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(You may want to keep a copy of these in your glove box)

Titling of Vehicles in Idaho

What to do, and who to contact:

Nothing is more frustrating than putting countless hours into a street rod, classic, or restored vehicle only to find out that you cannot register or use that vehicle because you don't have a clear title or some related problem exists. Be assured that answers are available, and the best advice anyone can give you is to work with the people who will be involved in the titling process, from the outset of a project, to make sure you can get a title and enjoy that vehicle in the future.

Assume that you go to a swap meet and find a good project car body, buy it and bring it home. Weeks later you find a frame, or decided to construct a custom frame for that car. First thing to do is to save all your receipts. Get receipts for everything you buy for that vehicle. If you get a title with that body, that is fine, but if the title numbers don't match the frame numbers, it won't work, and eventually you will have to get new numbers issued from the State of Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) for title clearance. When you get the components of the vehicle you are building (body, frame, fenders, engine, transmission, etc.), call ITD in your area and talk to an inspector about your project. They can tell you what else you might need, and will document the file so they have a record of what is going on. This will save you a lot of frustration when it comes time for final titling and registration. Remember, you cannot get registered to drive your vehicle without a clear title.

Click on any color-coded district on the map or county name, below, to find the currently listed investigator contact for your county. These Transportation Department investigators are available to assist you. Please give them a call to help everyone work together in this process.

District 9:District 6: Bonneville, Butte, Clark, Custer, Fremont, Jefferson, Lemhi, Madison, and TetonDistrict 5: Bannock, Bear Lake, Bingham, Caribou, Franklin, Oneida, and PowerDistrict 4: Blaine, Camas, Cassia, Gooding, Jerome, Lincoln, Minidoka, and Twin FallsDistrict 3B: Ada, Elmore, and Valley. District 3C: Ada and BoiseDistrict 3A: Adams, Canyon, Gem, Owyhee, Payette, and WashingtonDistrict 2: Clearwater, Idaho, Latah, Lewis, and Nez PerceDistrict 1: Benewah, Boundary, Bonner, Kootenai, Shoshone
District 1 - Benewah, Boundary, Bonner, Kootenai, and Shoshone counties

Investigator: Pat Redel,  phone: 772-1261 fax: 772-8023
Mailing address: 600 West Prairie Ave, Coeur d'Alene 83814-0347
Office address: Idaho Transportation Department, 205 26th Street North, Lewiston, ID 83501 
office hours: Monday and Thursday - by appt.
District 2 - Clearwater, Idaho, Latah, Lewis, and Nez Perce counties

Investigator: Randy Squires phone: 799-4289 fax: 799-4214
Mailing address: PO Box 937, Lewiston, ID 83501
office hours: Monday and Thursday - by appt
Office address: 805 26th Street North, Lewiston 83501
District 3A - Adams, Canyon, Gem, Owyhee, Payette, and Washington counties

Investigator: Kris Branner phone: 454-7661 fax: 454-7662
Mailing address: PO Box 7129, Boise, ID 83707-1129
office hours: Monday and Friday - by appt
Office address: Middleton Rest Area, I-84, Caldwell, ID 83605
District 3B - Ada, Elmore, and Valley counties / District 3C - Ada and Boise counties

Investigator: Brian Dean phone: 334-8686 fax: 332-4183
mailing address P.O. Box 7129, 3311 W. State Street, Boise 83707
office hours: Monday and Friday - by appt
Office address: Idaho Transportation Department, 3311 W. State St., Boise, ID 83703
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Investigator: Janet Sammis phone: 334-8684 fax: 332-4182
Mailing address: P.O. Box 7129, 3311 West State Street, Boise 83707
office hours: Monday and Friday - by appt
Office address: Idaho Transportation Department, 3311 W. State St., Boise, ID 83703
District 4 - Blaine, Camas, Cassia, Gooding, Jerome, Lincoln, Minidoka, and Twin Falls counties

Investigator: Ellen Logan phone: 736-3099 fax: 736-3086
Mailing address: P.O. Box FF, 626 Eastland Drive S, Suite A, Twin Falls 83303
office hours: Monday and Friday - by appt
Office Address: Idaho Transportation Department, 3311 W. State St., Boise, ID 83703
District 5 - Bannock, Bear Lake, Bingham, Caribou, Franklin, Oneida, and Power counties

Investigator: Eric Elle phone: 236-6052 fax: 236-6053
Mailing address: P.O. Box 4700, 5151 South 5th Ave, Pocatello 83202
office hours: Monday and Friday - by appt
Office Address: Idaho Transportation Department, 3311 W. State St., Boise, ID 83703
District 6 - Bonneville, Butte, Clark, Custer, Fremont, Jefferson, Lemhi, Madison, and Teton counties

Investigator: Thea Wilcox phone: 525-7109 fax: 525-7110
Mailing address: P.O. Box 51478, 1540 Foote Drive, Idaho Falls 83405
office hours: Monday and Friday - by appt
Office address: Idaho Transportation Department, 3311 W. State St., Boise, ID 83703
District 9

Investigator: T. Rex Green, supervisor of Dealer Operations and Investigations
phone: 208-334-8687 fax: 208-334-8658
Address: PO Box 7129, Boise, ID 83707-1129
Office: Idaho Transportation Department, 3311 West State St, Boise, ID 83703

We cannot emphasize enough the importance of contacting these people early on in your project to insure that you will be able to get clear title. Honesty is always the best policy. If you found a body in some deserted place, let them know. If there is a landowner, get permission to remove the car or parts, and get a note giving you permission to do so. That might suffice as a bill of sale and could make the difference between getting a title or not. Document whatever you can in this regard, because it will all work on your behalf later on. Even take pictures of the vehicle, condition and location of where found, whatever else you think may help your cause. The more information the better.

The people at the Transportation Department are only trying to do their job, and they need documentation in order to do it. With all the stolen vehicles these days, it is their responsibility to insure that they are not giving good title in Idaho to a vehicle stolen from some other State. Help them, and they can help you.

IF YOU BUY A VEHICLE MAKE SURE THE NUMBERS MATCH THE TITLE. IT MAY NOT MEAN THAT MUCH TO YOU NOW, BUT WHEN YOU GO TO SELL, A MORE CONCERNED PERSON MIGHT CHECK THE NUMBERS AND IF THEY DON'T MATCH, YOU WILL LOSE A SALE.