Replacing a Lost Maine Title

If your Maine 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 a Maine BMV branch or by mail to the BMV title section in Augusta. The replacement uses the MV-7 form with the duplicate-title box checked, and the fee is the same flat $33 as a new title. 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 Maine 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 for vehicles less than 15 years old. 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 Maine 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 BMV. Joint owners listed with "AND" on the title need both signatures; joint owners listed with "OR" need just one.

Documents to bring

At a Maine BMV branch (or in a mail-in application), present:

• A completed MV-7 with the duplicate-title box checked.
• Maine driver's license or photo ID copy.
• Proof of current registration if the vehicle is registered in Maine.
• Lien-release letter, if applicable.
• Payment of the $33 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

Maine BMV processes the application at the central title section in Augusta. The duplicate title is mailed from BMV'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.

Vehicles older than 15 years

Maine titling generally applies only to vehicles less than 15 years old. Older vehicles operate under a registration-only system without a separate title document. If you need to prove ownership of an older vehicle, a current Maine registration certificate combined with a bill of sale is the customary documentation. If the previous owner can't be located and the registration is also lost, contact a BMV branch — staff can run a vehicle history through the database and walk you through the alternative ownership documentation process.

Lost out-of-state title

If you've moved to Maine and your previous-state title is lost, two paths are available. Some states will issue a duplicate that you can then surrender to Maine during the standard title transfer. Others allow you to assign rights so Maine can request the duplicate directly. Talk to BMV staff — 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 BMV when applying for the duplicate. Maine BMV 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, notify BMV and the buyer's home-state DMV immediately.

After the duplicate arrives

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