Indiana Duplicate Title Request
A duplicate Indiana title is required when the original is lost, stolen, damaged, or destroyed. The Indiana BMV uses the same Form 44237 for both new titles and duplicates, with the "duplicate" box checked. The fee is $15, the same as a new title transfer, and the duplicate is mailed within 7 to 14 business days.
Who can request a duplicate
A duplicate Indiana title can be requested by:
- The current registered owner shown on the BMV record.
- A lien holder of record (with the owner's notarized consent or a court order).
- A licensed Indiana dealer holding the vehicle in inventory.
- An attorney-in-fact under a power of attorney recorded with the BMV.
- The personal representative of a deceased owner's estate.
If the original title was issued in joint ownership, both owners must sign the duplicate request unless one has died — in which case the surviving owner submits a death certificate with the application.
Documents required
Bring to any BMV branch (or mail to the BMV Central Office) the following:
- Completed Form 44237 with the duplicate title box checked and the reason (lost, stolen, damaged, mutilated).
- The owner's Indiana driver's license or state ID.
- Lien holder consent if a lien is recorded — usually a signed and dated letter on lender letterhead, or the lender's notation in the lien-release section of the form.
- Payment of $15 by check, money order, or card.
- If the original title was damaged or mutilated, surrender the partial title with the application.
Lien holder consent
If the BMV record shows an active lien, the duplicate title cannot be issued without the lien holder's involvement. Indiana applies the same rules whether the lien is current or has been satisfied but never released:
- If the loan is still active, the lender typically receives the duplicate title directly and notifies the owner of the lien continuation.
- If the loan was paid off but the title was never returned, request a release letter from the lender on letterhead and submit it with the duplicate application.
- If the lender is no longer in business, submit Form 39684 (Affidavit of Correction) along with documentation of the lender's dissolution (state corporation database printout or FDIC notice).
Processing time
Duplicate Indiana titles are processed at the BMV Central Title Office in Indianapolis. The standard turnaround is 7 to 14 business days from receipt of the complete application. Expedited processing is not generally available, but a branch supervisor may release a printed temporary title for time-sensitive transactions (a closing on a loan, an out-of-state move) provided the duplicate request is otherwise complete.
Once the duplicate arrives
When the duplicate title arrives, it supersedes the original. If the original is later found, destroy it — using the original after a duplicate has been issued can void a subsequent transfer. The duplicate is identical to the original except for the word "DUPLICATE" printed across the top. It can be used immediately for a title transfer, a refinance, or a registration update.
If the title is held by another state
If the vehicle was titled in another state and the title was lost there, the duplicate must be requested from that state's titling agency, not the Indiana BMV. Once the duplicate arrives, the new Indiana resident can title the vehicle in Indiana using the standard registration process. A VIN inspection at the BMV branch is required for any out-of-state title brought into Indiana, including duplicates issued by the prior state.
If you cannot obtain a clean title — for example because the vehicle was purchased through a private sale and the seller never had a title in their own name — Indiana offers a Bonded Title process that uses Form 39530. The bonded title requires a surety bond worth 1.5 times the vehicle's NADA value and is generally a last-resort option.