WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) will be implemented by Jan. 30, providing a national database of vehicles compiled from state, salvage and insurer reporting. It will require insurance companies and salvage yards to report vehicles that are severely damaged or totaled, and consumers will have access to information such as odometer readings and theft records.

NMVTIS data is expected to be more comprehensive, up-to-date and less expensive than some private sector reports, according to the Automotive Service Association (ASA).

The NMVTIS implementation stems from the 2008 court case Public Citizen Inc., Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety, and Consumer Action v. Michael Mukasey, Attorney General of the United States. Public Citizen filed the suit to fight for a used car database that was established by Congress in 1992 in the Anti-Car Theft Act. However, the U.S. Department of Justice never made the system available to the public.

ASA said it supported legislation in the 110th Congress similar to the new NMVTIS.