DC Title Replacement

If your DC vehicle title is lost, stolen, damaged, or still held by a lender after the loan was paid off, you can apply for a duplicate at any DC DMV service center. The replacement uses form DMV-VR-200 marked "Duplicate" and a $26 fee, and is typically issued within 4 to 6 weeks.

When you need a duplicate title

Common reasons:

• The original title was lost in a move, a flood, or a house fire.
• The title was destroyed or rendered unreadable.
• The title was stolen along with other documents.
• You paid off a vehicle loan and the lender failed to mail the title.
• The title was issued to a previous owner and never properly transferred (a "skipped title" — common in private-party purchases).
• You're preparing to sell or transfer the vehicle and don't have the original.

Documents required

Bring to a DC DMV service center:

• A completed DMV-VR-200 Application for Duplicate Certificate of Title, signed by the registered owner.
• The owner's DC driver's license or other government ID.
• The current vehicle registration card (if available).
• If a lender holds a satisfied lien, a lien release letter from the lender.
• If the title was lost or stolen, a brief statement of circumstances on the application.
• Payment of the $26 duplicate title fee.

Multiple owners

If the vehicle is titled to two or more owners — common for spouses or co-buyers — the application requires the signature of each owner whose name appears on the title. If one owner is unavailable (deployed, traveling, hospitalized), a notarized power of attorney from that owner authorizing the signing party is acceptable. If an owner is deceased, the application requires a certified death certificate and either a will or a small-estate affidavit.

Lender-held titles

DC allows electronic title (ELT) holding by lenders. When a loan is paid off:

• The lender electronically releases the lien at the DC DMV database.
• DC DMV produces a paper title and mails it to the registered owner — typically within 2 to 3 weeks.
• If the title doesn't arrive, the owner can file a duplicate request with a copy of the loan-payoff letter.

Out-of-state titles

You cannot apply for a DC duplicate title if the vehicle is currently titled in another state. To get a DC title for a vehicle previously titled elsewhere, follow the new-resident registration process at any DC DMV service center — see title transfer and vehicle registration for the document checklist.

Title corrections

If the duplicate title needs a correction (misspelled name, wrong address, wrong VIN), you can file a duplicate request and the appropriate correction documentation in a single transaction:

• Misspelled name: bring a court order, marriage certificate, or driver's license showing the correct name.
• Address change: list the new address on the application.
• VIN correction: bring the original purchase paperwork showing the correct VIN, plus a vehicle inspection from the MIB if requested.

Branded titles

If the vehicle has a salvage, rebuilt, or flood-damaged title brand, the duplicate carries the same brand. DC brands persist permanently and are reported to the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS). A salvage vehicle that is rebuilt and reinspected may be reissued with a "rebuilt" brand but never returns to a clean-title status. See the related specialty registrations page for branded-title implications and the renewal page for ongoing requirements.