Salvage, rebuilt & branded titles explained
A title brand is a permanent flag on a car’s record. Here’s what each one means for you.
When a car is seriously damaged, stolen, or fails to meet standards, its title gets branded. The brand follows the VIN forever, even after repairs. Here are the ones that matter.
Salvage
An insurer declared the car a total loss, repairs cost more than the car was worth. A salvage car can't legally be driven until repaired and re-inspected. Value drops 20-50%.
Rebuilt / Reconstructed
A salvage car that's been repaired and passed inspection. Roadworthy again, but the history is permanent and it's worth much less than a clean-title equivalent.
Flood / Water damage
Flood cars can look perfect but suffer years of electrical and corrosion problems. Treat any flood brand as a serious warning.
Junk
Declared fit only for scrap or parts. A junk-branded VIN should never be on the road.
Lemon / Manufacturer buyback
Repurchased by the maker under lemon law after repeated unfixable faults.
How to check
These brands are recorded against a vehicle's VIN in state and federal title databases. Run the VIN and the full CarWorthIt report flags salvage, junk, flood, rebuilt and total-loss records from our licensed data provider directly.