                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

OBTAINING SALVAGE CERTIFICATE OR CERTIFICATE OF TITLE FOR AN UNRECOVERED STOLEN
VEHICLE (§ 46.2-1603)

A. The owner of any vehicle titled in the Commonwealth may declare such vehicle
to be a salvage vehicle and apply to the Department and obtain a salvage
certificate for that vehicle.

B. Every insurance company or its authorized agent shall apply to the Department
and obtain a salvage certificate for each late model vehicle acquired by the
insurance company as the result of the claims process if such vehicle is titled
in the Commonwealth and is a salvage vehicle. Whenever the insurance company or
its agent makes application for a salvage certificate and is unable to present a
certificate of title, the Department may receive the application along with an
affidavit indicating that the vehicle was acquired as the result of the claims
process and describing the efforts made by the insurance company or its agent to
obtain the certificate of title from the previous owner. When the Department is
satisfied that the applicant is entitled to the salvage certificate, it may
issue a salvage certificate to the person entitled to it. The Commissioner may
charge a fee of $25 for the expense of processing an application under this
subsection that is accompanied by an affidavit. Such fee shall be in addition to
any other fees required. All fees collected under the provisions of this
subsection shall be paid into the state treasury and set aside as a special fund
to be used to meet the expenses of the Department.

C. Every insurance company or its authorized agent shall apply to the Department
and obtain a certificate of title for each stolen vehicle acquired by the
insurance company as the result of the claims process if such vehicle is titled
in the Commonwealth and has not been recovered at the time of application to the
Department. For each recovered stolen vehicle, acquired as a result of the
claims process, whose estimated cost of repair exceeds 75 percent of its actual
cash value, the insurance company or its authorized agent shall apply to the
Department and obtain a salvage certificate. The application shall be
accompanied by the vehicle&#8217;s title certificate and shall contain a
description of the damage to the salvage vehicle and an itemized estimate of the
cost of repairs up to the point where a nonrepairable certificate would be
issued. Application for the certificate of title shall be made within 15 days
after payment has been made to the owner, lienholder, or both. Application for
the salvage certificate shall be made within 15 days after the stolen vehicle is
recovered.

D. Every insurance company or its authorized agent shall notify the Department
of each late model vehicle titled in the Commonwealth on which a claim for
damage to the vehicle has been paid by the insurance company if (i) the
estimated cost of repair exceeds 75 percent of actual cash value of the vehicle
and (ii) the vehicle is to be retained by its owner. No such notification shall
be required for a vehicle when a supplemental claim has been paid for the cost
of repairs to the engine, transmission, or drive axle assembly if such
components are replaced by components of like kind and quality.

E. Every owner of an uninsured or self-insured late model vehicle titled in the
Commonwealth that sustains damage to such an extent that the estimated cost of
repairs exceeds 75 percent of the actual cash value of the vehicle prior to
being damaged shall similarly apply for and obtain a salvage certificate. If no
estimated cost of repairs is available from an insurance company, the owner of
the vehicle may provide an estimate from an independent appraisal firm. Any such
estimate from an independent appraisal firm shall be verified by the Department
in such a manner as may be provided for by Department regulations.

F. The fee for issuance of the salvage certificate shall be $10. If a salvage
vehicle is sold after a salvage certificate has been issued, the owner of the
salvage vehicle shall make proper assignment to the purchaser.

G. The Department, upon receipt of an application for a salvage certificate for
a vehicle titled in the Commonwealth, or upon receipt of notification from an
insurance company or its authorized agent as provided in subsection D of this
section, shall cause the title of such vehicle to be cancelled and the
appropriate certificate issued to the vehicle&#8217;s owner.

H. All provisions of this Code applicable to a motor vehicle certificate of
title shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to a salvage certificate, except that no
registration or license plates shall be issued for the vehicle described in the
salvage certificate. A vehicle for which a salvage certificate has been issued
may be retitled for use on the highways in accordance with the provisions of
&#xA7; 46.2-1605.

HISTORY: 1979, c. 401, § 46.1-550.8; 1982, c. 671; 1989, c. 727; 1992, c. 148;
1993, c. 376; 2000, cc. 235, 257; 2009, c. 171; 2017, c. 277.