There is a lot of confusion surrounding the terms MSO and MCO related to new vehicles, but there is no need to wonder any longer about these vague abbreviations. These terms simply refer to the vehicle’s Certificate of Origin and aren’t that complicated once you understand what they do.

MSO stands for the Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin. MCO is the Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin. Both phrases refer to the same document, one which carries information about the automobile’s production like its country of origin. An MSO/MCO is usually similar in appearance to a Certificate of Title and includes the manufacturer, vehicle identification number and the year of manufacture. You will find an MSO is included with many things, not just vehicles. For example, aircraft, motorboats and trailers come with them as well.

As an everyday car buyer, you most likely will not encounter this document – the dealership will take care of it for you. On the dealer’s end the MSO is needed to certify things like extended warranties and protection packages through the finance office and to obtain the car’s first title and registration from the DMV.

When Do You Need an MSO?

You will need to personally obtain an MSO in situations like the following:

• Your state requires it when you register a new car for the first time

• You import a car that has never been registered in the United States

• You register a car for the first time

• You build a new vehicle and need to get its first registration

If you’re working with a dealership in any of those situations they will usually handle the MSO for you, but if you’ve made it this far in this article chances are you’re doing things a little differently.

An MSO is issued when a new vehicle is purchased. It is used to register the vehicle for the first time and to obtain the vehicle’s first title from the DMV. Because federal law doesn’t require MSOs, the rules and styles are different for each state – some states require MSOs while others do not. You can contact the DMV in your state to see if it’s necessary to have an MSO to obtain a vehicle’s first title and registration

If you didn’t get the MSO from the dealer or you lost it, then you will need to get a duplicate of it in order to proceed with the registration. The Department of Revenue or Department of Motor Vehicles might not issue the title without it.

Your state might allow or even require dealerships to handle the MSO on your behalf, so if you never encountered an MSO while buying and registering your new vehicle, not to worry.

How Do You Get an MSO?

When you purchase a new car, ask the dealership for the Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin before you leave. They should have it on hand and it shouldn’t be an issue to give you a copy. If you purchase the vehicle out of state, this might require a little extra work – they will usually have to send the MSO to you through mail or fax instead.

If you plan to import a new vehicle or construct a motor vehicle on your own, you must also have an MSO. To do this, you’ll want to consult the resources of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, otherwise known as AAMVA. It is against the law to create an MSO certificate yourself, even for a car you built, so make sure you reach out to the AAMVA for help in this process.

Differences Between Vehicle Title, Registration, and MSO

Hopefully, by now you understand more about what an MSO is and why it is essential. Even with this knowledge, you might be slightly confused about the differences between a title, registration, and MSO. Let’s see if we can clear that up a little.

Title

The title certificate proves you are the owner of your car, truck, RV, motorcycle, etc. When you sell your property to another person, you transfer that title into their name thereby giving them ownership of the item.

Registration

The registration allows you to operate a vehicle on public roads. It’s possible to title a vehicle without having it registered, but you won’t legally be allowed to drive anywhere off your own property.

Other vehicles are registered as well. For example, you need to register a motorboat if you wish to operate it on a public waterway.  The different types of registration for each vehicle vary. In addition, most states require you to have a minimum level of active insurance to receive a valid registration.

In California, registration is done slightly different than the other states. In fact, if you purchase a new or used car at a dealership, it is their requirement to register it for you. On the other hand, all third-party sales require you to go to the DMV like most other states.

MSO/MCO

The only person that will likely get their hands on the MSO of a car, other than the dealer, is the first person who purchases it. From there, it’s used to get the car titled and never seen again.

Many DMVs keep a copy of the MSO or MCO on file with the title, but this isn’t true of all of them. In fact, it’s been reported that once the title is issued, many dealers have no use for it anymore and simply destroy it. Some states don’t even require an MSO to issue a registration.

Do You Need an MSO When Exporting a Vehicle?

Sometimes. It often doesn’t make sense to pay the fees to title and register a vehicle before exporting it. Thankfully, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has a plan in place to alleviate this. If you intend on exporting a car that doesn’t have a title, you can use your MSO to prove ownership instead. Just make sure you fill out all the paperwork and have everything ready to lessen your inspection time.

What If Your MSO is Missing or Held Hostage?

If you find yourself needing an MSO, beware that people do have trouble getting their MSO from the dealership at times. While it’s not common, it is something to be aware of. The majority of new car sales and titling go off without a hitch, so it’s not something you should always be worried about, but knowledge is power.

With that said, there are times when getting the MSO has been an issue. Just read this forum post from a guy who bought a Tesla and never received his MCO from the automaker. Here’s another one on Reddit from a guy who bought a new Mazda6. So, you see this is a problem people face, even though it’s rare. If you find yourself needing an MSO and you can’t get one, you just have to be persistent. There is no other place to get that document and forging one is illegal.

If you didn’t get the MSO from the dealer or you lost it, then you will need to get a duplicate of it in order to proceed with the registration. The Department of Revenue or Department of Motor Vehicles might not issue the title without it.

Bottom line – you need to know what to expect when walking into a dealership. Ask upfront about the documentation on the car and make sure you leave there with everything you need. Otherwise, you might end up with a headache in the end.

For the majority of car owners, the MSO or MCO is never an issue you need to think about. When you purchase a used vehicle, that document is long gone at whatever DMV the car was first registered through. The only time you might ever see the MSO yourself is when you buy a new car and need to obtain its very first title by yourself.

With what you’ve learned through this article, you should have no trouble navigating the course ahead. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns about an MSO or whether you need one in your situation.

If you happen to be importing a vehicle, Dirt Legal provides titles, license plates, and registrations for legally imported vehicles through our Imported Vehicle Titling Service as well as domestic vehicles and just about anything else with wheels. Pair with our LLC Formation Service for a tax-free experience and add our Automatic Registration Renewal to keep things hassle-free and eliminate the DMV altogether.

Dirt Legal offers VIN Checks and title replacement for cars, motorcycles, and almost anything with wheels. Click the links to learn more about our services.

We are not attorneys. This article is not legal advice. Cover image source