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Michigan: total loss threshold and rebuilt title rules
What Michigan’s own pages print, word for word. Kind of rule, by our sorting: Percentage.
This is a reference to quoted official text, not legal, tax, insurance or professional advice. Rules change; confirm with the agency before acting.
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When is a vehicle salvage or a total loss in Michigan, in the state’s words?
“If the estimated cost of repair, including parts and labor, is equal to or more than 75% but less than 91% of the predamaged actual cash value of the vehicle, apply for a salvage certificate of title, and if the estimated cost of repair, including parts and labor, is equal to or greater than 91% of the predamaged actual cash value of the vehicle, apply for a scrap certificate of title.”
Citation as the page prints it: 257.217c Acquisition of salvage, distressed, or older model vehicles; issuance of salvage or scrap certificates of title
(Michigan Compiled Laws 257.217c, read November 11, 2026)
The quoted sentence prints two percentages and a range between them. The tool reports against both.
Read the fee sentence closely: must not exceed $100.00
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Compare your figures with Michigan’s quoted rule
The tool shows the sentence the state prints and does the arithmetic that sentence describes on the figures you type. Nothing is sent anywhere and nothing is saved.
How do you get a rebuilt title in Michigan, in the state’s words?
“The secretary of state shall not issue a certificate of title or registration plates for a vehicle for which a salvage certificate of title was issued unless a specially trained officer described in subsection (15) certifies all of the following:”
“An application for a certificate of title must contain a description of each salvageable part used to repair the vehicle and any identification number affixed to or inscribed on the part as required by state or federal law.”
What fee does Michigan print?
“Each local authority with a police agency shall determine the amount of the fee for inspections by that police agency, that must not exceed $100.00.”
Read each fee sentence for what it covers: an inspection, a title, or something else.
What do the pages print about the title afterwards?
“the secretary of state shall issue a certificate of title for the vehicle bearing the legend "rebuilt salvage".”
Where are Michigan’s official pages?
Official pages we asked for and could not read:
- Michigan Department of State, salvage vehicles: on November 11, 2026 it refused our plain request.
Every quote above was matched word for word against its page on November 11, 2026. If one has changed, tell us.