Minnesota Duplicate Title

By Javier Marín, Editor·Last reviewed September 2026·How we check this

A Minnesota vehicle title is the legal proof of ownership. When the original is lost, stolen, damaged beyond use, or never received, the registered owner can apply for a duplicate title through any deputy registrar office. The form is short, the fee is small, and most deputy registrar offices issue the duplicate the same day or by mail in 7-10 business days.

When you need a duplicate

The original was lost or destroyed.
The original was stolen.
The title is damaged so badly the entries on the back can no longer be read.
A lender held the title until the loan was paid off, but the lien-release paperwork was lost or never received.
The original was issued under a different legal name and never updated after marriage or divorce.
You're preparing to sell a vehicle and the original cannot be located.

If the title was lost during a private sale and the buyer never received it, the seller's name still appears as the legal owner. Only the seller — not the buyer — can apply for the duplicate. The buyer may need to use the bonded title path described below if the seller cannot be located.

How to apply

Bring the following to a deputy registrar office:

Completed PS2017 Duplicate Title Application.
Government-issued photo ID matching the registered owner.
Vehicle registration card or proof the vehicle is registered in the applicant's name.
If a lien is shown on the existing title record, a notarized Lien Release from the lender stating the loan has been paid in full.
If the title is in the name of a deceased person, a certified death certificate plus the small-estate affidavit (or letters of administration for larger estates).
Power of Attorney if the applicant is filing on behalf of the registered owner.

Fees

The Minnesota duplicate title fee is $8.25. Deputy registrars add their standard filing fee ($6-$11 depending on the county) and the technology surcharge of $2.25. Most deputy registrars accept cash, check, or credit card; some apply a card processing surcharge.

Mail-in duplicate

If you can't visit a deputy registrar, mail the completed PS2017, a photocopy of your driver license, the lien release if applicable, and a check for the total fees to the Driver and Vehicle Services Title Section in St. Paul. The mail-in path takes 4-6 weeks. Out-of-state owners of Minnesota-titled vehicles can use this path.

30-day stop on transfers

Once a duplicate title is issued, Minnesota places a 30-day administrative hold preventing transfer of the vehicle to a new owner. The hold prevents fraud — for example, an old original surfacing after the duplicate has been used to sell the car. After 30 days, the duplicate functions like any original and can be assigned to a new buyer per the title transfer process.

Bonded titles

A bonded title is the alternative when proof of ownership cannot be established at all — typical for an abandoned vehicle, an inheritance with no paper trail, or a private sale where the seller can't be located. The applicant posts a surety bond equal to 1.5 times the vehicle's value, files a separate Bonded Title Application, and the bond stays in force for 3 years. After 3 years without claim against the bond, the title becomes a regular Minnesota title.

Bond rates vary by surety company but typically run $100-$200 for vehicles valued under $20,000. The bond protects any prior owner who later surfaces with a legitimate claim.

Title still held by a lien holder

Minnesota uses an electronic lien and title (ELT) system for most vehicle loans. When the loan is paid, the lender releases the lien electronically, and DVS mails the paper title to the owner within 30 days. If the title hasn't arrived after 30 days, contact the lender first — they may need to manually release the ELT. A duplicate is not the right form when the lien is still active and unpaid; in that case, the lender holds the electronic record and you cannot get a clear duplicate until the lien is satisfied.

Salvage and rebuilt titles

If a duplicate is needed for a vehicle previously branded salvage or rebuilt, the duplicate carries the same brand. Minnesota does not allow a brand to be removed by reissuing a duplicate. The brand appears on the title, the registration record, and any future title abstracts pulled by buyers — even if the vehicle has been fully restored.

Title abstracts

If you need to confirm what the current state title shows before applying for a duplicate, request a title abstract from the DVS. The abstract lists the registered owner, lien holders, title brand history, and the current odometer record. The fee is $11.50, and the abstract can be ordered online or at a deputy registrar.

After the duplicate arrives

Store the duplicate in a safe place — Minnesota does not issue a second duplicate for free if the first is lost. If the duplicate is being requested in preparation for a sale, the buyer will receive the duplicate at the title transfer (after the 30-day hold elapses). For a routine name correction, you can use the name change process instead of a full duplicate request.