AN ACT to amend and reenact subsection 1 of section 39-05-05 and section 39-05-20 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to obtaining a new vehicle certificate of title, an application for a certificate of title, and the removal of number plates on a vehicle.
SB 2247 revises North Dakota’s vehicle title application and replacement-title procedures. It updates the information required on an application for a certificate of title, including allowing the Department of Transportation to require a photo of the vehicle identification number before issuing a title, and clarifies identity documentation requirements for owners and dealers. The bill also authorizes the department to assign a VIN when one is missing or cannot be located and makes related technical changes to the title application process.
The bill substantially amends the process for obtaining a new certificate of title when the original title cannot be produced. It creates or clarifies different proof-of-ownership standards depending on who is applying: insurers handling total-loss vehicles, 501(c)(3) charities receiving donated vehicles, licensed dealers holding vehicles at an insurer’s request, individuals seeking title to vehicles under 40 years old, and persons seeking title to vehicles over 40 years old. For older vehicles, the bill allows proof by bill of sale or affidavit of ownership, requires the department to use the sale price from a bill of sale when valuing the vehicle, and limits when an appraisal may be requested. It also states that if ownership can be verified and the vehicle has a VIN, the vehicle may be transferred regardless of condition.
The bill’s impact on state law is primarily administrative and procedural, affecting title issuance, ownership verification, lien handling, and the removal of number plates in connection with title transfers. It amends sections 39-05-05 and 39-05-20 of the North Dakota Century Code and interacts with other title-related provisions, including chapter 35 procedures, the Truth in Mileage Act disclosure requirement, and an exemption tied to section 39-04-36 for certain older-vehicle transfers. The changes are likely to affect vehicle owners, dealers, insurers, charities, lienholders, and the Department of Transportation.
The overall sentiment around SB 2247 appears strongly favorable and noncontroversial. It passed the Senate and House by unanimous votes, with no recorded opposition in either chamber, suggesting broad agreement that the bill modernizes and clarifies title-transfer procedures. The absence of committee transcript material also indicates there was little visible public debate in the available record.
No major points of contention are reflected in the available materials. The bill does, however, touch on issues that could matter to different stakeholders, such as the department’s authority to require VIN photos, the evidentiary burden on applicants who lack a title, and the treatment of liens when insurers, dealers, or private purchasers seek replacement titles. The older-vehicle valuation rules and the exemption from a separate statutory provision may be of particular interest to collectors and owners of classic vehicles.
SB 2247 amends North Dakota Century Code sections 39-05-05 and 39-05-20 to change how vehicle title applications are completed and how new titles are issued when an original title is unavailable. It expands the Department of Transportation’s administrative authority over VIN verification and proof of ownership, and it creates more specific rules for insurers, charities, dealers, private purchasers, and owners of vehicles over 40 years old. The bill affects title processing, lien treatment, and related vehicle transfer procedures for the department, vehicle owners, lienholders, insurers, dealers, and nonprofit recipients.
The bill appears to have received unanimous support in both chambers, with 47-0 Senate votes and a 94-0 House vote, indicating broad bipartisan approval. The available record shows no committee opposition or recorded controversy, and the measure seems to have been viewed as a technical, clarifying update to vehicle title law rather than a contentious policy change.
No significant contention is evident in the available materials. The main policy choices in the bill involve how much proof of ownership should be required when a title is missing, whether the department may require a VIN photo, and how to handle liens and valuation for older vehicles. Those issues could matter to insurers, dealers, collectors, and private buyers, but the unanimous votes suggest they were not politically divisive in this case.