A friend bought a car at a salvage yard and they gave him a bill of sale which he took to the DMV along with a tracing of the VIN. The DMV issued a new title, registraton and plates. He then had to have the car inspected.

I would suggest contacting your DMV. Go there, if you can, and speak with someone about your situation. They usually can be helpful. Calling them on the phone will likely get you less satisfaction.

I had an out of state title for my car, but no VIN plate. VIN number on title was wrong (actually a motor s/n). DMV recognize the problem, gave me hard way to go for 6 weeks, then issued a new VIN plate and title. It was a pain, but it worked out, plus I didn't have to commit fraud.