In the case of non salvaged cars, if a registration goes inactive for awhile, it drops out of the system. A VIN verification needs to be done to authenticate the numbers then the process of re-registering the car begins.
You'll also need proof of insurance.
Insurance companies will run the
vin thru NCIB, whereas the state will
run the vin thru NCIC. Insurance is
checking for any unsettled losses
on the car, the state checks to see
if any major component (car/engine/
trans/even some body parts such as
fenders/hoods/trunk lids, have been
reported as stolen. Cars pre 1981
don't have the standard 17 digit vin.
What's aggravating, is both of these
entities apply post 1981 standards
to these older cars, and in most cases
those rules can't possibly apply.
Case in point. My Plymouth truck.
It was registered the day it was
purchased (1940), driven to a ranch,
and never saw asphalt after that.
DMV wants me to research a title
that is 80 years old and only registered
one time, using a 12 digit serial
number. They won't 'grandfather'
anything either, as when I started
this project, everything I did to
document the purchase (at that time),
was all I needed to get a title.