Lost Duplicates

In the automotive industry, where 80 percent of the work is done on paper, missing paperwork happens under all sorts of circumstances. Don’t worry— we completely understand that lost titles happen sometimes, and we’re here to help. 

Replacing a Lost Title

In the case of a missing title, dealers can have duplicate titles printed in their business’s name. The state has some requirements that need to be met, but with a fee, dealers can electronically or physically replace lost titles. The most important step would be to make sure the title was originally assigned to the dealer. If it’s not in the dealer’s name, a bill of sale from where they purchased the vehicle is required. 

Printing Duplicate Titles

Once they have proof of ownership, the clerk will print the current title, making any other titles obsolete, even if found after the fact. This is done as a safety precaution to ensure no stolen or lost titles are used. Before these rules existed, lost and stolen titles could be used and registered under false pretenses, and not much could be done, especially if the vehicle was registered out of the state. Each state now has laws and regulations to help keep car owners safe. 

Electronic Titles

With titles moving more toward electronic status, the rate of fraudulent titles has gone down significantly. Leaving a title in electronic status makes any paper copy of the title obsolete, leaving you with only one original copy, which will be under the possession of the tag office’s electronic system. A copy of the title can be printed out by the owner at their local tag office for a fee to alleviate the headaches that come with lost paper titles.