Massachusetts Duplicate Title

A Massachusetts duplicate title is the official replacement for a paper title that's been lost, damaged, stolen, or never received from the Mass RMV after a prior transaction. The application runs through the RMV Title Division in Quincy, with paper-only processing — duplicate titles cannot be ordered through myRMV. The Mass RMV title fee for a duplicate is $25, and turnaround is typically 6-10 weeks because all duplicates are reviewed by hand to prevent fraud.

When you need a duplicate

• The original Mass paper title was lost or destroyed.
• The original was damaged (water, ink bleed, illegible).
• The title was stolen — file a police report first; the Mass RMV requires the report number on the duplicate application.
• The paper title was never received after a previous title transfer (typical mail-loss scenario, especially for newly registered vehicles).
• The lien was satisfied and the lienholder did not return the title to the new owner.
• The owner's name on the existing title is misspelled and a corrected duplicate is needed before sale.

Form RMV-2 (Application for Duplicate Title)

The Mass RMV uses Form RMV-2 — Application for Duplicate Title or Registration. Complete every block. The form requires:

• Full legal name and address as currently on the Mass RMV file.
• Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), exact year, make, and model.
• Plate number and current registration number, if known.
• The reason for the duplicate (lost, damaged, stolen, never received).
• Current odometer reading.
• Owner's signature, notarized if more than one owner is on the original title.

If there's an active lien

When a lienholder is on file for the vehicle, the duplicate title is mailed directly to the lienholder, not to the registrant. The lender then forwards the title (or holds it on file) per the lender's policy. Some lenders require the registrant to pay a separate processing fee on top of the Mass RMV $25 — that's a private fee, not state-imposed. If you've satisfied the loan and the lien hasn't been released on the Mass RMV record, the lender's lien release letter must accompany the RMV-2 application.

Where to send the application

Massachusetts duplicate titles are processed at the Title Division at 25 Newport Avenue Extension, Quincy, MA 02171. Mail the completed RMV-2 along with:

• A check or money order for $25 made out to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles.
• A photocopy of the registrant's current Mass RMV-issued driver's license.
• A police report (theft cases only).
• Lien release letter (if applicable).

Walk-in service is technically available at the Quincy headquarters but most applicants find that mail processing actually moves faster — the in-person counter receives only same-day-needed cases by appointment.

Processing timeline

Standard duplicate-title processing is 6-10 weeks from the date the application is received. Massachusetts does not offer expedited processing for duplicate titles. The Title Division's hand-review step is the source of the long wait — duplicate-title fraud is one of the most common vehicle-fraud vectors nationally, and Massachusetts catches a significant share of it through manual cross-checks against the dealer-data feed and the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS).

Selling a vehicle while waiting on a duplicate

You cannot complete a private-party title transfer in Massachusetts without the paper title in hand. If you've sold or are selling the vehicle while a duplicate is in processing, the buyer typically holds back final payment until the seller can deliver the duplicate signed-over. A bill of sale and a copy of the duplicate-title receipt are not legally sufficient to register the vehicle in the buyer's name. Plan accordingly — order the duplicate well before listing the vehicle.

What's not a Massachusetts duplicate title

• Bonded title — Massachusetts does not issue bonded titles. If you have a vehicle with no chain of title, you'd need to pursue a court-ordered title under M.G.L. c. 90D § 26 or use a private title-recovery service.
• Salvage title — Vehicles totaled by an insurer receive a salvage title or rebuilt title. These are processed through the Branded Title Unit, not the Title Division, and use Form C-19.
• Out-of-state title — If the prior state's paper title was lost before you moved to Massachusetts, you generally need to obtain a duplicate from that state first, then transfer to a Mass title once it arrives.

Replacing just the registration certificate

If the registration certificate (the printed blue card kept in the glovebox) is lost but the title is intact, you don't need a duplicate title — just a duplicate registration. That's $25 through myRMV, processed instantly online with a downloadable temporary pending the mailed replacement. See the registration renewal page for the online flow.