What To Do If Your VIN Doesn't Match

Sep 7, 2011

By Staff writer State Farm™ Employee

What is a VIN?

A VIN is a Vehicle Identification Number that is unique to your vehicle.

It contains numerical and alphabetical digits that represent the Manufacturer, Model, Year, Engine size, and other vehicle data.

I have received a “120-day” letter from MTO. What do I do?

Determine which document source contains an invalid VIN:

  • Liability cards (pink slips from State Farm)
  • Ownership (green card from MTO)
  • VIN plate on the vehicle’s dashboard/doorjamb

No Action Needed if all of the above sources show the VIN matches, or if your vehicle is not currently being operated (i.e. mandatory coverage is suspended for winter).

Contact Your Agent if the liability card does not match VIN plate.

Contact MTO if the ownership does not match VIN plate.

Contact Agent and MTO if both Liability and ownership do not match VIN plate.

What does an unmatched/unconfirmed VIN number mean to me? And what could arise from an unmatched/unconfirmed VIN number?

In Ontario, an unmatched VIN by the Ministry of Transportation Ontario (MTO) could mean a delay or denial in renewing your vehicle’s registration.

The vehicle must be registered to the Named Insured (or Leasing Company if leased) in order to verify we are insuring the correct vehicle.

A matched/confirmed VIN assists the MTO in tracking vehicles that have been stolen, written off, and can help in the prevention of fraud.

What do I do if I have been notified by MTO that my VIN does not match their files?

Make a visual comparison between your pink liability cards, ownership, and VIN plate located on your car for a match.

Contact your State Farm agent for assistance in resolution once the comparison is done.

What if I recently registered my vehicle?

Compare your ownership with your pink liability card from us to validate that all digits are correctly matched.

If a discrepancy is found, contact your State Farm Agent for assistance.

Where can I receive more information about the Uninsured Vehicles program?

Refer to the MTO website for additional information.

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Have you ever received a 120-day letter from the MTO? If so, what did you do?
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