VEHICLE MANUFACTURER
INFORMATION AND RESOURCES

A) Name, address and phone number of your company office.

B) Location or locations of manufacturing plant or plants. Your plant location and your office location can be the same.

C) Type of company (e.g. proprietor, partnership, LLC, tyoe S corporation, other type of corporation, etc.)

D) If any type of corporation
1) what type of corporation
2) where is the legal jurisdiction of the incorporation -- CITY, STATE -- and
3) who is the President of the corporation.

E) Ownership of company (e.g 50% Joe Schmo and 50% Jane Doe,...).

F) Type of vehicles to by built -- trailers, street motorcycles, or LSVs. You can get separate (multiple) licenses for making different types of vehicles. For instance you can get license to build motorcycles and trailers but it is two separate licenses and two separate charges. Off road vehicles are a separate and slightly different license that actually costs more and has a recurring annual fee.

G) Gross Vehicle Weight Range of vehicles to be produced -- usually a wider range than needed is recommended. (e.g "street motorcycles ranging from 500 pounds to 1800 pounds GVRW")

H) Types of engines to be used (e.g. gasoline 2 cylinder and 4 cylinder motors), electric, propane, CNG, etc. and horsepower ranges

I) Numbers of vehicles to be produced in any year -- more than or fewer than 900 vehicles per year. Unless you are pretty sure that you will need to build more than 900 vehicles per year, just say less than 900 as it will be a simpler process for you.

J) Trade name for your vehicles (e.g. "Meteor Choppers", "XYX Motorcycles", "X-Force Trailers", etc.)

K) Any particular vehicle types you want to be sure to be able to signify in your VIN (e.g. bagger, rigid frame, soft tail, dresser, chopper, etc) including "line" or "series" ideas such as "Roadster" "Utility", etc.

L) For LSVs (Low Speed Vehicles) please include information on the types of brakes you intend to use -- e.g. mechanical, hydraulic, electric... rear wheels, all wheels... discs drums -- and also info on restraint systems -- e.g. front and rear, seat belts, shoulder belts, any airbags in front or sides, etc.

M) What engines do you intend to use -- gasoline, electric, CNG, -- and sizes (cylinders and horsepower ranges).

I may ask for more details in some cases but this is the basic info we need in place to get started.

This registration process takes about 2 to 4 weeks. When completed there is a 60 waiting period before you are to issue your first VIN numbers. I will get you all of your documentation including your VIN code system and ALL of the information you will need or want.



There are several companies which produce and sell these the Manufacturer (VIN) labels. You will print the info for each vehicle on a laser printer. Your label supplier should get you a template to download in order to print the info into the tiny spaces on your labels. Test this on a thin blank sheet of regular paper and then carefully line-up the test print over a sheet of your labels and see if it works.

If your template does not line up right on your labels due to a difference in printer or software, you will need to make your own template the caveman way -- using the layover process described above. Don't feel too bad as I had to do that myself. It will take some time in your office.

Your VIN labels should come with clear plastic laminating sheets to place over them after printed in order to protect them from the weather. The VIN label on a motorcycle is to be affixed to the neck.



Not all MCOs are really MCOs. Some companies selling a lower grade document (MSO) as an MCO. Be careful a shady printer can sell you something that they call an MCO but that does not meet the criteria for an MCO to be acceptable as a pre-title to your complete vehicle in all 50 states and internationally.

You will definitely want to obtain your MCO forms from a banknote certificate-quality printer such as American Bank Note Company . The MCO is legal certificate that is basically a "pre-title" to a vehicle. It is the document that state DMVs will use to issue a "Certificate of Title" to your customer who purchases your bike.

You may wish to convert your MCOs into titles in your name so that you are providing your customers with a state-issued title. This is always easier for your customers because some poorly-trained DMV employees and many complex state laws throughout the country can complicate the simplicity of converting an MCO from a small, unknown manufacturer into a state title. If you provide your customers with a state-issued title though, they should have no problems at any DMV in any state.

* LASER PRINTER NEEDED * -- To print MCOs and VINs will require a laser printer -- only a monochrome printer is needed not necessarily a color laser printer. A monochrome laser printer will probably cost a few hundred dollars and if you already have a laser printer -- monochrome or color -- that will work fine.

I will get you more information with your paperwork and I am available to answer your questions by e-mail or phone. I will get you as much information as possible for as long as you need my help.

Once registered your company information will eventually appear on the DOT website of registered manufacturers. This site is updated slowly -- it takes about 2 or 3 moths after your registration is actually completed. As part of my service I will get you access to this website to check your status. Being able to check and make sure that you are on this site before selling any vehicles can save your headaches, hassles and embarrassment when the DMV turns down your customers with your MCO.

This site is really just for information purposes only and you will be legally licensed and registered much quicker -- about two weeks. However, many states DMVs will not honor your MCOs until after you appear on this website.

FIGURING OUT YOUR VIN NUMBERS