Mich. Comp. Laws § 257.222 — MI Code / Chapter 257 / Act Act-300-of-1949 / Section 257.222
Registration certificate; issuance; electronic title; flood, rebuilt, salvage, or scrap certificate of title issued by another state or jurisdiction; delivery; manufacture; contents; coat of arms of state; conduct constituting misdemeanor; penalties; certificate of title for certain vehicles to be different in color; contents of legend.
Status: in_force

Sec. 222.

(1) Except as otherwise provided in this act, the secretary of state shall issue a registration certificate when registering a vehicle upon receipt of the required fees. Except as otherwise provided in this act, the secretary of state shall issue a paper certificate of title, unless a security interest is entered electronically under section 238, or may issue a title electronically, upon receipt of the required fees. The secretary of state shall issue a flood, rebuilt, rebuilt salvage, salvage, or scrap certificate of title for a vehicle brought into this state from another state or jurisdiction that has a flood, rebuilt, salvage, or scrap certificate of title issued by that other state or jurisdiction.

(2) The secretary of state shall deliver the registration certificate to the owner. The certificate must contain on its face the date issued, the name and address of the owner, the registration number assigned to the vehicle, and a description of the vehicle as determined by the secretary of state.

(3) The certificate of title must be created in a manner to prohibit as nearly as possible the ability to reproduce, alter, counterfeit, forge, or duplicate the certificate of title without ready detection. The certificate must contain all of the following:

(a) The identical information required on the face of the registration certificate.

(b) If the vehicle is a motor vehicle, the number of miles, not including the tenths of a mile, registered on the vehicle's odometer at the time of transfer.

(c) Whether the vehicle is to be used or has been used as a taxi, as a police vehicle, or by a political subdivision of this state, unless the vehicle is owned by a dealer and loaned or leased to a political subdivision of this state for use as a driver education vehicle.

(d) Whether the vehicle is a salvage vehicle.

(e) If the vehicle has previously been issued a rebuilt certificate of title from this state or a comparable certificate of title from any other state or jurisdiction.

(f) Whether the vehicle has been issued a scrap certificate of title from this state or a comparable certificate of title from any other state or jurisdiction.

(g) Whether the vehicle is a flood vehicle or has previously been issued a flood certificate of title from this state or any other state or jurisdiction.

(h) Whether the owner or co-owner or lessee or co-lessee of the vehicle is subject to registration denial under section 219(1)(d).

(i) A statement of the owner's title and of all security interests in the vehicle or in an accessory on the vehicle as set forth in the application.

(j) The date that the application was filed.

(k) Any other information that the secretary of state may require.

(4) A paper certificate of title must contain a form for assignment of title or interest and warranty of title by the owner with space for the notation of a security interest in the vehicle and in an accessory on the vehicle, which at the time of a transfer must be certified and signed, and space for a written odometer mileage statement that is required upon transfer under section 233a. The certificate of title must include a description of the proper procedure for transferring the title of a motor vehicle and for maintaining records of that transfer as provided under this act, including, but not limited to, the electronic lien title system established under section 241. The certificate of title may also contain other forms that the secretary of state considers necessary to facilitate the effective administration of this act. The certificate must bear the coat of arms of this state.

(5) Except as otherwise provided under this subsection, the secretary of state shall mail or deliver a paper certificate of title to the owner or other person as the owner may direct in a separate instrument, in a form prescribed by the secretary of state. The secretary of state may issue a title electronically. However, as provided under section 238, the secretary of state is not required to issue a paper title to the owner of a vehicle if the title is subject to a security interest.

(6) A person that intentionally reproduces, alters, counterfeits, forges, or duplicates a certificate of title or a document releasing a security interest or that uses a reproduced, altered, counterfeited, forged, or duplicated certificate of title or document releasing a security interest must be punished as follows:

(a) If the intent of reproduction, alteration, counterfeiting, forging, duplication, or use was to commit or aid in the commission of an offense punishable by imprisonment for 1 or more years, the person committing the reproduction, alteration, counterfeiting, forging, duplication, or use is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for a period equal to that which could be imposed for the commission of the offense the person had the intent to aid or commit. The court may also assess a fine of not more than $10,000.00 against the person.

(b) If the intent of the reproduction, alteration, counterfeiting, forging, duplication, or use was to commit or aid in the commission of an offense punishable by imprisonment for not more than 1 year, the person committing the reproduction, alteration, counterfeiting, forging, duplication, or use is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 1 year, or a fine of not more than $1,000.00, or both.

(7) A paper certificate of title for a police vehicle, a vehicle owned by a political subdivision of this state, a salvage vehicle, a rebuilt vehicle, a scrap vehicle, or a flood vehicle must be a different color from the certificate of title for all other vehicles unless the vehicle is loaned or leased to a political subdivision of this state for use as a driver education vehicle.

(8) A scrap certificate of title must contain a legend that the vehicle is not to be titled or registered and is to be used for parts or scrap metal only.

(9) A certificate of title must not be issued for a vehicle that has had a salvage certificate of title unless the certificate of title contains the legend "rebuilt salvage".

History: 1949, Act 300, Eff. Sept. 23, 1949; Am. 1954, Act 112, Eff. Aug. 13, 1954; Am. 1958, Act 99, Eff. Sept. 13, 1958; Am. 1964, Act 248, Eff. Jan. 1, 1965; Am. 1968, Act 66, Eff. Aug. 1, 1968; Am. 1977, Act 287, Eff. Mar. 30, 1978; Am. 1980, Act 398, Eff. Mar. 31, 1981; Am. 1988, Act 470, Eff. Apr. 1, 1989; Am. 1990, Act 265, Imd. Eff. Oct. 17, 1990; Am. 1993, Act 300, Eff. July 1, 1994; Am. 1999, Act 267, Imd. Eff. Dec. 29, 1999; Am. 2000, Act 397, Imd. Eff. Jan. 8, 2001; Am. 2002, Act 485, Eff. Oct. 1, 2002; Am. 2002, Act 642, Eff. Jan. 1, 2003; Am. 2004, Act 493, Eff. Oct. 1, 2005; Am. 2014, Act 290, Eff. Mar. 31, 2015; Am. 2023, Act 240, Eff. Feb. 13, 2024