§ 30503 — State Participation

(a) Each State shall make titling information maintained by that State available for use in operating the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System established or designated under section 30502 of this title. (b) Each State shall establish a practice of performing an instant title verification check before issuing a certificate of title to an individual or entity claiming to have purchased an automobile from an individual or entity in another State. The check shall consist of— (1) communicating to the operator— (A) the vehicle identification number of the automobile for which the certificate of title is sought; (B) the name of the State that issued the most recent certificate of title for the automobile; and (C) the name of the individual or entity to whom the certificate of title was issued; and (2) giving the operator an opportunity to communicate to the participating State the results of a search of the information. (1) In cooperation with the States and not later than January 1, 1994, the Attorney General shall— (A) conduct a review of systems used by the States to compile and maintain information about the titling of automobiles; and (B) determine for each State the cost of making titling information maintained by that State available to the operator to meet the requirements of section 30502(d) of this title. (2) The Attorney General may make reasonable and necessary grants to participating States to be used in making titling information maintained by those States available to the operator. (d) Not later than October 1, 1998, the Attorney General shall report to Congress on which States have met the requirements of this section. If a State has not met the requirements, the Attorney General shall describe the impediments that have resulted in the State’s failure to meet the requirements.