Is the original title still valid on a recovered stolen vehicle? | Ask the RI DMV

Q: My son’s 2017 Maxima was stolen about four years ago. A police report was made in Providence and the DMV was notified. At the time, there wasn’t any comprehensive insurance on the vehicle, so no insurance company was involved.

The car was recovered about two years ago and has been garaged since then, unregistered. He would like to sell the car.

Is the original title still valid, or would it need to be reissued so we can sell the car?

— Richard D.

A: Our Chief of Enforcement indicated that the original title you have should still be valid. However, it is best that you contact the RI DMV Research Office, located at the Cranston DMV, so they can run the VIN through several vehicle interfaces just to make sure.

You can call them or make a reservation to come in personally and get this information. All their contact information can be found on our website (dmv.ri.gov) in the “Locations & Hours” tab. Instructions on how to make a reservation can be found on our home page.

Chuck Hollis is assistant administrator of the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles. Please email your questions to cars@providencejournal.com with “Ask the DMV” in the subject field.