A series of bills of sale connecting you to the last registered owner will usually suffice. It can be quicker to use Google or another search engine to search for the phrase “ duplicate title form.” You will need the following information: Or, visit your local DMV and complete these steps onsiteīegin by searching for duplicate title forms on your state’s DMV website. Mail the form(s) with all required documents and fees In general the process will look like this:Ĭomplete paperwork for a duplicate title (found on your state’s DMV website) Some states refuse to replace lost car titles for anyone but the last registered owner, so check your state’s regulations before proceeding. It will be much more difficult to obtain a title when you aren’t the one who lost it. How to Replace a Car Title Lost by a Previous Owner As long as you have bills of sale connecting you to the last registered owner, chances are you’re good to go. Approach the DMV and ask what paperwork you need to proceed. Solution: Each state handles title replacement differently. You may have heard stories about tracking down previous owners using VIN data, asking the DMV for the last owner’s name, or simply knocking on doors until you find the last owner. It’s not uncommon to buy a car with a lost title, especially if you collect vintage cars. I bought a car without a title but the previous owner is long gone. Solution: If your car title was stolen, your local DMV will be able to guide you through replacing the lost title. Luckily, replacing a stolen title is easy as pie – but the seller should do it themselves. If you or the seller suspect that the lost title may have been stolen, this should be dealt with immediately or there could be unforeseen consequences down the road. You might think, “I’ll just buy the car now, and ask the seller to mail me the new title when it comes in!” That’s great in concept, but it opens the door wide for scammers.Ĭar thieves and title forgers can’t wait to get their hands on good car titles. Explain it to the seller and let them do the work. The process of replacing a lost title is outlined later in this article. This saves you from getting involved and protects you from scammers who might take advantage of you. It’s much easier to have the seller replace the lost title themselves. Explain the situation and fill out additional paperwork as needed. Take those documents to the DMV along with completed state-specific paperwork for a duplicate title. If you’re lucky you only need two, since in-between owners will be difficult to track down. To file for the lost title yourself you’ll need multiple bills of sale: one for each time the car traded hands without a title. Gather as many facts as possible about what happened to the lost title, then collect the seller’s personal information for use later on. Run the VIN number before the sale takes place. Buying a car without a title is different from the usual car-buying process – you’ll want to take extra caution all around. It’s not like Uncle Sam is looking over your shoulder or anything, just don’t expect much help from the government when you try to get a title and you aren’t the person who lost it. Which of the following scenarios describes you? I’m buying a car without a title.įirst off, in most states it’s illegal to sell a car without a title. If you’re the one that lost the title, it’s simple to replace it – and you should do that as soon as possible. Perhaps you’re looking to buy a car and its current owner lost the title. Perhaps the previous owner lost the title to a car you already own, and you’ve never had one. You could come across a lost title in many ways. How to Replace a Lost or Stolen Car Title Bookmark our services now in case you ever need to replace a lost title. All you need is proof of ownership – you’ll have a new title in your hand in as little as 4 weeks. At Dirt Legal our streamlined title recovery services are quick and affordable. Want to skip the DMV line? We’ll take care of it. You can also replace a missing title that somebody else lost.ĭo you own a car that you have never had a title for?Īre you buying a car that the seller has lost the title for?Ĭheck out the following sections to see which solution works best for you. In most cases it is possible to replace a lost or missing car title by presenting sufficient proof of ownership to your local DMV. Even if you have proof of legal ownership, the DMV prefers to issue a replacement title only for the current registered owner. If a car title was lost by a previous owner, it’s best to ask that owner to file for a replacement.
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