How can I get a car a new title when I cannot find the previous owner ?

[joeholiday]

Hello, I live in Holiday, Florida. I took a non-running car from a friend as payment for an old debt.

I helped him get the car originally and was letting him store it in my driveway, until he got it fixed, he was never able to get the title from the original owner. He eventually offered the car to me, and I graciously accepted it. I've already invested a substantial amount of money into the motor and it will soon be driveable again. I can't figure out how to get a title on it. FL DMV says it's not on a stolen list or listed as an insurance total loss but will not tell me anything else. FL DMV reports the vehicle was not previously registered in FL. I was able to discover through a vehicle history report that it was never in a major accident, but it will not release any prior owner information. According to the DMV, due to the federal privacy act, they cannot due a reverse lookup using the VIN to discover the prior registration for a private citizen.

I looked into a salvage title, but I would rather avoid that since it ruins the value of the car, plus there is nothing structurally wrong with it. And, I am not a licensed rebuilder, I did all the work myself, and purchased all the parts used or they are performace parts and all of them came from ebay so there are no receipts which the salvage title requires.

I heard something about an abandonment title, sometimes called a mechanics lean. Problem again, I am not a business, or a professional auto mechanic.

I have been in possesion of the car for over 2 years.
Thanks in advance for the help,
-Joe

 

[absconder]

1st your going to need a bill of sale Im sure of it. In most states Ive dealt with there is always a way to get a title if you can prove you own the vehicle. My suggestion is to go ask a used car lot on how to go about it if the dmv wont answer your questions. Used car lots know about that stuff.

 

[joeholiday]

I will give that a try. Thanks.

The frustrating part is, the lady at the DMV told me, if I had approached them with this before 9-11 they would have given me the name and address of the last known registered owner so I could contact them for either the original title or atleast to have them fill out some paperwork to apply for a new title.

You say that I will need a bill of sale, but I have nothing. My "friend" and I weren't that close and we have lost touch, last I heard he moved out of state and I don't know where he moved. This is Sooo frustrating. The lady at the DMV basically told me that I won't be able to register it, and offered no solutions.

-Joe