Virginia Duplicate Title

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

If a Virginia title is lost, stolen, illegible, or damaged beyond use, the registered owner can apply for a duplicate. Virginia uses Form VSA 67 (Application for Replacement Title) and charges a $15 fee for a standard duplicate. Once issued, the duplicate replaces the original — the prior title is automatically void in DMV records.

Who can apply

A duplicate title can be ordered by:

Any registered owner shown on the existing title.
The lienholder of record, when the lien has not been released.
An heir or executor of an estate that owns the vehicle, with court letters of administration or a small-estate affidavit.
A Virginia-licensed dealer holding a re-assignment, using a Limited Power of Attorney (VSA 24) from the seller.

A buyer who never received the title from the seller cannot order a duplicate directly — the seller (the owner of record) has to apply, or the buyer can pursue a bonded title (see below).

How to apply

The fastest method is online through the DMV customer portal: log in, choose "Replacement Title," confirm the VIN, pay the fee, and the duplicate title is mailed to the address on file in 7-15 business days. Owners who prefer paper can submit a completed VSA 67 at any DMV customer service center or DMV Select office, or mail it to the DMV titles work center in Richmond.

Documents required

A duplicate title application includes:

The completed VSA 67, signed by every registered owner.
A copy of photo ID for each signing owner.
The $15 duplicate title fee (or $30 for expedited mail-back service).
For estates: court letters or a VSA 24 with the heirs' signatures.
For lien situations: a written authorization from the lender, or a lien release letter on lender letterhead.

Old liens still on the title

A duplicate title is issued with the same lien information that was on the original. If the lien has been satisfied but never released in DMV records, the owner needs to clear it before — or at the same time as — the duplicate is processed. Acceptable lien clearances:

Lien release sent electronically by the lender (preferred).
Lien release letter on the lender's letterhead, with VIN, owner name, date paid, and authorized signature.
A signed lien release on the original title, if available.
A VSA 66 (Affidavit for Lien Release) when the lender is out of business and no successor can be located, plus documentation of the diligent search.

Bonded titles

A buyer who never received a title from the seller and cannot get the seller to cooperate may pursue a Virginia bonded title. The buyer files an Application for Bonded Title, posts a surety bond equal to 1.5 times the appraised value of the vehicle, and submits documentation that they purchased the vehicle in good faith. The bonded title is valid for three years; if no party challenges ownership during that period, the title converts to a regular Virginia title automatically. Bonded titles are not available for vehicles flagged as junk, salvage, or stolen.

Damaged or illegible titles

An owner whose original title is intact but illegible (water damage, fading, torn corners) attaches the original to the VSA 67 application and notes "damaged" on the form. The DMV destroys the old document on receipt and issues a duplicate without the bonded-title process. There is no extra fee.

Out-of-state owners

Owners who have moved out of Virginia and need a Virginia duplicate title to register the vehicle in their new state can apply by mail. Include the VSA 67, a copy of the out-of-state license, and the fee. The DMV mails the duplicate to the new address. If the new state requires the vehicle to be titled before it can be registered, plan for the 7-15 business-day turnaround.

For a fresh title transfer between buyer and seller, see Virginia title transfer; for new registration after a duplicate is in hand, see Virginia car registration.