Replacing a Lost Idaho Title

If your Idaho vehicle title is lost, destroyed, mutilated, stolen, or simply never received from the lienholder when the loan was paid off, you can apply for a duplicate at the county assessor's office. The replacement uses the same ITD-3367 form as a regular title transaction with the "Duplicate Title" box checked, and the fee is a flat $14. Once the duplicate is issued, the previous original is invalidated and cannot be used to transfer the vehicle.

When you need a duplicate

Common reasons to request a replacement Idaho title:

• The original was lost in a move or destroyed in a fire or flood.
• The original was stolen with other documents.
• The lienholder paid off the loan but never sent the released title.
• The title was mutilated — torn, water-damaged, or written over so the original assignment can't be read.
• The original was sent to a buyer who never followed through on the purchase.

You cannot legally sell a vehicle without the original title in hand. Apply for the duplicate before listing the vehicle for sale, not after the buyer is waiting at the door.

Who can apply

Only the registered owner shown on the Idaho title record can apply for a duplicate, with one important exception: if the title has an active lien, the lienholder is the only party that can request a duplicate. Once the loan is paid off, the lienholder is required to send the released title to the owner; if that release was never delivered, the owner contacts the lender, not the assessor. Joint owners listed with "AND" on the title need both signatures; joint owners listed with "OR" need just one.

Documents to bring

At the county assessor's office, present:

• A completed ITD-3367 with the duplicate-title box checked.
• Idaho driver's license or photo ID.
• Proof of current registration if the vehicle is registered in Idaho.
• Lien-release letter, if applicable.
• Payment of the $14 title fee.

If the vehicle is jointly owned, both owners (or one in the case of "OR" titles) sign the application. If the vehicle is owned by a business or trust, an authorized officer signs and provides corporate or trust documentation.

Processing time

The county assessor processes the application and submits it to ITD's central title section. The duplicate title is mailed from ITD's production facility to the address on the application, typically within 2-4 weeks. The duplicate carries a "DUPLICATE" mark on the face of the document and supersedes the original. Anyone holding the original after the duplicate is issued cannot use it to transfer the vehicle.

Lost out-of-state title

If you've moved to Idaho and your previous-state title is lost, you have two options. Some states will issue you a duplicate that you can then surrender to Idaho during the standard title transfer. Other states allow you to assign rights so Idaho can request the duplicate directly from them. Talk to the county assessor at the office level — they handle out-of-state title problems regularly and will route you to the right path.

Stolen titles

If the title was stolen along with other identity documents, file a police report and bring the report number to the assessor's office when applying for the duplicate. Idaho will flag the original title as stolen so the duplicate can be issued safely. If you believe the stolen title was used to commit fraud (an unauthorized sale, for example), notify ITD and the buyer's home-state DMV immediately.

After the duplicate arrives

When the duplicate title arrives, store it in a secure place — a fireproof safe or a safe-deposit box, not the glovebox. Keep the registration card in the vehicle along with proof of Idaho insurance; the title itself does not need to be in the vehicle. If you're planning to sell the vehicle, you can complete the assignment on the back of the duplicate exactly the way you would on the original.