W.Va. rolls out country’s first digital vehicle title system

BRIDGEPORT, W.Va (WDTV) – West Virginia marked a significant milestone in its digital title journey with the nationwide rollout of the country’s first Digital Vehicle Title program.

Officials said the state is setting a new standard in electronic titling systems, as the new system is not only digital but also fully transactable, which is a distinctive advancement that will revolutionize the industry.

The fully transactable digital titles allow dealers and fleet operators to better manage inventory and eliminate the need for laborious, manual matching of titles with vehicles on the lot or in their systems. They also allow for real-time updates that ensure the system of record is continually kept current.

Anytime an attribute of the title changes, whether a lien is filed, a brand is added or a new owner is listed, the digital title is immediately updated in the state’s system.

The West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles has worked with Champ Titles, Inc., a leading provider of digital vehicle title, registration, and lien systems of record, and Tyler Technologies Inc., a leading public sector software and services provider, to take a revolutionary approach to modernizing the infrastructure of its statewide motor vehicle system.

West Virginia’s Digital Title and Registration Suite, which was launched in 2021, is a comprehensive vehicle title administration solution to manage titles, registrations, liens and dealer licensing, officials said.

“We are so pleased to have such a bold and forward-thinking partner in the West Virginia DMV. The state’s constituent-first approach to upgrading infrastructure continues today with the Digital Title. This technology will be a gamechanger for the country, realizing the digital efficiency that Champ Titles set out to achieve when it was founded,” said Shane Bigelow, Chief Executive Officer.

For those not immediately comfortable with using a digital title, a printed version of the West Virginia Digital Title is listed in the most current version of the J.D Power Title and Registration Textbook, officials said.

This next phase of the Digital Title project aims to encourage jurisdictions nationwide to recognize and accept Digital Title transactions.

“We are launching an educational campaign to ensure that every motor vehicle administrator across the country is familiar with and knows how to transact using the West Virginia Digital Title,” said State DMV Commissioner Everett Frazier. “We will be talking about it with motor vehicle administrators at their conferences and in their newsletters, and we will continue to work closely with our partners in industry. As other states move in this same direction, it is imperative that we support one another. It is with this support that we’ll successfully bring the Digital Title to the market.”

More information on the program, the related technologies and system security can be found at https://transportation.wv.gov/dmv/Pages/default.aspx.

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