California Lost Title: Replace It (REG 227) or Bond It
If your name is on California's records as the owner, a lost title is a duplicate: file form REG 227 and pay the $28 duplicate fee. If you can't prove ownership — the title never reached you, or the seller is gone — the next step is a Motor Vehicle Ownership Surety Bond (REG 5057), and that's where we come in.
Estimate a bond amount with the title bond calculator. For the full California bond process, see our California vehicle title bonds page, part of our vehicle title bonds silo.
Prefer to talk? Call 1-844-810-2663
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First: which situation are you in?
Replacing a lost California title and getting a bond are two different paths. Most people with a lost title only need the first one.
- You're the owner of record and just can't find the title. This is a duplicate. File REG 227. No bond.
- You can't prove you own it — the title never arrived, the seller vanished, or a lienholder is out of business. A duplicate form won't fix a missing ownership record; this is the bond path.
A quick way to tell them apart: the difference between a lost title and a bonded title comes down to whether the DMV already has you on record as the owner.
Path 1 — Replace a lost title with REG 227
The form is the Application for Replacement or Transfer of Title (REG 227), described on the DMV's title transfers and changes page.
Does it need to be notarized? It depends on whether there's a lienholder on the record. Per the DMV: "If the vehicle has a legal owner/lienholder, then section 5 of the REG 227 needs to be notarized. If the registration does not show a legal owner/lienholder, notarization is not required."
What it costs. The DMV's title-transfer checklist states: "A duplicate title for lost titles is $28." Other fees can apply depending on your situation, so use the DMV's fee calculator (linked on the title transfers and changes page) for the official total.
How long it takes. The DMV states that "Titles usually arrive by mail within 15–30 days."
Questions on the form? The DMV's phone line is 1-800-777-0133.
Can I replace a California title online?
We have not found an online replacement-of-title option on the DMV's title pages; confirm with the DMV at 1-800-777-0133 whether REG 227 can be submitted online in your case.
Path 2 — When REG 227 isn't your form
If the DMV doesn't already have you on record as the owner, a duplicate won't help. Here are three situations, and what the state asks for in each. The full walk-through lives on our California vehicle title bonds page — this is the short version.
The title never reached you, or the seller is gone
California asks you to make a diligent effort to get the proper ownership documents first. The DMV accepts "a certified letter, returned to the sender unclaimed and unopened, as evidence of a diligent effort. If after 30 days the sender has not received a response, a postal receipt acknowledging receipt of the letter by the addressee may be accepted."
After that, the path splits on value:
- Under $5,000: the DMV's value trigger for a vehicle bond is $5,000, so the diligent-effort statement (REG 256) with documentation may be enough — unless another bond condition applies, such as an unobtainable lienholder release below. See the DMV's bonds and certifications manual and confirm with the DMV.
- $5,000 or more: a Motor Vehicle Ownership Surety Bond (REG 5057). The bond "must be obtained for the fair market value of the vehicle or vessel" — one times value, with no multiplier.
If you want the mechanics before you call, read how to get a bonded title.
Your lienholder is out of business
If a lender's release is genuinely unobtainable, the DMV states that "a bond is required regardless of the vehicle or vessels value." Before you go that route, try the DMV's find your financial institution tool for lenders that have gone out of business.
You have a nontransferable registration card
If the vehicle was last titled in another state, the DMV's answer is to get the title from that state. If that state can't issue one, you provide documentation showing they cannot, and a motor vehicle bond may be required. If the vehicle is coming from out of state, our California out-of-state vehicle page covers the inspection and paperwork that go with it.
How Eric helps
Eric is our producer. He'll call, figure out which of the two paths you're actually on, and — if it's the bond path — work with multiple surety carriers and get your paperwork moving as fast as he can. He answers the phone, he works from a checklist, and he speaks Spanish.
Prefer to talk? Call 1-844-810-2663
Free quote. No obligation.
FAQ
How do I replace a lost car title in California?
File the Application for Replacement or Transfer of Title (REG 227) with the California DMV and pay the $28 duplicate fee. The DMV states that titles usually arrive by mail within 15–30 days. If you cannot prove ownership, a replacement form won't work and a Motor Vehicle Ownership Surety Bond (REG 5057) may be your path instead.
How much is a duplicate title in California?
The DMV's title-transfer checklist states that "A duplicate title for lost titles is $28." Other fees can apply, so use the DMV's fee calculator for the official total for your vehicle.
Does REG 227 have to be notarized?
Only if there's a lienholder. The DMV states that if the vehicle has a legal owner/lienholder, section 5 of the REG 227 must be notarized; if the registration does not show a legal owner/lienholder, notarization is not required.
Can I replace my California title online?
We have not found an online replacement-of-title option on the DMV's title pages. Confirm with the DMV at 1-800-777-0133 whether REG 227 can be submitted online in your situation.
What if the title never reached me, or the seller disappeared?
California asks you to make a diligent effort first, such as a certified letter. After that, a vehicle under $5,000 may only need the REG 256 statement with documentation (confirm with the DMV, since some conditions require a bond at any value); a vehicle valued at $5,000 or more uses a Motor Vehicle Ownership Surety Bond (REG 5057) obtained for the fair market value of the vehicle. Eric can walk you through which one applies.
What if my lienholder is out of business?
If the lender's release is genuinely unobtainable, the DMV states that "a bond is required regardless of the vehicle or vessels value." Try the DMV's find-your-financial-institution tool first.