Mississippi license plate lookup

What our Mississippi tag lookup shows

We take the tag number, find the VIN it’s registered to and decode it: year, make, model, engine and open safety recalls. The match comes from a commercial vehicle-data provider. If you want more, you can order a history report on that VIN.

The owner’s identity stays private. The Department of Revenue notes that the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (18 U.S.C. § 2721) protects personal information in motor vehicle records, including names, addresses, phone numbers and license numbers.

Who issues plates and titles in Mississippi

Titles are issued by the Mississippi Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Services, but you apply and register at your county Tax Collector’s office. The department says a standard title is typically issued within six weeks of a complete application (motor vehicle titles).

A Mississippi tag is registered to both the vehicle and the owner, so it can’t be moved to a new vehicle. When either one changes, the old tag comes off and goes back to the county Tax Collector (motor vehicle FAQs). Dealers can issue a temporary drive-out tag valid for 7 days from the date of purchase.

The department warns buyers never to accept a title that is incomplete or improperly assigned. Leaving the buyer’s name blank to fill in later violates Mississippi law.

Asking the state for a vehicle or owner record

Owner information goes only to qualifying applicants who name a DPPA exemption on the department’s records request form. Under the department’s rule, agencies, businesses and others must complete the Mississippi Motor Vehicle Records Disclosure Form, stating the permitted use; once approved, they pay a fee set by the number and type of records, and the form is mailed or faxed to the department (35 Miss. Code R. 7-01-01-200).

The rule also provides an internet query system for certain records, with an annual fee. In the department’s MV e-Services, a record inquiry account searches by VIN, title number or tag number.

Branded titles in Mississippi

Mississippi prints brands on the front of the title: Salvage, Rebuilt, Flood damaged and Hail damaged. A salvage title goes to an insurer that paid a total loss claim for collision, fire, flood, hail, unrecovered theft or a similar loss. A car with a salvage title can’t be driven on Mississippi roads, can’t be issued a tag, and can’t be sold by a licensed dealer until it’s retitled as Rebuilt (salvage vehicles).

The Mississippi Department of Public Safety inspects a rebuilt car before it is retitled, and a car repaired in another state can’t be inspected in Mississippi. Mississippi issues no title or registration at all for a junk, non-rebuildable, certificate of destruction or parts-only brand. A car 10 or more years old and worth $1,500 or less doesn’t meet the salvage definition, so an older, cheaper car can be a past total loss with no brand on its title. Our flood damage check guide covers what to look for after a storm.

Before you buy a car with Mississippi tags

• Make sure the VIN from the tag lookup matches the dashboard, the door label and the title.
• Read the front of the title for Salvage, Rebuilt, Flood damaged or Hail damaged, and ask the seller about any brand.
• Have the seller complete every part of the title assignment in front of you, including your name as buyer.
• Run a history report for insurance total losses, brands from other states and odometer readings. See salvage title check and odometer rollback check.

An AutoCheck report on a Mississippi VIN is $7.99 with us; see pricing for other reports.