I Lost My Car Title: What to Do Now
If a lost car title is in your name, it may be easier than expected to replace.
Shutterstock
Article QuickTakes:
Losing a car title can be scary, but you don't have to panic. You might worry that your title is gone forever or that someone can steal it and use it for criminal purposes.
The reality often is not that dire. Generally speaking, you can get a replacement vehicle title that gives you all the ownership rights of the original document.
Fill out a replacement title application
Your state may have a title application form available online that you can submit at your local title office or by mail. Go online to a search engine and type "replacement title application" plus the name of your state in the search bar to help find the specific form you need. Do be sure that the website you use is an official government resource (often indicated by a ".gov" web address suffix), as an internet search could call up nonofficial sites as well.
You might discover that submitting a title application form in person is not necessary. Some states, including New York and California, now allow you to apply for a replacement title entirely online, a process that can take mere minutes.
Have your registration and insurance information handy
The motor vehicle department could request specific information about your automobile, such as the vehicle identification number and the make, model, and year.
If you don't have all the information, you can bring your insurance, registration, and driver's license (or state ID) to the nearest government office that handles title processing. They will likely have a title application form.
What if you moved recently and lost your car title?
Small pieces of paper, such as car titles, can be lost or left behind when you move. Even if you have moved out of state, arrange for mail forwarding with the United States Postal Service (USPS) before applying for your replacement title.
The USPS provides standard mail forwarding for up to 12 months, a service you can pay to extend for up to 18 additional months. So even if you don't immediately realize you lost the title, you still can have the replacement document mailed to your original address.
Your replacement title will often be labeled with "duplicate title" or "duplicate," since the original becomes void once a replacement is printed.
Contact your local vehicle title issuing office for instructions on how to dispose of the original title, should you find it later.
What if I had a lien?
When you take out a loan to purchase a car, the vehicle's title has a lien on it, meaning the lender owns the title (and technically the car) until you've repaid them. If the lienholder didn't apply for a lien release, you should contact them directly and request one. Once the lien is released, you can file a title-replacement application.
Keep in mind that you might never have had the title. In the case of liens, titles are usually mailed to the lienholder and only sent once the loan is paid off.
Contact the lienholder if you had an auto loan and don't recall receiving a physical title. The company should have the title on file. If your loan is paid off, ask them to send the clear title to your current address.
