I have done the bonded title process in both Arizona and New Mexico..and the experiences were entirely different. In Arizona, the MVD was very helpful, explained the process, and helped me with figuring out where the last title was from, who to send forms to, etc. etc. This was about 10 years ago and the bond fee was $50 then. They even gave me a 90 day temporary registration to drive around with during the process.
My first experience with the bonded title process in New Mexico was excruciating. First off, the MVD people were argumentative and rude, and tried to tell me there was no such process in New Mexico, and I was stuck with a vehicle that I could not legally own or drive. They kept insisting that the previous owner didn't have the legal right to sell any vehicle without a title. I didn't believe them, so I contacted the New Mexico Governor's office by email.
Within a few days, a very nice fellow who is the MVD Field Manager for the entire state of New Mexico called me and explained that yes, indeed, there was a process in New Mexico for obtaining a bonded title, and after explanation, it appeared to be very similar to the process in Arizona.
Long story short, after I explained my treatment at the particular MVD office where I had been told there was no process for bonded title, I shortly recieved a call from the office's manager, who explained that she would help me personally upon my next visit, and I didn't have to take a number or wait in line.
She still objected to helping me, and made it plain that she was only doing so because her boss had said she had to. She still insisted there was no process for a bonded title in New Mexico, especially the part about giving a temp registration.
Regardless, the process that didn't exist was begun, and a temporary registration was issued me.
Thankfully, having some experience tracking people, I got on the internet and started searching. With a lot of persistence and a little luck, I was able to locate the titled owner in Missouri through a retired military interest website. The fellow checked with his local MVD the next day and was surprised to find the vehicle was still titled in his name in Missouri, since he had sold the vehicle about a decade earlier!
Before I filled out too many forms, or had purchased the bond, which would have cost $60, the fellow in Missouri simply went and got a duplicate title, signed it, and sent it to me. It was all real simple after that.
Just today I got my 1959 Viking registered here in New Mexico. Again there was a title problem, this time one I was not even aware of. The title I got was in the name of someone who had passed away in 1995. The widow had sold the vehicle at auction in Colorado in 2003, and believed she had done what was necessary, signing the title as the successor, and attaching a copy of the death certificate for her husband who had died 8 years previous. The fellow I bought from had never had the vehicle titled in his name, so I got the same paperwork he had, which I figured was complete. I even got registrations and other paperwork for the truck going back to 1965.
Again, I made the mistake of going to the same MVD office which had given me so much trouble with the bonded title process, and they told me all the paperwork I had was worthless, and I needed to find the lady in Colorado, whom I never met or had contact with, who had sold the truck 5 years ago, and then have her put the truck in her name, in Colorado, before she signed the title over to me. Well, all I had was a name on a title that had been signed over 5 years ago.
Well, this last Tuesday was a holiday, so all the state offices were closed. I couldn't get anything done on the title, so I got on the internet again as started searching. Soon, I found the name of the lady who had sold the vehicle back in 2003, found that she had remmarried, and had her new last name, along with an address, zip code, and phone number right here in New Mexico in a town about 10 miles away! That was the "luck" part again!
Before I could get in touch with her, I had again emailed the governor's office, and contacted every dept having to do with the MVD, and every state Senator and Representative.
Today I got a call from another State-level MVD employee who explained that the MVD office I had visited on Monday was again, wrong. That I could get the 59 Viking titled and registered here in New Mexico without having to go back to Colorado, and without having the previous titled owner having to have the truck taken out of her deceased husband's name and put into her name first. All I needed was one notarized form from the previous titled owner, and that form was available online at the New Mexico MVD website!
With those form, I was able to title and register my truck today, alone, with no problems, at a different MVD office where the fellow who called me this morn suggested I go. He also emailed ahead to that office's director to help me personally.
I know this is a long post, and I'm sorry for that. I guess my point is, don't take no for an answer. If you have a vehicle with no title, or possible slight title problem, don't give up. If you know you have made an honest deal and you are in the right, then don't let the local MVD or DMV office bully you. Go over their head to someone at the state level who has the authority to make things happen. State Government is still supposed to be working for us, and you have the right to expect service from government. Someone up the levels of management will have the knowledge and training to help you. There is a way!
