Don’t have acceptable evidence of ownership for your motor vehicle, boat, motor home, mobile home, motorcycle or other titled property in Alabama?
Good news! You can obtain a certificate of title by posting a surety bond in compliance with Section 32-8-36, Code of Alabama 1975.
By providing the state of Alabama with a certificate of title surety bond, you will be able to get a new title so you can register your vehicle. Get started with these four easy steps:
- Gather the required documents.
- Complete the appropriate application.
- Figure out the required bond amount.
- Contact a reputable agency to request your bond.
Read on for details on each of these steps to obtain a certificate of title by posting a surety bond.
First, before beginning your request to post a surety bond, make sure you have the required documents:
- The original outstanding title with the assignment completed listing the applicant as buyer.
- If you do not have the original outstanding title, or if the original title is not completed listing the applicant as buyer, then you must provide a copy of the bill of sale containing the VIN or the most current registration in the name of the applicant.
If you don’t have these documents, you cannot post bond on the vehicle. Also, if this vehicle was purchased as a body, parts, salvage or without an engine, you cannot post bond on it.
Second, provide your proof of ownership along with the MVT 10-1A bond application, available on the Alabama Motor Vehicle Title Registration and Insurance Portal.
Next, figure out which bond amount you need to obtain.
The standardized amount of surety bonds depends on your vehicle’s body type and age. For example:
- Trailers:
- Less than five (5) model years old – $25,000
- Five (5) model years old but less than ten (10) model years old – $10,000
- Ten (10) or more model years old – $5,000
- Passenger vehicles and pickup trucks:
- Less than five (5) model years old – $50,000
- Five (5) model years old but less than ten (10) model years old – $25,000
- Ten (10) or more model years old – $10,000
- Trucks, buses and recreational vehicles:
- Less than five (5) model years old – $100,000
- Five (5) model years old but less than ten (10) model years old – $50,000
- Ten (10) or more model years old – $25,000
- Motorcycles:
- Less than five (5) model years old – $25,000
- Five (5) model years old but less than ten (10) model years old – $10,000
- Ten (10) or more model years old – $5,000
- Manufactured homes:
- Less than (10) model years old – $50,000
- Ten (10) or more model years old – $25,000
Finally, contact a reputable agency, such as A1 Surety Bonds, to request your bond. Bond requests are underwritten by an insurance company through an agency like A1 Surety Bonds, and you will pay the insurance company a percentage of the required bond amount. This percentage is usually based on your creditworthiness. For example, certificate of title surety bonds are typically 1.5 percent of the required bond amount for applicants with good credit.
If you don’t have great credit, don’t worry – bonds up to $30,000 do not require a credit check. And for bonds over $25,000, companies like A1 Surety Bonds have bad credit bonding programs that can get you approved quickly and easily.
