What is Branded Title?

A branded title is a vehicle registration status indicating the vehicle has a significant history that affects its value and, in some cases, its ability to be driven or sold. Provincial brands vary but commonly include categories such as salvage, rebuilt, irreparable, and non-repairable. A brand is applied when a vehicle has been declared a total loss, rebuilt after major damage, or otherwise flagged by an insurer or provincial authority. Dealers must disclose a branded status to buyers, since selling a branded vehicle as clean is a serious consumer protection violation. Branded vehicles can be legitimate value buys when properly disclosed and safety-certified, but they finance and insure differently. Checking the title brand before acquiring inventory, and disclosing it plainly on the contract, protects both the customer and the dealership.