2024 Flood Damage Notification to NMVTIS Reporting Entities

The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) appreciates your efforts to report junk and salvage (including total loss) automobiles to the

National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) as required by federal statute. Such actions provide essential information to help inform both commercial and private consumers when making decisions on purchasing used automobiles,

 and prompt reporting helps to protect consumers. In the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, such tragic weather events can lead to water-damaged automobiles, impacting not only their value but also their safe operation. BJA works closely with the NMVTIS system operator, the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, to encourage the timely and accurate submission of required NMVTIS reporting

and to help ensure that consumers are aware of the dangers associated with flood-damaged automobiles.

 BJA continues to monitor issues of noncompliance by required reporting entities, including the timely reporting of junk, salvage, and total loss automobiles, and will work with reporting entities to ensure their compliance with the reporting requirements. 

For those entities that fail to meet reporting requirements or address noncompliance issues brought to their attention, BJA will, as appropriate, initiate civil actions that may lead to penalties. BJA encourages reporting entities to submit NMVTIS reports daily. Considering the

potential increase in the number of nonrepairable, flood-damaged automobiles during severe weather conditions and their risk to consumers, the reporting of such automobiles is more important than ever.

 Thank you in advance for your cooperation and willingness to work together to ensure the timely and accurate reporting to help keep consumers and communities safe. For any questions you might have regarding NMVTIS or reporting, please contact Gregory Joy, BJA

Policy Advisor, at Gregory.Joy@usdoj.gov