With the right paperwork and a few fees, you can get a rebuilt title in Vermont. The process starts with applying for a salvage title and getting your vehicle repaired.

Salvage yards strip totaled cars of their usable parts and send them off to the car crusher. This is usually what happens when an insurance company writes a car off as a total loss. If your car has been totaled, you can actually give it a second chance with a rebuilt title.

You can’t drive a car with a salvage title in Vermont, but you can drive it with a rebuilt title.

Jerry

, the

car insurance

comparison and trusted broker app, is here to walk you through getting a rebuilt title in Vermont. We’ll go over what a rebuilt title is, when you need one, what you’ll need to apply in the Green Mountain State, and how you can lower your

Vermont insurance cost

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What is a rebuilt title?

rebuilt title

certifies that a once-totaled car is now safe to drive.

salvage title

means a vehicle is totaled and unsafe to drive. Totaled cars are given salvage titles, but these

can be replaced

by rebuilt titles once the vehicle is restored.

Does my car need a rebuilt title?

Maybe you’ll luck out and find a car enthusiast willing to fix up a car with a salvage title or even a buyer who is willing to take a chance—but don’t count on it. Generally, experts advise against buying cars with salvage titles. You won’t even be able to drive it with a salvage title.

However, a rebuilt title makes selling the car easier, and it means you can safely and legally drive it. Rebuilt titles won’t erase the car’s history, though they do mean a licensed inspector has looked over the car.

MORE:

How to insure a car with a salvage title

How to get a rebuilt title in Vermont

If you want to get a rebuilt title in Vermont, prepare yourself for weeks of work and waiting in addition to fees. It can be rewarding, but it will take time.

Apply for the salvage title

The first step is to apply for a salvage title within 15 days of the total loss settlement. You’ll need a

Rebuilt/Salvage Title Application

(Form VT-017) and a $35 fee. Follow the instructions on the second page of the application to make sure you have all of the required information.

You can only get a salvage title if your vehicle is less than 15 years old.

Make the necessary repairs to your vehicle

Once you have the salvage title, you’re ready to repair your vehicle. You can do the repairs yourself, but most people go to a licensed mechanic for such a big job.

After the repairs are complete, your car must undergo both a safety inspection and an anti-theft inspection. You can call the Vermont DMV for details on both inspections, including the fee amounts.

Essential documents for a rebuilt Vermont title

Once your vehicle has passed the required inspections, you can apply for your salvage title to be changed to a rebuilt title. You will need to submit the following to the DMV:

A completed

Rebuilt/Salvage Title Application

(Form VT-017)

Proof your car passed the safety and anti-theft inspections

The $35 rebuilt title fee

You’ll need to call the Vermont DMV to find out where you should submit these documents.