§ 46.2-1993.35. Temporary certificates of ownership
A. Notwithstanding §§ 46.2-617 and 46.2-628, whenever a dealer licensed by the Department sells and delivers to a purchaser a vehicle and is unable at the time of the sale to deliver to the purchaser the certificate of title or certificate of origin for the vehicle because the certificate of title or certificate of origin is lost or is being detained by another in possession or for any other reason beyond the dealer's control, the dealer shall execute, on forms provided by the Commissioner, a temporary certificate of ownership. The certificate shall bear its date of issuance, the name and address of the purchaser, the identification number of the vehicle, the registration number to be used temporarily on the vehicle, the name of the state in which the vehicle is to be registered, the name and address of the person from whom the dealer acquired the vehicle, and whatever other information may be required by the Commissioner. A copy of the temporary certificate and a bona fide bill of sale shall be delivered to the purchaser and shall be in the possession of the purchaser at all times when operating the vehicle. One copy of the certificate shall be retained by the dealer and shall be subject to inspection at any time by the Department's agents. The original of the certificate shall be forwarded by the dealer to the Department directly on issuance to the purchaser if the vehicle is to be titled outside the Commonwealth, along with application for title. The issuance of a temporary certificate of ownership to a purchaser pursuant to this section shall have the effect of vesting ownership of the motorcycle in the purchaser for the period that the certificate remains effective.
B. A temporary certificate of ownership issued by a dealer to a purchaser pursuant to this section shall expire on receipt by the purchaser of a certificate of title to the vehicle issued by the Department in the name of the purchaser, but in no event shall any temporary certificate of ownership issued under this section be effective for more than thirty days from the date of its issuance. In the event that the dealer fails to produce the old certificate of title or certificate of origin to the vehicle or fails to apply for a replacement certificate of title pursuant to § 46.2-632, thereby preventing delivery to the Department or purchaser before the expiration of the temporary certificate of ownership, the purchaser's ownership of the vehicle may terminate and the purchaser shall have the right to return the vehicle to the dealer and obtain a full refund of all payments made toward the purchase of the vehicle, less any damage to the vehicle incurred while ownership was vested in the purchaser, and less a reasonable amount for use not to exceed one-half the amount allowed per mile by the Internal Revenue Service, as provided by regulation, revenue procedure, or revenue ruling promulgated pursuant to § 162 of the Internal Revenue Code, for use of a personal vehicle for business purposes.
C. Notwithstanding subsection B of this section, if the dealer fails to deliver the certificate of title or certificate of origin to the purchaser within thirty days, a second temporary certificate of ownership may be issued. However, the dealer shall, not later than the expiration of the first temporary certificate, deliver to the Department an application for title, copy of the bill of sale, all required fees and a written statement of facts describing the dealer's efforts to secure the certificate of title or certificate of origin to the vehicle. On receipt of the title application with attachments as described herein, the Department shall record the purchaser's ownership of the vehicle and may authorize the dealer to issue a second thirty-day temporary certificate of ownership. If the dealer does not produce the certificate of title or certificate of origin to the vehicle before the expiration of the second temporary certificate, the purchaser's ownership of the vehicle may terminate and he shall have the right to return the vehicle as provided in subsection B of this section.
D. If the dealer is unable to produce the certificate of title or certificate of origin to the vehicle within the sixty-day period from the date of issuance of the first temporary certificate, the Department may extend temporary ownership for an additional period of up to ninety days, provided the dealer makes application in the format required by the Department. If the dealer does not produce the certificate of title or certificate of origin to the vehicle before the expiration of the additional ninety-day period, the purchaser's ownership of the vehicle may terminate and he shall have the right to return the motorcycle as provided in subsection B of this section.
E. The Commissioner, on determining that the provisions of this section or the directions of the Department are not being complied with by a dealer, may, after a hearing, suspend the right of the dealer to issue temporary certificates of ownership.
F. The provisions of this section shall not apply to all-terrain vehicles and off-road motorcycles.
(1996, cc. 1043, 1052; 2006, c. 896.)
Sections: Previous 46.2-1993.28 46.2-1993.29 46.2-1993.30 46.2-1993.31 46.2-1993.32 46.2-1993.33 46.2-1993.34 46.2-1993.35 46.2-1993.36 46.2-1993.37 46.2-1993.38 46.2-1993.39 46.2-1993.40 46.2-1993.41 46.2-1993.42 NextLast modified: April 16, 2009