Lost Title Indiana: Duplicate and Replacement Titles

By Mohamed SkhiriUpdated November 10, 2026Checked against the Indiana BMV's duplicate title pages and FAQ

When the BMV issues a duplicate

The BMV issues a duplicate title when the original has been lost, stolen, mutilated or destroyed, or has become illegible. The moment the duplicate is issued, the original becomes void. That matters if the old one turns up in a drawer later: it's no longer a valid title, and trying to sell with it will fail. So once the new title prints, the lost one is gone for good.

How to file for a lost title in Indiana

Pick the route that matches your situation. The first three work only if your name, the vehicle and any lien information are the same as on the title being replaced.

1. Online with myBMV. Sign in to your myBMV account and order the duplicate; it's mailed to you.
2. At a BMV Connect kiosk. The self-service kiosks handle duplicates when nothing on the title has changed.
3. At a BMV branch. Bring photo ID; a branch is also where you show a lien release if a paid-off loan still appears on the record.
4. By mail. Send an Application for Certificate of Title, State Form 205, a copy of your unexpired photo ID, and a check, cashier's check or money order for $15 payable to the BMV. Watercraft use State Form 38529 instead.

Whichever you choose, the replacement looks like any other title and is accepted the same way at a sale.

Speed titles and same-day questions

By mail, adding $25 to the fee gets you a speed title, which the BMV processes faster than a standard request. People often ask whether a branch can hand over a same-day duplicate at the counter; the BMV's duplicate title page doesn't promise same-day printing, so call the branch first if you need the title in hand that day, for example to close a sale.

If a lien shows on the record

When a lien is still recorded, the duplicate goes to the lienholder, not to you. If the loan is paid off, bring proof of the lien release to a branch and the BMV can issue the duplicate in your name without the lender listed. That's the step most people miss with a lost title in Indiana: a loan paid years ago can still be on file.

If you bought a car without a title

A buyer can't apply for a duplicate of someone else's title. The seller has to replace it and sign it over. The BMV's FAQ says that without a title, a certificate of origin or a court order, a bill of sale alone generally won't get you a title, and for vehicles valued at $5,000 or less there's a separate Affidavit of Ownership process. Our Indiana bill of sale page covers when a bill of sale counts and when it doesn't.

Replacement title in Indiana: quick answers

The fastest route is myBMV, if nothing on the title has changed. By mail it's $15, or $40 with a speed title. Paid off a loan? Bring the release first. A lost title in Indiana is void the moment the duplicate is issued, so don't use the old one if it turns up. If you're still deciding how to file for a lost title in Indiana, start online and fall back to a branch only if myBMV refuses the request.

Indiana duplicate title FAQ