This means the vehicle was registered and used for business purposes (such as a delivery truck, taxi or car rental).

This designation was assigned to the vehicle by a provincial vehicle registration authority. We are unable to confirm which specific business or type of business the vehicle was registered to. We recommend speaking with the seller and/or the provincial registration authority for more information.

Before you buy a used car, we recommend that you get a CARFAX Canada Vehicle History Report, take a thorough test drive and have the vehicle inspected by a qualified mechanic and/or auto technician to make sure the vehicle is functioning properly.

U.S. state agencies such as Departments of Motor Vehicles and Bureaus of Motor Vehicles are referred to as DMVs. They typically issue vehicle titles and registrations and handle individual driver's licenses.

This means the vehicle must be certified or pass an inspection (usually mechanical) to be deemed safe. The vehicle may have not been roadworthy, or the province may be making a note that the vehicle needs inspection prior to its next registration.

This brand was assigned to the vehicle by a provincial vehicle registration authority. We are unable to confirm why vehicle was branded this way.

Before you buy a used car, we recommend that you get a CARFAX Canada Vehicle History Report, take a thorough test drive and have the vehicle inspected by a qualified mechanic or auto technician to make sure the vehicle is functioning properly. We would also recommend speaking with your provincial vehicle registration authority to further ensure vehicle can be registered with and operated in your province.

A motor vehicle department is a government entity responsible for motor vehicles in a particular jurisdiction. In Canada, this is typically the provincial vehicle registration authority; in the U.S. it is typically the state's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

The VIN was not found in provincial registration records. If you are viewing a report that is showing “not found” in every province and you know it has been registered, please verify the VIN to ensure you are looking at the history report for the right vehicle.

The date this registration record became effective.

Typically, this is a change of ownership or renewal of a license plate sticker, however it can also mean that a transaction was done at the vehicle registration authority such as a change of address or name change.

It’s common to see multiple transactions coming from the motor vehicle department on our vehicle history report.

The vehicle has been identified as sold by the registered owner.

Storm registration/title means that a vehicle was registered or titled prior to a storm event in a FEMA-designated storm-damaged area.

Storm events can include hurricanes, floods and other natural disasters.

While a vehicle may have been reported as titled or registered in an affected area, it may not have been damaged by the storm, or it may have been moved to safety during the storm.

We recommend a thorough professional inspection of the vehicle to confirm whether it sustained any storm damage.

Each provincial vehicle registration authority or U.S. state applies brands to classify the condition of a vehicle. Normal, Salvage, Rebuilt and Irreparable are examples of Canadian vehicle brands. Vehicles are branded as Normal if there has been no unusual activity.

Normal: The vehicle has no negative branding in the reporting province.

Salvage: The vehicle’s structural and/or mechanical integrity has been compromised, and/or the repair costs are estimated to be higher than the car’s current market value.

Rebuilt: A vehicle previously declared as salvage or that was previously damaged but has had required repairs completed, inspected and declared safe to drive.

Irreparable: A vehicle that has been damaged so severely that it can never be rebuilt for safe use on the roads. Sometimes listed as “Non-Repairable.”

For more information on Canadian branding, please see: Brand

The following definitions pertain to U.S. titles only:

Junk: A vehicle damaged to the extent that the cost of repairing the vehicle exceeds approximately 75% of its pre-damage value. This damage threshold may vary by state; once one of these brands has been applied to a vehicle, it should never receive a Normal registration again.

Not Actual Mileage: When the seller certifies, under the Federal Odometer Act, that the odometer reading does not reflect the vehicle's actual mileage. This may occur because the odometer was tampered with, broken or replaced.

Lemon: A vehicle with problems that could not be fixed by the manufacturer. The specifics of what constitutes a lemon varies by state, but once a vehicle is branded a Lemon there are various legal remedies available to the consumer, which may include the manufacturer buying back or replacing the vehicle.

Fire Damage: The vehicle sustained major damage due to fire. In most states, fire damage titles are issued when the cost of repairing the vehicle for safe operation exceeds its fair market value.

Flood: States issue flood titles when a vehicle has been in a flood or has received extensive water damage.

Hail: The vehicle sustained major damage due to hail. In most states, hail damage titles are issued when the cost of repairing the vehicle for safe operation exceeds its fair market value.

Exceeds Mechanical Limits: A vehicle with a 5-digit odometer cannot accurately track mileage after 99,999 miles because the odometer rolls over. This title is the result of a seller certifying under the Federal Odometer Act, that the odometer reading exceeds the mechanical limits of the odometer.