How to Get a Duplicate Title in Maryland (Replace a Lost Car Title)

A lost, stolen or damaged car title can stop a sale, a gift or a trade-in cold. In Maryland, the fix is a duplicate certificate of title. This guide walks through each way to order one, what goes on Form VR-018, the $40 MVA fee, and what to do if a lien is involved. We’re Maryland Express Services, an MVA authorized tag and title agent in Reisterstown, and we handle duplicate title requests for customers from Owings Mills, Baltimore County and across Maryland.

What is a duplicate title in Maryland?

A duplicate title is the MVA’s legal replacement for your original certificate of title. The MVA says it “has the same authority” as the original (MVA: Request a Duplicate Vehicle Title). Under Transportation Article § 13-111, the duplicate carries a printed legend stating that it is a duplicate and may be subject to the rights of a person under the original certificate.

Once a duplicate is issued, it becomes the valid title and replaces any title issued before it, according to the MVA Title and Registration Manual. Your old title should not be used again, even if it turns up later.

When you need a duplicate title (and when you need a correction instead)

The MVA lists these common reasons to request a duplicate title:

• Your title was lost or stolen.
• Your title was damaged or is unreadable.
• You never received your title.
• Your title was destroyed, for example in a fire or flood.

The VR-018 application also has check boxes for an altered, mutilated or misassigned title, and for a title that was returned to the state. If your title is altered, mutilated or misassigned, you must turn in that title with the application. If your Maryland title was surrendered to another state, the out-of-state title is required.

Still have the title, but your name or address is wrong? Don’t order a duplicate. The MVA says to request a correction instead. A corrected title is a different transaction, with its own forms and an $80 state fee. If the title is only worn or has a small mistake, see what condition a Maryland title must be in before you replace it.

How to order a duplicate title in Maryland

You have five options. Pick the one that fits your situation.

1. Online through myMVA

Sign in to your myMVA account and use the online duplicate title request. The MVA calls this the fastest option for most people. It is available for eligible vehicles and does not need an office visit.

2. At an MVA kiosk

Form VR-018 states that you can request a duplicate at any MVA kiosk. Duplicates ordered online or at a kiosk can be mailed to a different address if the owner asks.

3. At an MVA branch office

The MVA recommends a full-service branch if you have questions or special circumstances. You need an appointment.

4. By mail with Form VR-018

If you can’t apply online or in person, complete the Application for Duplicate Certificate of Title (VR-018) and mail it to the MVA address printed at the top of the form, with the fee and the required documents. When you mail the form or hand it in at the MVA, include a copy of a valid state-issued ID for each owner and for anyone presenting the application.

5. Through a tag and title agent

The Maryland MVA lets authorized tag and title agents request duplicate titles electronically (see the MVA bulletin Requests for Duplicate Titles, updated June 25, 2025). At our Reisterstown office, we look up the vehicle record first, so we can spot a lien that still shows or a flag that could hold up your request, and then we submit the request for you. This option helps when online ordering doesn’t work for your vehicle or you’d rather have someone review your paperwork. Learn more about what a tag and title agent can and cannot do.

How we order a duplicate title at Maryland Express Services

We order duplicate titles through the MVA’s business portal, the electronic system the MVA set up for dealers and tag and title agents (MVA bulletin: Requests for Duplicate Titles). We check the record for liens or flags first, then submit the request. When we place the order, you choose how to get your title:

• By mail: the duplicate title is mailed to you.
• Pickup at our office: you can pick up the title at our Reisterstown office after 48 hours. This is how we handle pickups at MES, not an MVA rule.

Ordering it yourself through your own myMVA account? You can choose expedited shipping. In our experience it costs $17.13, and the title arrives in 3 to 5 business days. The MVA’s public pages don’t list a delivery time for duplicate titles, so check the price and options shown when you check out.

Maryland duplicate title application (Form VR-018): what it asks for

The current form is VR-018 (10-25). Have this information ready:

• Your name, email address and phone number.
• The reason for the request (lost, destroyed, altered, mutilated, misassigned, returned to state, or other).
• The name and address of the secured party (lienholder), if any.
• Your current Maryland title number, plus the vehicle’s make, model, year and VIN.
• Each owner’s full name or business name, driver’s license number or FEIN, and date of birth.
• Your current residential address and mailing address, with a box to check if the address is new.
• Signatures of all owners, made under penalty of perjury.

The form warns that falsifying a title or registration application can bring a fine of up to $1,000.

Who can sign and request a duplicate title

The MVA’s FAQ says only authorized people may request a duplicate title, with proper documentation. The VR-018 instructions spell out who signs:

• Joint owners: if the vehicle is jointly owned, every owner must sign.
• Businesses: the person legally authorized to sign must state their capacity after their signature.
• Trusts: the trustee signs and states their capacity.
• Deceased owner: the personal representative or legal heir must submit letters of administration.
• Surviving spouse: if spouses jointly owned the vehicle and one has died, the survivor does not need a certified copy of the death certificate when the vehicle record already has a “Reported Deceased” flag from the Department of Vital Statistics. For the full process, see how to transfer a car title after death in Maryland.
• Bankruptcy trustee: attach a copy of the court appointment.

Need to take someone off the title at the same time? That’s a separate transaction. See removing a co-owner from a Maryland title.

Documents to bring

According to the MVA, you may be asked for:

• A completed Form VR-018 (if you aren’t ordering online).
• Valid identification for each owner.
• Proof of lien release, if a lien was recorded on the title.
• The damaged, altered, mutilated or misassigned title, if you still have it.
• Payment of the duplicate title fee.

How much is a duplicate title in Maryland?

The MVA fee for a duplicate title is $40. That amount appears on the MVA fees page, on Form VR-018 and in COMAR 11.11.05.02, which sets fees under the authority of Transportation Article § 13-805. The fee went up from $20 to $40 on September 1, 2025 (MVA bulletin: New Vehicle Services Fee Changes), so older articles that quote $20 are out of date.

The corrected title fee is set under § 13-118 and the same COMAR fee schedule. A tag and title agent charges its own service fee in addition to the state fee. For more on state fees, see Maryland tag and title costs.

Lost title and a lien, or a loan you just paid off

If a lien still shows on the title, the MVA says the lienholder may need to be involved before a duplicate can be issued. If you paid off the loan and the lender released the lien electronically, the MVA no longer prints a clear title automatically. You request it, and the first clear title after the release has no MVA charge (MVA bulletin, January 27, 2025).

VR-018 also has a lien certification section. The owner can use it only if the liens are over seven years old and have been satisfied, and signing it means you agree to make full restitution to the lienholder and hold the MVA harmless if a lien is later found to exist. We cover the lien side in detail in how to remove a lien from your Maryland title, selling or gifting a car after a payoff, and what to do when your lender no longer exists.

How long does it take to get a duplicate title in Maryland?

The MVA does not publish a set processing time. Once your request is approved, the duplicate title is mailed to the address on record, and the MVA says delivery times may vary. You can track the mailing with the MVA’s Product Tracking Tool (“Check my order status” on the MVA site).

If you order through your own myMVA account, you can choose expedited shipping, which in our experience costs $17.13 and arrives in 3 to 5 business days. If we order the duplicate for you, you can have it mailed or pick it up at our Reisterstown office after 48 hours.

Tip: confirm your address with the MVA before you order. A title mailed to an old address is another lost title.

Found the original title after getting a duplicate?

Don’t use it. Under § 13-111(e), a person who recovers an original title after a duplicate has been issued must promptly surrender the original to the MVA. The duplicate is now the valid title.

Selling or gifting a car with a lost title

The MVA’s Selling a Vehicle page says you must have a valid Maryland title in your name before you can sell, and that you should request a duplicate title before selling if yours is lost or damaged. Order the duplicate, wait for it to arrive, and then sign it over. Our guides on a private sale with same-day plates and the Maryland tag and title checklist cover the next steps.

Get help with a duplicate title in Reisterstown

Not sure which option fits, or worried about a lien or flag on the record? Bring your ID and any paperwork you have to Maryland Express Services, 25 Main Street, Suite C, Reisterstown, MD 21136. We’re open 7 days a week, and walk-ins are welcome. Call, text or WhatsApp (443) 826-7843, or contact us online. You can also see all of our tag and title services or read how to choose a tag and title agent in Maryland.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get a duplicate title in Maryland?

You can request one online through myMVA, at an MVA kiosk, at a full-service MVA branch by appointment, by mail with Form VR-018, or through an authorized tag and title agent. Every owner signs, and you pay the $40 MVA fee.

How much is a duplicate title in Maryland?

The MVA fee is $40, effective September 1, 2025. The first clear title after an electronic lien release has no MVA charge. A tag and title agent adds its own service fee.

Can I get a duplicate title online in Maryland?

Yes, for eligible vehicles. Sign in to myMVA and use the duplicate title request. The MVA calls it the fastest option for most people, and you can ask for the title to be mailed to a different address.

Can I get a duplicate title the same day in Maryland?

No. Duplicate titles aren’t issued same-day in Maryland. Titles ordered online, at a kiosk or by mail are mailed to you. If we order it for you, you can have it mailed or pick it up at our Reisterstown office after 48 hours.

How long does it take to get a duplicate title in Maryland?

The MVA does not publish a set time. The duplicate is mailed to the address on record after approval, and delivery times vary. If you order through your own myMVA account, you can choose expedited shipping, which in our experience costs $17.13 and arrives in 3 to 5 business days. You can track it with the MVA’s Product Tracking Tool.

Can someone else request a duplicate title for me?

Only authorized people, with proper documentation. All owners must sign VR-018. A personal representative or legal heir of a deceased owner submits letters of administration, and a business or trust signer states their capacity.

Can I get a duplicate title if there is a lien on my car?

Possibly. The MVA may need documents from the lienholder. If the lien was released electronically, you can request a clear title, and the first one after the release has no MVA charge.

What if I find my original title after getting a duplicate?

Don’t use it. Maryland law requires you to promptly surrender the recovered original to the MVA. The duplicate is now the valid title.

Should I order a duplicate title if my name is wrong on the title?

No. If you have the title but the name, address or vehicle information is wrong, the MVA says to request a title correction instead of a duplicate.

Can I pick up my duplicate title at Maryland Express Services?

Yes. We order duplicate titles through the MVA business portal and check the record for liens or flags first. You can have the title mailed to you, or pick it up at our Reisterstown office after 48 hours. This is our office practice, not an MVA rule.

Sources

• MVA: Request a Duplicate Vehicle Title
• MVA: Application for Duplicate Certificate of Title, VR-018 (10-25)
• MVA: Fees and Payment Options
• MVA: Correct a Name or Address on a Title or Registration
• MVA Title and Registration Manual
• COMAR 11.11.05.02 (title fees)
• Maryland Transportation Article § 13-111
• Maryland Transportation Article § 13-805
• Maryland Transportation Article § 13-118
• MVA bulletin: Requests for Duplicate Titles (updated June 25, 2025)
• MVA: Selling a Vehicle
• MVA bulletin: New Vehicle Services Fee Changes (August 22, 2025)
• MVA bulletin: Discontinuance of the Duplicate Title after Lien Release (January 27, 2025)

Disclaimer: Maryland Express Services is an authorized agent of the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA). We are not the MVA and are not a government office. This article is general information, not legal advice. MVA fees and rules can change, so check the linked MVA pages for the latest details. Information verified October 19, 2026.