News in 2014

You’ve signed up for an account with Auto Data Direct and you think you’re getting the most out of it, but are you really? Many ADD users don’t realize that in addition to the salvage reporting, vehicle history, temp tags, or certified letters services, they may qualify for access to DMV123, ADD’s real-time portal to owner and lienholder searches in 30 states. DMV123 gives you instant access to real-time motor vehicle records in more states than any other service of its kind.

ADD helps repo agencies save precious time and effort when completing the notification process. Take advantage of ADD’s DirectPost-Office electronic certified mail services to create and send your property notices. Auto Data Direct, Inc. (ADD) prides itself on offering services that enable customers to easily comply with the myriad of statutes and regulations that govern their industries. One such service is DirectPost-Office (DPO), a web- based certified mail tool that allows users to complete forms online and electronically create certified letters to be mailed out via the US Postal Service. DPO saves you the cost of ink, paper and envelopes, as well as saving you the time spent filling out forms and making trips to the post office.

HB 7005, a bill that reinstates a notice to surrender and surrender stop process in Florida has passed the House and is awaiting Governor Scott’s signature. The new requirements include a process for a customer to dispute the stop being placed by the lienholder. Florida dealers and lenders may recall that lienholders in Florida once had the ability to place a stop on the Florida Real-Time Vehicle Information System (FRVIS) record of a customer who had not made loan payments and was concealing or refusing to return a vehicle with a recorded lien. This stop prevented the customer from renewing the vehicle registration until it was returned to the lienholder.

ADD has put together a comprehensive list of their most frequently asked questions about NMVTIS salvage reporting and compliance. ** I report salvage/derelict vehicles to my state. Does this cover my federal NMVTIS reporting obligations?** All businesses that buy, sell, or control junk, salvage and total loss vehicles must report to NMVTIS independent of state reporting. NMVTIS reporting of junk, salvage and total loss vehicles is a federal requirement separate from state requirements or processes. Georgia is currently the only state that offers consolidated state/federal reporting for auto recyclers and secondary metals recyclers in that state. Consolidated Georgia reporting must be done through Auto Data Direct. ADD is the only approved portal for Georgia recyclers to meet both state and federal reporting requirements. Vehicles reported through a system other than ADD’s Georgia Salvage Reporting system will not satisfy both Georgia and federal regulations.

In May, the recycling industry saw a new National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) reporting enforcement effort from the Department of Justice. Unlike previous enforcement efforts that identified businesses that may have been under-reporting, the newest push is focusing on businesses that have not been reporting at all. In early May, DOJ contacted Alabama businesses who registered for and received NMVTIS identification numbers, but had not reported any records. Similar letters will be going out to businesses in other states as well.

This past weekend, Michigan successfully loaded its title and brand data into the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) database, bringing the percentage of US vehicles represented in the NMVTIS system to 96%. For ADD customers, this means that title data provided by the Michigan DMV will now be available as a part of the NMVTIS Vehicle History Reports with lien and national theft data. This report, searchable by VIN, is available under the Search DMV123 tab.

Great news for Florida consumers and dealers! Senate Bill 156 containing a $400 million registration fee reduction has passed and was signed into law on April 2 by Governor Scott. The fee reductions will take effect on September 1, 2014. ADD’s Florida Fee Calculator will be updated with the new fee structure for September 1st.

Required ADD Password Change Recently, a major online security vulnerability nicknamed “Heartbleed” was discovered. This security bug could allow unauthorized parties to access personal information transmitted between computers, and is estimated to affect almost 2/3 of the websites on the internet. When you log into a secure website (ADD, your bank website, or Facebook), the information shared between you and the website is “private”, meaning that only the website server and your computer see the data transmitted back and forth. The Heartbleed bug could allow an outside person or computer to see usernames and passwords, as well as information transmitted to and from the secure website, including credit card information or e-mails.

No matter what industry you’re in, if your business qualifies for access to ADD’s real-time motor vehicle inquiries*, DMV123’s 31-state availability can be an incredible time-saver. Think about it – you can get the owner and lienholder records you need without ever leaving your office. No phone calls to DMV offices around the country; no time lost waiting on a fax that may or may not come. The ability to pull those motor vehicle records from a single source increases your company’s efficiency and has a direct impact on your bottom line.

Auto Data Direct, Inc., (ADD) is pleased to announce its partnership with the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association (NIADA) to offer NIADA members access to services they can use to protect their assets and enhance their profitability. ADD’s special member benefits can improve dealership efficiency and help ensure a healthy bottom line when it comes to purchasing used vehicle inventory or taking a vehicle in on trade.