The Expert Podcast

So how do duplicate titles actually work for a motor vehicle? A duplicate title request is when a person who is the legal titled owner of the vehicle requests a replacement certificate for the one they had, lost, or never had to begin with. Now, keep in mind that a duplicate title is a very specific phrase. What it means is exactly what the two words mean: duplicate title. It is a duplication of the last title issued.

A vehicle title is a legal document that explains and identifies an actual vehicle: year, make, model, VIN number. It also assigns the ownership of that vehicle to a particular person. For example, Joe Smith owns this 2020 Toyota Camry. If Joe Smith is the owner, he has a title—it's a certificate. If, at some point, Joe Smith loses that title, Joe Smith, and only Joe Smith, can request a duplicate title certificate. Nobody else can. This is because the DMV, or the titling authority in your state, is not going to give that title certificate to anybody except for Joe Smith. It protects him in his ownership, because if anybody could get the replacement title, then anybody could get any title for any car they wanted, even if they had a bill of sale or receipt or anything.

So, the only person who can request a duplicate title is the person whose name is in the title records. How does that work? Well, if your name is not in the official records, then you don't want to order a duplicate title. You want to do a title replacement, title recovery, or title transfer—that's a whole different thing. We've talked about that in other videos, and you can find out more on our channel or on our website. But if your name was on the last title and you want to order a duplicate, you can do that.

Now, remember, if there's a lien holder listed on the title, they have to be cleared off first. Even if you've paid off the loan, that lien might still be lingering in the title records. You might have to get that cleared up, and we can talk about how to do that on our website. If there are other owners on the title, such as a co-owner or co-signer, you also have to get their signature to make sure they're okay with you getting the title.

What's the best way to get a duplicate title? Well, the fastest way to do it is if you go in person to the Department of Motor Vehicles office. Drive there, take an appointment, wait in line, show your ID to prove who you are. They'll match your ID, look it up in the system, and if they see your name on the title, they can issue you another one. Normally, they can give it to you the same day. Sometimes, smaller branches might not have blank titles in stock, so they may have to mail it to you in a couple of days. That's the fastest way to do it, and the cheapest for that matter.

But now, you have to go to the DMV, get the right forms, and do everything there. There are ways to do it that are easier, where you don't have to go anywhere, but that’s going to cost a little more money. If you go to our website, cartitles.com, it'll show you the process for doing it remotely. You can order it online; it’s going to take longer and might cost more money, but it’s going to be less work. So you have to balance: do you want it faster and cheaper, or slower and easier? It's easier to just click a button online and get it, but if you need it fast or you're on a budget, go to the DMV in person. Bring your photo ID, bring the VIN number, and you can get it directly there.

If you don’t mind waiting a little bit and would rather not go and wait in line at the DMV, then you have other options. That’s how a duplicate title works, and that's how the duplicate car title process is handled.

If you do have more questions, you can click the link below. It'll give you instructions and also offer you the option to talk live with a licensed, certified title agent. You can do that on our website, cartitles.com. If you found this video helpful, be sure to click on other videos on our channel to see if there's further information that could give you more insight into resolving your particular situation.