How Do You Obtain A Lost Vehicle Title In Washington State Or Find The Current Owner Of The Vehicle?

Question

My grandfather bought a 1967 buick riviera from someone in 1990 but unfortunately he passed away a few days later and he never did get the title for the car from the owner. So the car has been siting in a garage for 17 years and my grandmother said i could have it. Where do i even start? How do i find out who the current owner is and how do i get the car put into my name? Any help would be greatly appreciated? Thank you!

Answer 1

there are several ways to do get a title i can think of the easiest way i can think of is to get the VIN# off the engine block and take that # to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles and file for a Lost Title that will put it in your name but your grandmother will have to sign off on it since it is in their garage and she is the heir to your grandfather's estate hence she owns the car temporarily as you go through the lost title process

you don't need to know who has the title for the car this way since your grandfather purchased the car in 1990 but your grandmother will have to write a slip of paper that acts as a bill of sale to make you the legitemate owner (if the BMV makes a fuss about it have your grandmother write the sale price of the car to you as between 5 and 20 bucks and just hand her the cash money and have her sign it as a bill of legit sale)

With a bill of sale from your grandmother and the VIN# from the engine block the process of a lost title won't be so hard and confusing and the car will be in your name when it is complete

Answer 2

I know in New York, in your situation you would have to file it as a abandoned car with the state police take the papers from the state police to the DMV and do a transfer/claim ownership