You found a cheap car with a Minnesota salvage title, or a listing marked prior salvage, and you want to know two things: can you legally drive it, and is it worth the money. Here is what each brand means, the DVS inspection steps and fees, and what branded cars actually sell for at our Minnesota auctions.
Shopping for one now? Every listing on our live Minnesota car auction shows the title brand up front, so you know what you are bidding on before the clock runs out.
The short answer: A Minnesota salvage title lets you own, move and sell a car, but not register it. To drive it, repair the car, pass a DVS salvage inspection (an anti-theft check, not a safety check), then pay the $35 inspection fee plus the $12 filing fee at a deputy registrar. The new title reads prior salvage, permanently.
Updated October 28, 2026. Checked against Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services (dps.mn.gov) and the Minnesota Statutes (revisor.mn.gov). Sources are linked at the bottom.
Key takeaways
- Salvage title: proves ownership, but Minnesota will not register the car on it.
- Prior salvage title: Minnesota’s version of a rebuilt title. The car can be registered and driven, and the brand never comes off.
- Inspection only for some cars: the DVS salvage inspection applies to late-model (model year 2021 or newer in 2026) and high-value vehicles.
- Fees: $35 inspection fee plus a $12 filing fee, paid at a deputy registrar after you pass.
- Paperwork wins or loses it: bring form PS2015A and receipts on company letterhead for every major part.
- Price: in our Minnesota sales, comparable prior salvage cars sold for roughly 43% less than clean title cars.
What is a salvage title in Minnesota?
Under Minnesota Statutes 168A.01, a salvage vehicle is one an insurer declared a total loss or paid a total loss claim on, or one where the repair cost was more than 80% of its value right before the damage. Minnesota prints the word salvage in a black box near the bottom of the title, according to the DVS salvage vehicle process page.
Not every totaled car gets a salvage brand, though. Minnesota Statutes 168A.151 splits them in two:
- Late-model or high-value cars get salvage: late-model means a model year no older than the fifth calendar year before the current one, so 2021 or newer in 2026. High-value means an actual cash value over $9,000 before the damage, or a gross vehicle weight rating over 26,000 pounds.
- Everything else goes straight to prior salvage: when an insurer takes an older, lower-value car, it applies for a title branded prior salvage. No salvage inspection is required for that brand.
That second rule is why most budget auction cars you see in Minnesota say prior salvage, not salvage. An older car that was totaled for hail or a fender bender often never needed an inspection at all.
How to get a salvage title in Minnesota
If you are the buyer, the brand may be on you. Under 168A.151, a person who acquires a damaged late-model or high-value vehicle must immediately apply for a title branded salvage if the car was bought by an insurer through a damage payment, will cost more to repair than it is worth, has an out-of-state salvage title, or carries a damaged, repairable or salvage brand. Owners who self-insure must do the same when damage tops 80% of the car’s actual cash value.
For a damaged car that does not need the salvage brand but carries a rebuilt, reconditioned or similar brand, or had a salvage brand anywhere in its history, the law calls for a prior salvage title instead. Our guide to the cost to transfer a car title in Minnesota explains the regular title paperwork and fees.
Salvage vs prior salvage vs rebuilt in Minnesota
Minnesota does not print rebuilt on titles. The brands DVS lists on its title brands and notations page are salvage, prior salvage, lemon law, reconstructed, flood and hazardous substance, with notations such as junk and not actual odometer. If you see a lemon law brand, our guide to the Minnesota lemon law and used cars explains what that law does and does not cover.
| Brand | What it means | Can you register it? |
|---|---|---|
| Salvage | Late-model or high-value total loss, not yet inspected | No |
| Prior salvage | Was salvage or a total loss at some point. Stays forever | Yes |
| Rebuilt (other states) | Not a Minnesota brand. Usually becomes prior salvage when titled here | Yes, once retitled |
| Reconstructed | Materially altered by adding or swapping essential parts | Yes, after inspection |
| Flood damaged | Totaled for water or flood damage. Stays on every future title | Yes, if not also salvage |
| Junking certificate | Unrepairable total loss. Holder may only possess and transport it | No |
For the bigger picture on brands, read why car title status matters and our breakdown of certified vs salvage cars. Flood cars have their own warning signs, covered in buying flood-damaged cars.
Can you drive a salvage title car in Minnesota?
No. Minnesota Statutes 168A.152 says a salvage title lets you possess, transport and transfer the car, but does not authorize you to register it. Without registration, it cannot legally go on public roads. Plan to tow or trailer it home, to the shop and to the inspection.
DVS also notes that a registration can be renewed only once on a salvage title, so it pays to clear the brand quickly.
The Minnesota salvage inspection: steps, forms and fees
These steps come from the DVS salvage vehicle process page and Minnesota Statutes 168A.152.
- 1. Repair the car and keep every receipt. The inspection checks where the parts came from, so paperwork matters as much as the repair.
- 2. Fill out form PS2015A. The Declaration of Reconstruction/Special Assembly lists each major part, its part number or the VIN of the parts car, and where it came from. The person who made the repairs signs it.
- 3. Schedule the DVS inspection. You need the VIN to book. DVS lets you schedule an inspection online or through its contact center.
- 4. Bring your documents. The salvage title if you have not surrendered it, form PS2015A, and receipts on original company letterhead for major parts. If you used a parts vehicle, bring a copy of its title.
- 5. Pass the inspection. DVS says it is not a safety inspection. It is there to deter fraud and theft by confirming the car’s identity and parts.
- 6. Submit the paperwork at a deputy registrar. Pay the $35 salvage inspection fee and the filing fee. DVS removes the salvage brand and issues a title branded prior salvage.
DVS does not publish a standard wait time for salvage inspections on its salvage page, so book once the repairs are done and your receipts are organized.
How much does a Minnesota salvage inspection cost?
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Salvage inspection fee | $35 |
| Filing fee (title transaction) | $12 |
| Deputy registrar surcharge | $1 where a filing fee is charged |
| Registration, plates and tax | Separate, based on the vehicle |
Minnesota law says the filing fee is the only extra fee allowed for issuing that title. The real cost is everything around it: parts, labor, towing and the time the car sits.
What a prior salvage title does to price: our Minnesota sales
We sell branded title cars at our Minnesota auctions, so we can show you the gap instead of guessing. Here is what Remarket Space sales data shows for cars sold at our Minnesota auctions from October 29, 2025 to October 27, 2026.
| Minnesota sales, past 12 months | Cars sold | Average winning bid |
|---|---|---|
| Clean title, 2008 to 2014, 100k to 200k miles | 220 | $1,339 |
| Prior salvage, 2008 to 2014, 100k to 200k miles | 14 | $757 |
| All clean title sales | 748 | $1,336 |
| All prior salvage sales | 34 | $963 |
On comparable cars, prior salvage sold for about $580 less, roughly 43% under clean title. Across all sales, prior salvage cars still sold lower even though they averaged two model years newer and fewer miles. You can check individual results on our real Minnesota auction sale prices page.
The takeaway works both ways. Buy prior salvage for what it is worth, and expect the next buyer to pay less too. Our guide on how vehicle history affects used car prices goes deeper on how history moves value.
Insuring and financing a salvage or rebuilt car in Minnesota
- Insurance: call your agent with the VIN before you bid. Ask whether they will write full coverage or only liability on a prior salvage car, and how they would value it after a claim.
- Ask the seller: under Minnesota Statutes 325F.6641, a Minnesota seller who knows a car had damage over 80% of its value must disclose that in writing on the title paperwork.
- Financing: some lenders will not finance branded title cars, or cap the loan. Ask before you count on a loan.
- Check the history yourself: DVS recommends a vehicle history report before any used car purchase, including the federal NMVTIS title check. Our vehicle history report guide shows what to look for.
Is a salvage or prior salvage car worth buying?
| Usually worth it | Usually not worth it |
|---|---|
| Cosmetic or hail damage on a prior salvage car priced well below clean | Frame, flood or airbag damage you cannot see clearly in photos |
| You plan to keep and drive it for years | You plan to resell soon and need clean title money |
| Your insurer quotes the coverage you need | Your insurer will only write liability |
| You can document every major part for DVS | Parts came from unknown sources with no receipts |
Use our free pre-bid inspection checklist on the listing photos, and if you plan to fix and sell, read repairing and flipping salvage cars and bidding at salvage auctions. Flipping more than five cars a year? Check Minnesota’s 5-car rule first. Buying a car with no title at all is a different problem, covered in buying a car without a title in Minnesota.
Buying in the St. Louis area? Missouri runs a different process, explained in our Missouri salvage title guide.
Buying a branded title car through Remarket Space
Remarket Space is an online car marketplace open to the public. You need a free account and an ID, not a dealer license. Our Minnesota auctions include clean, prior salvage, and total loss history cars, and every listing shows the title brand, a full inspection by a Verified Remarket Space Inspector, a free Carfax and an HD virtual test drive. Every car is delivered, your title is guaranteed for life, and undisclosed engine, transmission, frame or flood damage reported within 72 hours of delivery is covered by our 3-Day Major Mechanical Guarantee.
See current salvage and rebuilt listings, read how bidding works, or check the buyer premium and fees. For daily drivers, browse Minnesota cars under $5,000, Fords in Minnesota or Toyotas in Minnesota.
Frequently asked questions
Not legally on public roads until the salvage brand is cleared. Minnesota law says a salvage title lets you own, move and sell the car, but not register it. Pass the DVS salvage inspection, pay the fees, and the new prior salvage title can be registered.
The salvage inspection fee is $35, paid when you submit the paperwork at a deputy registrar. State law allows only one other fee for that title, the $12 filing fee. A deputy registrar can also add a $1 surcharge. Registration and tax are separate.
Bring the salvage title if you still have it, the Declaration of Reconstruction form PS2015A, and receipts on company letterhead for every major part you replaced. If parts came from another vehicle, bring a copy of that vehicle’s title too.
Not by that name. Minnesota does not print rebuilt on titles. A repaired salvage car that passes inspection gets a prior salvage brand. A car arriving with a rebuilt brand from another state is generally titled prior salvage in Minnesota as well.
It means the car was a total loss or salvage vehicle at some point. It can be registered and driven like any other car, but the prior salvage brand stays on every future Minnesota title for that vehicle.
No. DVS says the salvage inspection is not a safety inspection. It checks the vehicle’s identity and where the replacement parts came from, to deter theft and fraud. You still need to make sure the car is safe to drive.
It can be, if the price reflects the brand. In our Minnesota sales over the past year, comparable prior salvage cars sold for about $580 less on average than clean title cars. Check the damage, the insurance quote and your resale plans first.
Sources
- Minnesota DVS: Vehicle title salvage vehicle process
- Minnesota DVS: Vehicle title brands and notations
- Minnesota DVS form PS2015A: Declaration of reconstruction/special assembly
- Minnesota Statutes 168A.01: Definitions (salvage, late-model, high-value)
- Minnesota Statutes 168A.05: Title brands printed on certificates
- Minnesota Statutes 168A.151: Salvage title and junking certificate
- Minnesota Statutes 168A.152: Use of salvage title and inspection fee
- Minnesota Statutes 168.33: Filing fees
- Minnesota Statutes 325F.6641: Disclosure of vehicle damage
- Minnesota Statutes 325F.6642: Flood, salvage and prior salvage brands
This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Titling rules and fees can change, so confirm with Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services before you buy or rebuild a salvage car.
