Owning your own vehicle is an exciting and proud moment. In the United States as proof of this ownership you are given something that is called a Certificate of Title, or a car title. It is in fact a small pink slip of paper that states a number of important details. On this title is the license plate number, the vehicle's VIN number, contact information of the registered owner (address and name), the lienholder, and more.
This title should always be kept in a safe place in your home (not in the car), but accidents can happen and you may find yourself searching for the title in vain. If you live in Iowa and have lost your title, had it damaged, or worse had it stolen, it’s important to obtain a duplicate title. Going about it in the right way ensures you get it as soon as possible.
When applying for a duplicate title in the state of Iowa, it needs to be done in person at your local IA DMV office. This duplicate title will be given to you if you have damaged or lost your original one. You can follow these steps:
First fill out the Application for Replacement of Iowa Certificate of Title to a Motor Vehicle (Form 411033). This form can be found online and at the DMV.
The form will need to then be submitted to the county treasurer's office, where the title of your vehicle was originally issued.
In order to obtain a duplicate title there is a $25 fee involved.
Keep in mind if there is still a lien on your vehicle, it's up to the lienholder to apply for the duplicate. If they wish they can submit a notarized Cancellation of Security Interest (Form 411168) to the county treasurer's office.
As well if there are multiple owners of the vehicle, each one has to have their signature on the application.
You can find more information about replacing a lost or stolen car title in Iowa by visiting the state’s official Department of Motor Vehicles website.
