Here in Oregon, if someone buys a car with an Oregon title, all that person has to do is to send a certified letter to the last known address of the previous owner. If it comes back undeliverable, DMB will grant a title.
In WA it's the same, though it works for other state titles as well. The Frankenheap was a CA car, and the DMV had a CA address as last owner of record. One registered letter bounce later and the car was mine. Also, WA will grant a license even if you don't have a title. (Extremely common. Read: payments.)
-- Jim
