Bonded Title Requirements by State
Most states will issue a bonded title (a surety bond title, or certificate of title bond) when you cannot prove ownership with a signed-over title; several route you to a court order or an ownership affidavit instead. The table below shows, state by state, whether a bonded title is available and the bond amount, minimum, and term each one sets.
Quotes are available for the states where BuySuretyBonds is licensed. For states we are not licensed in, this page is for information only. BuySuretyBonds is a licensed insurance agency; the surety issues the bond.
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All content is researched from official state and federal sources (.gov). BuySuretyBonds.com works with Treasury-listed surety carriers.
The 50-state table
| State | Bonded title? | Bond amount, minimum & term | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Yes | Fixed by vehicle class and age, not a multiplier: passenger cars and pickups $50,000 (under 5 model years), $25,000 (5 to under 10), $10,000 (10+); held 3 years; MVT 10-1 through the ALDOR surety bond portal | ALDOR, Rule 810-5-75-.34 |
| Alaska | Yes | 1.5× appraised value; 3 years; VIN inspection; cash deposit allowed | Alaska DMV |
| Arizona | Yes | 1.5× value as determined by the department; held 3 years; A.R.S. 28-2057. We have not found a stated minimum in the statute; confirm with ADOT MVD | A.R.S. 28-2057 |
| Arkansas | Yes | 1.5× value; 3 years; Form 10-345 statement of fact | DFA Reg 1993-3 |
| California | Yes | Fair market value (no multiplier); one trigger is a vehicle valued at $5,000 or more; Motor Vehicle Ownership Surety Bond (REG 5057); confirm the term with the DMV | CA DMV handbook |
| Colorado | Yes | Not less than 2× the vehicle's reasonable value; DR 2922. Confirm with the Colorado DMV | Confirm with the Colorado DMV |
| Connecticut | Yes | 2× value; returned after 5 years; Form H-113; a title is not required for vehicles older than 20 model years. Confirm with the Connecticut DMV | Confirm with the Connecticut DMV |
| Delaware | Duplicate title instead | Delaware's titling pages describe a duplicate title (MV213). We have not found a bonded-title program on the DMV's page; confirm the route with the Delaware DMV | Delaware DMV |
| Florida | Yes | 2× value plus affidavit; expires on the third anniversary; Fla. Stat. 319.23(7) | Fla. Stat. 319.23 |
| Georgia | Yes | 2× average retail value, minimum $5,000; held 4 years; Forms MV-46, MV-46A, MV-1 at the county tag office | Form MV-46 |
| Hawaii | Not confirmed | County offices issue duplicate titles; a 2026 bill (SB 2079) would create a bond-based temporary title, but its status is not confirmed. Confirm with your county motor vehicle office | SB 2079 (2026) |
| Idaho | Yes | 1.5× appraised value; 3 years; Forms ITD 3404 and ITD 3410; the ITD instructions limit bonding to vehicles under 10 years old | Idaho ITD |
| Illinois | Yes | 1.5× current wholesale value; returned after 3 years; 625 ILCS 5/3-109. Confirm with the Illinois Secretary of State | Confirm with the Illinois Secretary of State |
| Indiana | Court order instead | Indiana's BMV uses a court-order title (State Forms 205, 39530, 56163), not a bond | Indiana BMV packet |
| Iowa | Yes | 1.5× DOT value; 3 years; online bonded certificate of title application; no bond for vehicles worth $1,000 or less and 12+ model years old | Iowa DOT |
| Kansas | Court order / quiet title instead | Kansas uses a court order or quiet title; Form TR-90 is only for trailers, antiques, and motors | Kansas DOR FAQ |
| Kentucky | Court order instead | A county clerk court-order title (Form TC 96-182) with sheriff inspection and a judge's order | Kentucky DRIVE |
| Louisiana | Affidavit route instead | R.S. 32:707(M) allows two affidavits for vehicles 25+ years old that have been unregistered 3+ years; no bonded title | La. R.S. 32:707 |
| Maine | Yes | 1.5× value; 3 years; Form MVT-18; 29-A MRSA 659 | 29-A MRSA 659 |
| Maryland | Yes (statute only; confirm with the MVA) | Transp. 13-109 permits the MVA to require a bond or cash deposit (1.5×, 3 years); no public MVA process page was found | Md. Transp. 13-109 |
| Massachusetts | Yes | 1.5× value; returned after 3 years; the registrar may withhold title or require a bond; G.L. c.90D §12 | G.L. c.90D §12 |
| Michigan | Yes | 2× value; the Secretary of State may require a bond (Form TR-121); certification is allowed instead for vehicles $2,500 or less and 10+ years old; MCL 257.217. Confirm the term with the Michigan SOS | MCL 257.217 |
| Minnesota | Yes, for older vehicles | Only for vehicles older than 5 years; 1.5× DVS value; held 3 years; Forms PS2000 and PS2026; Minn. Stat. 168A.07 | MN DVS, Minn. Stat. 168A.07 |
| Mississippi | Yes | 1.5× average trade-in value with an affidavit of ownership and bill of sale. Confirm the term with the Mississippi DOR | MS DOR FAQ |
| Missouri | Narrow | Only vehicles 7+ model years old and valued $3,000 or less; 2× value, $100 minimum, 3 years; RSMo 301.192 | RSMo 301.192 |
| Montana | Yes | Vehicles under 30 years old and valued over $1,000; 1× value; returned after 3 years; Form MV10; MCA 61-3-208 | MCA 61-3-208 |
| Nebraska | Yes | 1.5× value; 3 years; sheriff inspection; DMV bonded certificate of title | Nebraska DMV |
| Nevada | Yes | 1.5× MSRP; 3 years; Forms VP 271 and VP 272; the DMV Title Research Section sets the amount — do not buy the bond until the DMV gives it to you | Nevada DMV |
| New Hampshire | Yes | 1.5× NADA retail; 3 years; RSA 261:10 | RSA 261:10 |
| New Jersey | Non-bond process instead | MVC's Improper Evidence of Ownership procedure (OS/SS-142 packet), not a bond | NJ MVC |
| New Mexico | Yes | 2× NADA value; 3 years; Form MVD-10070; NMSA 66-3-24(C) | NM MVD |
| New York | Case-by-case | VTL 2105(d) lets the Commissioner require a bond (1.5×, returned after 3 years); the published Form MV-994 is the DMV's bond form | Form MV-994 |
| North Carolina | Yes | 1.5× value from the Division Value Schedule; minimum $100; held 3 years; N.C.G.S. 20-76; Form MVR-92D | N.C.G.S. 20-76, Form MVR-92D |
| North Dakota | Untitled-vehicle process instead | NDDOT's untitled vehicle process (SFN 2888, 2903, 2486); NDAC 37-12-04 | NDAC 37-12-04 |
| Ohio | Court order instead | ORC 4505.10: apply to the registrar, and if the evidence is insufficient, petition the Court of Common Pleas. Confirm with the Ohio BMV | ORC 4505.10, Ohio BMV |
| Oklahoma | Duplicate / affidavit instead | Duplicate Form 701-7 and affidavit Form 777 through the Tax Commission. Confirm with the Oklahoma Tax Commission | Oklahoma vehicle titles |
| Oregon | No bonded title issued | Oregon does not issue its own bonded titles. It accepts bonded titles issued by other states as ownership documents, and otherwise uses replacement titles, ownership documentation, or releases from prior owners and lienholders (OAR 735-022-0000 evidence list, Form 550) | Oregon DMV Chapter F |
| Pennsylvania | Court order instead | PennDOT's court-order route; acceptable proof is an MCO/MSO, PA title, out-of-state title, certificate of salvage, or court order. Confirm with PennDOT | PennDOT fact sheet |
| Rhode Island | Case-by-case | RIGL 31-3.1-9 lets the Registrar require a bond (1.5×, returned after 3 years); the Research/Title Office publishes a bond application | RIGL 31-3.1-9, RI bond application |
| South Carolina | Affidavit route instead | SCDMV's affidavit of ownership (Form TI-021A). Confirm with the SCDMV | Form TI-021A |
| South Dakota | Narrow | Only vehicles 30+ years old with no record and no bill of sale; 1.5×; 3 years; DOR Bonded Title Request Form | SD DOR |
| Tennessee | Yes | Tennessee residents, vehicle valued over $3,000 and under 30 years old; 1.5× fair market value; the state holds the bond 3 years. Confirm with the Tennessee Department of Revenue | Confirm with the Tennessee Department of Revenue |
| Texas | Yes | 1.5× value; expires on the third anniversary; Bonded Title Application (VTR-130-SOF) | TxDMV, TDI |
| Utah | Yes | 2× fair market value when value is over $3,000; held 7 years; Form TC-824 | Utah DMV, Form TC-824 |
| Vermont | Yes, residents only | 1.5× value; converts after 3 years; Form VT-020; 23 VSA 2020 | Vermont DMV, 23 VSA 2020 |
| Virginia | Affidavit route instead | Affidavit in lieu of title (VSA 12 with VSA 17A/B); Va. Code 46.2-632. Confirm with the Virginia DMV | Va. Code 46.2-632 |
| Washington | Yes | 1.5× value; held 3 years; DOL Form 420054; RCW 46.12.680 | RCW 46.12.680, DOL Form 420054 |
| West Virginia | Duplicate / affidavit instead | WV's duplicate title affidavit (Form DMV-4-TR); WV Code 17A-3-19. Confirm with the WV DMV | WV Code 17A-3-19, WV DMV |
| Wisconsin | Yes | 1.5× department value; held 5 years; Form MV2082 with MV1 | WisDOT |
| Wyoming | Yes, via county clerk | Affidavit plus an indemnity bond not less than 2× value; none needed if value is under $2,500 with other documents; W.S. 31-2-105 | W.S. Title 31 |
| District of Columbia | None found | DC's titling pages describe duplicate and replacement titles. We have not found a bonded-title program on the DC DMV's page; confirm with the DC DMV | DC DMV |
By these state rules, 31 states issue a bonded title, four more (Missouri, New York, Rhode Island, and South Dakota) allow one only in narrow or case-by-case situations, and the rest route you to a court order, an ownership affidavit, or another non-bond process; we have not found a bonded-title program on the District of Columbia's titling pages.
How to read this table
Two cells in each row do the real work: the bond amount and the term. Here is how to read them before you call anyone.
The agency sets the value, not your purchase price. What you paid rarely decides the bond. Texas values the vehicle from its Standard Presumptive Value first, then NADA, then a dealer or adjuster appraisal; North Carolina uses its own Value Schedule; Arizona sets the amount "as determined by the department"; and Georgia uses the retail values its Department of Revenue publishes. Then the state applies its multiplier — 1.5× in Texas, North Carolina, and Arizona, 2× in Georgia with a $5,000 floor, and plain fair market value in California.
Get the amount from the agency before you buy the bond. This order matters, because the state tells you the number. In Texas you receive a Notice of Determination "stating the amount of the bond you must purchase." North Carolina's own instructions say, in capitals, "DO NOT OBTAIN BOND BEFORE COMPLETING STEPS 1 THRU 3." In Nevada the DMV's Title Research Section sets the figure, and you should not buy the bond until the DMV gives it to you.
Watch the term — most are three years, but not all. Texas, North Carolina, Arizona, Washington, and most others hold the bond on file for three years. Georgia holds it four, Wisconsin five, and Utah seven. In Arizona and North Carolina, the statute gives a person damaged by the title a right of action to recover on the bond, so the term is worth knowing before you sign.
Eric works these state by state, follows each agency's checklist, and will call and walk you through the DMV steps in your state as fast as he can. We shop multiple U.S. Treasury-listed surety carriers. He speaks Spanish.
Five states where the rows differ
The table's biggest differences are worth spelling out, because these are the states where the amount, the minimum, or the term is not the usual 1.5× / 3-year pattern.
Texas — 1.5× value, three-year bond
Texas sets the bond at one and one-half times the vehicle's value, and the bond "expires on the third anniversary of the date the bond became effective." You apply with the Bonded Title Application (Form VTR-130-SOF): the TxDMV Regional Service Center reviews it first and issues a Notice of Determination with your bond amount, then the county tax office issues the title. Salvage and nonrepairable vehicles cannot use this route. See the full Texas page and the TxDMV no-title instructions; the three-year term is confirmed by the Texas Department of Insurance.
California — fair market value, no multiplier
California's DMV calls this a Motor Vehicle Ownership Surety Bond (REG 5057) rather than a bonded title, and the bond is written for the vehicle's fair market value — there is no 1.5× or 2× multiplier. One trigger is a vehicle valued at $5,000 or more when the usual ownership evidence is missing; a bond can also be required regardless of value in some situations, such as an unobtainable lien release. Confirm the bond term with the DMV. See the full California page and the DMV bonds handbook.
Georgia — 2× retail value, $5,000 minimum, four-year bond
Georgia is the outlier on both the multiplier and the term: the bond must be written for two times the average retail value the Department of Revenue sets, but not less than $5,000, and the MV-46 bond stays in force for four years. You file Forms MV-46, MV-46A, and MV-1 at your county tag office. A bonded title cannot be used for an abandoned vehicle or a 1985-or-older model. BuySuretyBonds is not licensed in Georgia, so this page is information only for Georgia; see the full Georgia page, Form MV-46, and Georgia's rules on abandoned vehicles and vehicles that do not require a title.
North Carolina — 1.5× value, $100 minimum, three-year bond
North Carolina calls it an Indemnity Bond under N.C.G.S. 20-76(b). The bond is one and one-half times the vehicle's value as shown in the Division's Value Schedule and "must be for a minimum of $100.00." It stays on file three years. Mobile homes and vehicles not in the Value Schedule need two appraisals from different North Carolina dealers, and the vehicle must pass a State Highway Patrol inspection; abandoned vehicles and mechanic's- or storage-lien vehicles cannot use a bond. See the full North Carolina page, N.C.G.S. 20-76, and Form MVR-92D.
Arizona — 1.5× value, three-year bond, confirm the process
Arizona's statute, A.R.S. 28-2057, sets the bond at "one and one-half times the value of the vehicle as determined by the department," and the bond "shall be returned at the end of three years." We have not found a stated minimum in the statute. The process steps, forms, and fees are handled by ADOT MVD; confirm those — and any inspection requirement — with ADOT MVD before you file. See the full Arizona page and A.R.S. 28-2057.
If your state uses a court order instead
If your state's row points to a court order or an ownership affidavit, that state publishes a different route for a missing title. Ohio petitions the Court of Common Pleas under ORC 4505.10; Pennsylvania and Indiana use a court order; South Carolina and Virginia use an ownership affidavit; and New Jersey uses its Improper Evidence of Ownership procedure. Those routes are worth reading before you spend anything, and a bonded title versus a court-ordered title explains the difference. When you are ready to start the bonded-title route in a state that does issue one, how to get a bonded title walks through the steps.
Frequently asked questions
Which states issue a bonded title?
Most do. By these state rules, 31 states issue a bonded (surety bond) title, four more — Missouri, New York, Rhode Island, and South Dakota — allow one only in narrow or case-by-case situations, and the rest route you to a court order, an ownership affidavit, or another non-bond process. The table above shows each state.
Do bonded title requirements change from state to state?
Yes. The bond amount, the minimum, and the term all vary. Texas, North Carolina, and Arizona set the bond at 1.5 times the vehicle's value; Georgia uses two times the retail value with a $5,000 minimum; California uses the vehicle's fair market value with no multiplier. Most states hold the bond for three years, but Georgia holds it four, Wisconsin five, and Utah seven.
How is the bond amount decided?
The state agency sets the vehicle's value — Texas from its Standard Presumptive Value, North Carolina from its Value Schedule, Georgia from Department of Revenue values — then applies that state's multiplier. Wait for the agency's number before you buy the bond.
What if my state doesn't offer a bonded title?
Several states handle a missing title through a court order or a published ownership affidavit instead — for example, Ohio petitions the Court of Common Pleas under ORC 4505.10, and South Carolina uses an affidavit of ownership (Form TI-021A). Confirm the route with that state's agency.
Can I get a quote for any state?
Quotes are available for the states where BuySuretyBonds is licensed. For states we are not licensed in, such as Georgia, this page is for information only.
Sources
- Alabama: revenue.alabama.gov; admincode.legislature.state.al.us
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia: dor.georgia.gov; dor.georgia.gov; dor.georgia.gov
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota: dps.mn.gov; revisor.mn.gov
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina: ncleg.gov; ncdot.gov
- North Dakota
- Ohio: codes.ohio.gov; bmv.ohio.gov
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island: webserver.rilegislature.gov; dmv.ri.gov
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Texas: txdmv.gov; tdi.texas.gov; txdmv.gov
- Utah: dmv.utah.gov; files.tax.utah.gov
- Vermont: dmv.vermont.gov; legislature.vermont.gov
- Virginia
- Washington: app.leg.wa.gov; dol.wa.gov
- West Virginia: code.wvlegislature.gov; dmv.wv.gov
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming