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VIN Verification Winnetka

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vin verification in san fernando valley

Trusted Mobile VIN Verification in Winnetka

Fast, reliable, and convenient VIN verification services at your location. Serving Winnetka and surrounding areas with 20+ years of expertise.

California DMV Certified
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What is a California VIN verification?

A VIN verification is a California DMV inspection required to get your out-of-state vehicle registered in the California DMV database. It is a physical inspection of the vehicle – this inspection is documented on the REG31 / VIN verifier form (shown below). It confirms the VIN number on the car and compares it to your titling documents for the DMV or registration services to confirm that the VIN is the same.

reg 31 form

What does a vehicle verifier look for when doing California VIN Verifications?

A vehicle verifier follows the REG31 form from top to bottom and fills out the sections as they go along. Several of those items that are required to be documented are the vehicle year, make and model, the VIN, the VIN location, the number of wheels, the number of axles, the license plate on the vehicle, the fuel type the vehicle uses, the status of the US Federal Certification Label, the emissions label and the Odometer reading. In addition to this, we document the type of vehicle it is, such as a commercial, automobile, permanent trailer, coach trailer, or motorcycle. Here are a few photos of what we saw on this 2017 Lamborghini Huracan.

Why do I need a California VIN verification?

The VIN Verification process is exactly as it says, to verify the vehicle identification number of the vehicle. This process ensures that the vehicle actually exists (not just on paper), and second, that the vehicle identification number on the vehicle itself matches what is on the title. To obtain a VIN verifier’s license is inexpensive and relatively easy – the training to become a verifier is minimal, however, the task that a Socal VIN verification entails is very important in protecting the public against theft, fraud, and any other type of illegal activity some people want to try to do. It’s a preventative measure to facilitate catching activity that is fraudulent. As an example, let’s say that you have a Vehicle with VIN number 1GCEC1111XXXXXXX, and there’s already a vehicle with that same VIN number in the CA DMV database or another state’s DMV – this is an automatic trigger that there is something wrong. They serve as the first line of defense in ensuring that all vehicles are properly identified and documented. By verifying the VIN, they help prevent fraudulent vehicles from being registered or sold, protecting both consumers and the broader community.

Requirements to Register an Out of State Vehicles in California

vin verification out of state transfer

In addition to offering verification services for your vehicles we are closely associated with a registration service called Quick Auto Tags – call them to get your car licensed & titled. Listed below are some of the other requirements & documents you will need to complete the DMV registration process in California after your vehicle has been VIN verified for your non resident vehicle:

  1. Your out-of-state title, MSO (manufacturer’s statement of origin), or registration card (if you’re only registering your car).
  2. For all gas-powered & some diesel-powered vehicles, you must get a smog inspection.
  3. For commercial vehicles, pickup trucks (this includes small pickups, like El Caminos) you must get a California Weight-master Certificate.
  4. For all cars, trucks, coach trailers, and most PTI trailers (some exceptions apply with PTI trailers) a VIN verification.
  5. PTI trailer exception: If you have a brand new trailer that falls within the permanent trailer category, and it has an MSO, and it was purchased out of state, you will not have to get one.
  6. Reg 343 form for ALL vehicles or trailers
  7. Reg 4017 form for trailers that fall under the PTI (permanent trailer) program
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Prohibited VIN verifications

vin verification in los angeles salvage car

Private VIN verifiers are prohibited from doing a Vin inspection on certain vehicles & for certain scenarios. These are listed below:

  1. Inspections on vehicles that are to be revived salvage
  2. Inspections on vehicles that have been junked
  3. Vehicles that are 1980 or newer who do not have their Federal Safety label
  4. Motorcycles who have no supporting documents or who were in the DMV database before and fell off
  5. Gray market or direct import vehicles
  6. Previously stolen vehicles.

Other Reasons I May Need a California VIN verification?

The VIN verification process is mostly used for bringing in vehicles that are not in the DMV database into the DMV system, however, it is also used for other reasons by the DMV and other entities. Below I will list a few of those scenarios:

  1. The vehicle was in a tow yard, the tow yard initiated a lien sale, the owner of the vehicle has recovered their vehicle from the tow yard but there is a lien authorized on file. To lift the lien authorized the DMV uses the VIN verification process to confirm that the registered owner has recovered their vehicle and has physical possession of the vehicle once again.
  2. You have a large commercial truck registered through IRP (international registration program). The IRP unit wants you to get a VIN verification to confirm the mileage (this process documents the mileage for them).
  3. Your vehicle is being converted from one type of vehicle to another (change in body type model). An example of this is, you have a 2021 Ram 3500 that is registered as a pickup, but now you put a camper shell on it, and it is now a pickup mounted camper (PM) changing it into an automobile.
  4. Your vehicle has fallen off of the DMV system and it needs to be re-introduced into the DMV system. (Our parent company Quick Auto Tags is a license registration service and can help you out with this).
  5. The VIN on my car does not match the VIN on my title – this is a simple fix that the California verification process can correct.

Verifying Multiple Vehicles

vin verification in los angeles

Some individuals or companies may have multiple vehicles that need verification. For this scenario, by far, the #1 solution is to have a mobile VIN verifier come to your location and get all your VIN verification done. Call us to make an appointment: 818-357-2308

Where Can I Get a California VIN verification?

There are 4 places where you can get verification services:

  1. Quick VIN Verification
  2. AAA
  3. DMV (DMV employees)
  4. CHP
  5. Registration services – many registration services do not advertise they provide this service, but they do have one in-house, so searching locally for “registration services” instead of “vin verification service” may also help you find someone.

How much does it cost to get VIN verified?

how much does a vin verification cost

The cost of obtaining a VIN verification in the San Fernando Valley depends on whether you choose a mobile VIN verification service or prefer to visit a local business in person. Below are the typical costs for getting your VIN verified:

  1. Quick VIN Verification – mobile, licensed vehicle verifiers come to you: between $100 – $150 in San Fernando Valley
  2. AAA – at their VIN verify place – it is included in their membership, they do not service non-members
  3. Department of Motor Vehicles – no cost
  4. CHP – no cost

Things to Know About Your Options in San Fernando Valley:

With each option that is available to you to get a SoCal VIN verification there are benefits and details that you must be made aware of before you choose which is more suitable to you in San Fernando Valley:

  1. Quick VIN Verification: We are mobile. We are friendly. We are fast. We are predictable. You set the time and place – and we are there. Licensed vehicle verifiers keep you away from the Department of Motor Vehicles – and stay home, or at any place you’d rather be, other than the Department of Motor Vehicles.
  2. AAA: If you are a member, your membership includes the vehicle verification service, along with the other services they provide. The mobile VIN verification is NOT an option.
  3. Department of Motor Vehicles: There is no cost. But you must have your paperwork in order prior to be seen by them for a VIN verification – you can no longer just drive up and have a vehicle verifier inspect your vehicle. The mobile VIN verification is NOT an option.
  4. CHP: There is no cost. But you must have your paperwork in order prior to being seen by them, and you must be referred to them by the CHP. For more information on the CHP VIN verifications please read this section of my website. The mobile VIN verification is NOT an option.

As you can see, what sets us apart from AAA, DMV and the CHP is that we offer a mobile vehicle VIN verification in Los Angeles County.

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What you need to know about CHP VIN inspections in California

quick vin verification chp

If you are being referred to the CHP by the DMV it’s for a specific reason. In rare situations, a CHP referral is a mistake, and the result of a misunderstanding, laziness, or flat-out ignorance. So before I continue, I’ll address the reasons someone will mistakenly refer you to the CHP:

  1. It is common for rookie DMV employees or AAA employees to automatically refer you to the CHP when they don’t know how to proceed. For example, they don’t know how to determine the year of an early model vehicle, such as a 1959 Chevy Impala. What I have seen is when they stumble upon something they are not familiar with they will refer you to the CHP. There are ways to verify the year of these vehicles, but when a rookie doesn’t know how to look it up, they make it “simple” and refer you to the CHP.
  2. They don’t know that this particular early model vehicle doesn’t have a secondary VIN. Many early model vehicles had the public VIN in one location only.
  3. They don’t know that the engine & VIN numbers are one and the same for an early model vehicle.

Now that we have addressed those mistakes, let’s talk about the legitimate reasons why you got referred over to a CHP VIN inspector:

  1. You have a late model vehicle that is a revived salvaged or junked vehicle. Late-model vehicles are almost always referred to the CHP because they want to make sure that the vehicle was not rebuilt with stolen parts. CHP officers that are trained to perform VIN verifications mostly look for is that this recently crashed vehicle is not being rebuilt with stolen parts from other vehicles. Additionally, they fill out a form that only they have access to. It’s a next-level at the CHP. They perform VIN inspections that neither AAA, DMV, or a licensed vehicle verifier are authorized or trained to do.
  2. You have a motorcycle that has fallen off of the DMV database and has NO supporting documentation.
  3. You have a motorcycle that needs engine changes.
  4. You have armored vehicles.
  5. CLICK HERE FOR A MORE EXTENSIVE WRITEUP ON CHP VIN VERIFICATIONS

Other Counties We Service

  1. Riverside County
  2. San Bernardino County
  3. Orange County
  4. South Los Angeles County
  5. North Los Angeles County
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What Forms of Payment Do You Accept?

Quick VIN Verification accepts cash, check, Zelle, Venmo, credit cards, or debit cards.

Can You Help Me with My Motor Vehicle Transaction?

If fast service is what you need, our parent company is a licensed registration service – so if you have questions that go beyond the VIN verification inspection then you can call our tag shop at Quick Auto Tags @ 951-409-9091.

Call to Schedule

Call Us (818) 357-2308

Winnetka (/wɪˈnɛtkə/) is a neighborhood in the west-central San Fernando Valley in the city of Los Angeles. It is an ethnically diverse area, both for the city and for Los Angeles County, with a relatively large percentage of Hispanic and Asian people.

Winnetka was founded in 1922 as a small farming community. As of 2018, there are six public and four private schools in the area, a recreation center, two pocket parks and a city-operated child-care center.

The Ultimate Guide to VIN Verifications

What cities in San Fernando Valley do We Service?

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