How to File for a Lost Title in Texas
If a Texas title that was issued in your name is lost or missing, you replace it by filing Form VTR-34 with the TxDMV — $2 by mail or $5.45 in person, with a 30-day waiting period after the last title was issued. If the title was never in your name, there is nothing to copy, and the bonded title path is the next step.
Texas is a state where we are licensed, so you can start a title bond estimate above. Reading first? This page sits inside our Texas vehicle title bond guide and the broader vehicle title bonds section.
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First, which situation are you in?
Lost title covers two different problems, and Texas puts them on separate tracks:
- The title was issued to you and you lost it. You apply for a certified copy with Form VTR-34. You are already on the record, so this is a replacement — not a new claim of ownership.
- You never received a title at all. You bought the vehicle, the title never came, and you cannot reach the seller to sign it over. There is no title to copy, so Form VTR-34 will not help you; the bonded title procedure is the route (covered near the bottom of this page).
A quick way to tell them apart: are you listed as an owner on the Texas title record? For a certified copy, TxDMV requires that "All recorded owners must sign the form." If your name is not on the record, you are on the bonded-title track instead. Our plain-language explainer, lost title vs. bonded title, walks through the difference.
How to file for a certified copy (Form VTR-34)
The whole process is laid out on the TxDMV get a copy of your title page. In order:
- Fill out Form VTR-34, the "Application for a Certified Copy of Title (Form VTR-34)." Every owner named on the record has to sign it — TxDMV's rule is that "All recorded owners must sign the form." You can find the form on the TxDMV forms page.
- Pay the fee for how you file. By mail it is a "$2 mail-in fee by check, cashier's check or money order". In person the fee is "$5.45 fee by check, cash, or money order."
- Watch the waiting period. TxDMV states: "There is a 30-day waiting period to apply for a certified copy of title after the last one was issued." If a title was issued recently, wait out those 30 days before you apply.
Clear an old lien before you send it in
Even a loan you paid off years ago can still sit on the record: "A lien that has been paid off may still be recorded on the title. If that is the case, an original release of lien from the lienholder is required. A fax or photocopy is not acceptable."
Read that literally — the lienholder's original release, on paper, in hand. A fax or a photocopy will be turned away, so chase the original down before you file, not after.
Where to file it
You have two ways to submit Form VTR-34:
- By mail to TxDMV, 1601 Southwest Parkway, Suite A, Wichita Falls, TX 76302.
- In person at a Regional Service Center. TxDMV's page says it will "ENCOURAGE you to have an appointment," and across the 16 offices "Customers with appointments will receive priority." Find your office on the TxDMV Regional Service Centers page; those centers handle "Replacement Titles" directly.
Not sure which office or channel fits your case? Our where to file in Texas page breaks it down. You can also reach TxDMV by phone at (888) 368-4689.
How long does it take?
We have not found a processing time for a certified copy of title on TxDMV's page, so confirm the current turnaround with TxDMV when you file or call.
If the title was never in your name: the bonded title path
When there is no title to copy and the seller is gone, Texas points you to the bonded title. In TxDMV's words, if you "have lost the evidence of ownership and cannot contact the seller for the necessary documentation, you may have the option of using the bonded title procedure." The full starting point is TxDMV's bought a vehicle with no title page.
A Texas title bond is set at "1 ½ times the value of the vehicle," so the bond amount turns on your vehicle's value. You can run that figure on our title bond calculator, and our step-by-step how to get a bonded title guide covers what the state asks for next.
Talk it through with Eric
Eric is our producer, and he picks up the phone. If your title was issued to you, he will point you straight at Form VTR-34 and help you sort the lien release before you file. If it was never in your name, the bonded title is the next step, and he will walk you through the DMV order so you file it in the right order. Eric speaks Spanish and can walk through it in Spanish.
When a bond is the route, Eric moves as fast as he can, and we work with multiple surety carriers to get you what you need. Start your estimate with the quote form at the top of this page or run the numbers on the title bond calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How do I file for a lost title in Texas?
File Form VTR-34, the Application for a Certified Copy of Title, with the TxDMV. Every recorded owner must sign it, and you submit it either by mail to TxDMV in Wichita Falls or in person at a Regional Service Center.
How much does it cost to replace a lost Texas title?
It is a $2 mail-in fee by check, cashier's check or money order, or a $5.45 fee by check, cash, or money order if you file in person.
Is there a waiting period for a certified copy of a Texas title?
Yes. TxDMV applies a 30-day waiting period to apply for a certified copy of title after the last one was issued.
There is an old, paid-off lien on my title — what do I do?
A paid-off lien can still be recorded on the title. If it is, TxDMV requires an original release of lien from the lienholder; a fax or photocopy is not acceptable.
What if the car title was never in my name?
A certified copy only works if you are a recorded owner. If the title was never in your name and you cannot reach the seller, TxDMV says you may have the option of using the bonded title procedure instead.
How long does a Texas certified copy of title take?
We have not found a published processing time on TxDMV's page, so confirm the current turnaround with TxDMV.