Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 28-4409 – Evidence of ownership requirement; exception

A. Except as provided in section 28-4410:
1. 1. Each dealer in motor vehicles, trailers and semitrailers, including manufacturers who sell to other than dealers, having possession of or offering for sale a motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer shall have at the same time either:
  1. (a) Possession of a duly and regularly assigned certificate of title to the vehicle.
  2. (b) Reasonable indicia of ownership or right of possession as approved by the director.
2. 2. A dealer or manufacturer shall not offer for sale or sell a motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer until the dealer or manufacturer has obtained a certificate of title to the motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer, except that a certificate of title is not required for a new motor vehicle sold by manufacturers to dealers.
B. A wholesale motor vehicle auction dealer is exempt from the requirement of having to possess a duly and regularly assigned certificate of title and from other requirements relating to the reassignment of certificate of title documents and disclosures to buyers. A wholesale motor vehicle auction dealer may buy or sell a motor vehicle at wholesale in the wholesale motor vehicle auction dealer's own name if the wholesale motor vehicle auction dealer complies with the provisions of this title relating to certificates of title, reassignments of certificate of title documents and disclosures to buyers.
C. A wholesale motor vehicle dealer must apply for a certificate of title in the name of the wholesale motor vehicle dealer any vehicle that the wholesale motor vehicle dealer acquires before the wholesale motor vehicle dealer transfers the vehicle to another licensed motor vehicle dealer.