Legal Question in Business Law in Virginia

Copies of Titles

I work for a LLC that owns trailer parks. Is it legal for us to require a copy of our tenants CERTIFICATE OF TITLE FOR A VEHICLE before and/or after they sign a lease with us.


Asked on 11/08/06, 2:05 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

Jonathon Moseley Jonathon A. Moseley

Re: Copies of Titles

I believe it is proper for you to confirm that they own the vehicle and that they are who they claim to be. If they are going to park the trailer on your property, I think you can confirm that they have the authority to sign the lease by being the owner.

However, because a title has legal significance in its own right, I am not sure I would keep a copy of the title in my files, if I were you.

I think you have a right to SEE it and confirm that the TRAILER IS NOT STOLEN, for example. But I would not keep the copy in your files permanently, just to avoid any problems.

I AM NOT SAYING YOU CAN'T. If you want to do that, it may be okay.

But if it were me, personally, I would just be conservative about it and not keep a copy.

That is because a title has legal significance as a document in its own right, and I would not want to be responsible for safe-keeping of the copy.

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Answered on 11/08/06, 2:10 pm


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