8.12.2

vehicle verification inspection

Effective Date: April 03, 2025

Review Due: April 03, 2027

Summary of Changes

Changed the Title Complaint, form #46-0403, to the Incident Report, form #46-4411, in Section E(1)(d).

Purpose

To provide guidelines and standards to follow when conducting a Vehicle Verification Inspection.

Authority

Administrative Revision, A.R.S. § 28-2011, 28-2058, 28-5801.

Policy

1. The vehicle verification inspection:

1. Ensures that the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is in agreement with the vehicle in the applicant’s possession.

2. Establishes an identity for a vehicle that is without title and/or registration.

2. The required sections of the vehicle verification inspection form must be complete. Only the certified inspector who performed the inspection is authorized to make corrections to the inspection form. 

3. The Division shall deposit all inspection fees in the Vehicle Inspection and Title Enforcement Fund.

• An inspection fee is not required for an inspection of a motor vehicle owned by a foreign government, by a consul or any other representative of a foreign government, by the United States, by a state or political subdivision of a state, or by an Indian tribal government.

4. Foreign state/country inspections may be accepted if the foreign state/country agency conducting the inspection has entered into an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with Arizona Department of Transportation Enforcement and Compliance Division (ECD).

5. The Division provides three types of vehicle inspections.

1. Level I Inspections:

1. The Division does not charge a fee for a Level I Inspection.

2. The Level I Inspection consists of matching the public VIN and the Federal VIN (Federal Sticker or U.S. Certification label) and verifying that the vehicle inspected is the same vehicle identified on the title and/or registration, if needed.

3. The Level I Inspection is conducted by a processor, who has completed the Division’s Level I Training Program, a certified Third Party Inspector, United States Military Police, a Peace Officer who is designated as an agent of the Division, or any AZPOST certified state, county, or local law enforcement officer. The Level I Inspection is recorded on one of the following forms:

   1. Level I Vehicle Inspection, form #48-4503

   2. Bond Title Application - Vehicle, form #40-1001

   3. Bond Title Application - Mobile Home, form #40-1003

   4. Abandoned Vehicle Report, form #46-4402

      • Abandoned vehicle inspections must be done on the Abandoned Vehicle Report, see Policy 8.1.2 Abandoned Vehicle Reporting/Transfer of Ownership.

Note:     Any Level I inspection conducted by an out-of-state law enforcement officer will only be accepted if, that officer’s agency has entered into an IGA with ECD.

4. A Level I Inspection SHALL be required when:

1. No ownership documentation for the vehicle is presented, see Policy 8.7.1 Bonded Title.

2. Titling and/or registering and renewing a cab and chassis vehicle, see Policy 8.13.7 Cab and Chassis.

3. The customer is filing a title complaint through an Incident Report, form #46-4411.

4. The applicant acquired the vehicle for purposes other than highway use, which include the following:

1. To be placed on exhibition or display.

2. To be repaired, rebuilt, reconstructed, and/or dismantled and the customer is requesting a “Title Only”, see Policy 8.2.2 Certificate of Title without Registration (Title Only).

5. The identification of the vehicle is in question (example: VIN, body style, fuel type, etc.).

   1. A Level I Inspection is not required to determine the model of a golf cart.

6. The vehicle may be a possible grey market vehicle:

1. Vehicle is 25 years and older

2. Foreign military (NATO) personnel with vehicles approved for temporary use in the United States.

5. A Level I Inspection MAY be required at the discretion of the Division.

2. Level II Inspections

1. The fee for a Level II Inspection is $20

2. The Level II Inspection consists of matching the public VIN, a secondary VIN (Federal Sticker if present) and the confidential VIN with vehicle title and/or registration to determine and verify the identity of the vehicle. The Level II Verification Inspection is conducted by an ECD enforcement officer. The Level II Inspection is recorded on the Level II/III Vehicle Inspection, form #96-0100.

3. Level III Inspections

1. The fee for a Level III Inspection is $50.

2. The Level III Inspection consists of matching the public VIN, secondary VIN and confidential VIN with vehicle title and/or registration, and includes verification of the VINs on some or all (at the discretion of the ECD enforcement officer) component parts as necessary to determine and verify the identity of the vehicle and/or ensure that the vehicle is properly equipped for highway use. The Level III Inspection is recorded on the Level II/III Vehicle Inspection, form #96-0100.

6. A Level II or III Inspection is required when:

1. The vehicle is being titled and registered for the first time subsequent to a dismantle or salvage branded title.

2. The VIN (any year) or Federal Sticker (1970 or newer) is missing, illegible, or appears to be altered or tampered with.

3. The foreign state or country title is branded “Repaired”, “Salvage”, or “Unsafe”.

4. The vehicle was reconstructed, see Policy 8.13.5 Reconstructed and Specially Constructed Vehicle.

5. The vehicle needs to be assigned an Arizona Serial Number (AZ SNO) or an Arizona Reassigned Serial Number (Built-up Number), see Policy 8.12.3 Arizona Serial Number (AZ SNO) and Reassigned Serial Number (Built-up Number).

• Except for homemade trailers.

6. The out-of-state title displays an original VIN with an assigned out-of-state serial number.

7. The vehicle is titled and/or registered in another country and there is no previous record of an Arizona title or registration (possible Grey Market vehicles with the exceptions of the vehicles listed in Section B(1)(d)(6).

• Additional documentation is required for a Grey Market (Import) vehicle. When inspecting these vehicles, see Policy 8.13.1 Grey Market (Import) Vehicle.

8. Restored salvage, see Policy 8.5.1 Title Brands.

7. Only a certified inspector can make a determination as to whether the original identity and/or appearance of a vehicle has been changed or substantially altered enough to classify a vehicle as “Reconstructed”, see Policy 8.13.5 Reconstructed and Specially Constructed Vehicle.