How to Replace a Lost Car Title in Connecticut
Replacing a lost car title in Connecticut is a process that must be completed in the event of a misplaced, stolen or damaged title certificate due to the importance of this document for several purposes. For example, vehicle owners who do not replace a lost car title at the DMV will be unable to complete the title transfer procedure for a vehicle procured in a private sale.
Certificates of title are necessary to complete the standard vehicle registration procedure as well. When necessary, you can request a replacement car title in CT through the state Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in person and by mail. To get information on how to replace a vehicle title and how to fill out the application form, continue reading the sections below.
When do you need to get a duplicate car title in Connecticut?
Vehicle owners must replace a lost car title with the DMV in Connecticut due to its various official and general uses. For example, car owners with a lost vehicle title will be unable to properly transfer the car ownership when selling, purchasing, donating or inheriting a vehicle. Even if you are not releasing ownership of the vehicle, you may need a duplicate title certificate in other circumstances as well, such as proving that you are the current vehicle owner, as a certificate of title is legitimate proof of vehicle ownership.
The process to request a replacement auto title in CT must also be initiated in the event of a stolen or damaged credential. However, prior to learning how to replace a stolen car title, inquire with the state DMV whether or not you are required to report the theft to a local law enforcement official.
Note: Under Connecticut law, you do not have to obtain a replacement title if the vehicle is older than 20 model years.
Documents Required When Applying for a Connecticut Car Title Copy
The requirements for replacing a lost damaged car title include to submitting certain paperwork in addition to the applicable fee payment. Vehicle owners completing the procedure to replace a lost car title at the DMV will have to fill out the department’s replacement title application form and submit it along with a lien release letter, provided the title lists a lienholder.
While the state DMV does not typically require additional documents to replace a lost auto title in CT, you may still be required to present an official identification document, such as a driving license, when completing the procedure in person at a title office.
Available Methods for Replacing Your Car Title in Connecticut
If you need information on how to get a replacement car title in Connecticut, note that you can generally submit your application in person through DMV hub offices or by mail to the department’s Wethersfield office. You cannot replace a car title online at this time. Note that minor differences may apply between the in-person and the by-mail application procedures, such as the acceptable forms of payment.
Also, certain offices may not accept your request for a replacement car title in CT. To learn whether your nearby DMV location processes replacement title applications for duplicate certificates, contact it prior to making your title office visit.
By Mail
The process to replace a car title by mail in Connecticut is the most convenient option to obtain a duplicate of your lost vehicle title. The mail-in procedure to request a replacement auto title in CT can be finalized by sending the application form to the department’s Title Unit in Wethersfield. Along with the request form, you will also to fill out and send a check or money order in the corresponding amount.
Depending on your circumstances, you may also be required to obtain and send a lien release letter written on the official letterhead of your loan institution. The DMV will process your request for a CT lost car title copy and mail a substitute document to your address on file within 90 days of receiving your application packet
In Person
You can also replace a lost car title in person in Connecticut in the event that you are unable to submit a mail-in request or you prefer to visit a nearby DMV site. Motorists wondering how to replace a car title in person must note that the requirements for this in-person transaction are typically the same as those that apply for the mail-in procedure outlined above.
Therefore, in addition to the replacement title application form, applicants will also be required to submit the fee payment and a lien release letter if applicable. However, if you are replacing a lost auto title in CT with the help of a legal representative, then a power of attorney documentation will also be required.
Note: Applicants should provide an official identification document at the title office as well, since the DMV agent may ask for one during the in-person application procedure.
How to Fill out the Duplicate Car Title Application in Connecticut
The process of how to get a new title if lost, stolen or damaged requires applicants to provide several types of information, which will help the DMV representative to locate the corresponding records. Note that completing the application for a copy of lost car title with inaccurate information is punishable by law, and applicants who do so knowingly will be prosecuted. The following list outlines the information requirements for replacing a lost or damaged car title in CT that must be fulfilled with the request form:
- Provide your vehicle and title information in Section 1, such as the reason for obtaining a title copy, the vehicle identification number, the owner’s name and details about the vehicle in question.
- Provide the odometer reading and the buyer’s data in Section 2, in the event that you are transferring vehicle ownership at the same time.
- Provide your legal signature and printed name in Section 3.
Note: In circumstances with an outstanding lien, the lienholder will be required to fill out and submit the above application form with a power of attorney.
Connecticut Car Title Replacement Fees
Paying the $25 fee when replacing your lost vehicle title in Connecticut is the last step in the procedure of obtaining a replacement title document. Drivers wondering what are the fees to replace a lost car title in CT must note that the state DMV charges the standard cost that also applies for a new title certificate.
Therefore, in order to successfully replace a lost car title, you will be required to remit payment in an acceptable form of payment, which may vary depending on the method of application.
Car Title Replacement Forms
Note: DMV forms change regularly. The forms provided above are current based on the date of writing.
Sources
- Replacement Title from CT.gov