has not used titles on vehicles over 10 years old I think forever (at least the last 45 years or so)
Georgia I believe is 83, I sold an early 80's bobber a few years ago bill of sale only. I just bought a T Bucket in Georgia with registration only.
We have titles in KY but carry a "license receipt" in the car. At one time they used a document called a "tansfer" something or the other.
In California: --> The "TITLE" is the document that proves ownership of the vehicle. This is kept in a safe place at your home. --> The "REGISTRATION" is the document stating the vehicle can be legally operated on the nation's highways for the year on the registration. Carried in the vehicle at all times and is renewed every year along with proof of insurance. FYI, the titles in California used to be pink in color. This is where the term "pink slip" originated.
Minnesota started using titles in 1974. Be for that it was a transferable registration card that was not carried in the car, trucks had the same but also a matching cab card that had to be with the truck.
Massachusetts did not require a title to be issued prior to 73 or so. This does not mean pre 73 cars. For example, my Uncle bought a 1932 in 1959 and owned it till 2013. He never had a title. Mass. issued me a title when I bought it based on his bill of sale. We had to certify that his ownership predated 1973 and he was never issued a title. If he had sold it in 1980 and the new guy never titled the car, and I bought it off the second guy, I could not get a title. I would need the seller to title it, then transfer to me.
NC has required titles since at least the 40's. Its not hard to title an untitled car here under bond if everything's on the up and up, but if not then you ain't gettin' no title. 40-45 yrs ago, TN was one of the easiest states to get a title for a car. Memphis had the reputation as the stolen car capital of the country back then because stolen cars would be brought there from half a dozen nearby states so they could get them titled and re-sold. I was in college at that time, and working summers in my dad's contracting business. He hired this guy from east TN as a crane operator. Dad normally had good judgment in hiring, but we figured he'd run off the rails on this one, as none of us liked this new man. One of those people who's just too polite and too clean cut to be normal, and just kinda squirrely in general. So, one day this guy doesn't show up for work and doesn't call in. Same thing the next day. On the third day, an FBI agent shows up at the shop and wants to interview all of us who worked in close proximity to this guy. I was running a boom truck that summer, so I was one of the 7 or 8 operators who'd been around him daily. He's mainly interested if this guy has seemed to have more pocket money than a normal working man, and if he's ever offered to sell any of us a car at a real good price. We all said no to both questions, but the whole group told him about how he just seemed too nice and sorta strange. Turns out they'd arrested him as part of an interstate car theft ring that operated in east TN. They'd traced a couple hundred cars that had passed thru this bunch, and figured the real total was probably 500+. One of the members had about 100 acres of land in TN. Any car they had trouble getting a title for, they'd just strip and bury the remains on this guy's land. As far as they could tell, our guy wasn't involved in the actual thefts, but as a heavy equipment operator his job was to bury the stripped cars. They'd already dug up a couple hulks and had about 30 more spots around the property that looked suspicious. The agent said they'd been investigating this for over a year to make sure they knew everyone involved before arresting any of them. He said the strange thing was that most car theft rings involved groups of sleazeballs who you'd automatically figure to be criminals of some sort, but this bunch all had jobs and homes, and would appear as normal upstanding citizens to most anyone. Ever since then, I've always been real suspicious of any car deal that seems too good unless its something owned by someone I know pretty well.
The Jalopy Journal
