Michigan at a glance
| What | Michigan |
|---|---|
| Form | TR-11L, Application for Michigan Vehicle Title (duplicate title application); out-of-state residents use the Out-of-State Resident Duplicate Title Application (ISS-TITLE) |
| Fee | $15, or $20 for a same-day instant title |
| How long | About 14 days by mail |
| Faster option | You can get an instant title the same day at any Secretary of State office for $20 total. The owner has to come in person, not an agent, and it isn’t offered online. |
| Ways to apply | Online, by mail or in person |
| Who can apply | Any owner on the title can apply, and only one owner needs to sign. So can an agent you name on an Appointment of Agent form, such as a dealer taking your car in trade. |
| ID | Your driver’s license or state ID (a photocopy if you apply by mail from out of state) |
| Loan on the car | If there’s a loan on the car, you have no paper title to replace. Once you pay it off, the lender releases the lien and the paper title is mailed to you automatically. To clear an old paper lien on a duplicate, include the lender’s signed termination statement (plus $1 on the out-of-state form). |
Where Michigan’s $15 fee sits among the 50 states and DC
State fee for a duplicate car title in the 50 states and DC: Under $10, 9; $10 to $19.99, 19; $20 to $39.99, 13; $40 to $59.99, 5; $60 or more, 5. Michigan charges $15.
Step by step
Find the VIN
You don’t need the lost title to find the 17-character VIN: it’s on the lower left of the windshield and on your registration card, and it may be on your insurance card. Form TR-11L asks for: vehicle owner name, phone and email; Michigan address and out-of-state address; photocopy of driver's license or state ID; vehicle year, make and plate number; VIN; reason: lost, stolen or mutilated; lien termination statement if removing a lien; applicant signature; card payment details.Check for a loan on the car
Check Title or Liens under Ownership Account in your Secretary of State online account first. If the title is electronic, there’s no paper title to replace: when you pay off the loan, confirm your mailing address with the lender, and the paper title comes by mail once it releases the lien. If a lender is on a paper title, the duplicate goes to the lender. Paid that loan off? Include the lender’s signed termination statement to remove the lien.Fill in Form TR-11L
The form is the Application for Michigan Vehicle Title (duplicate title application); out-of-state residents use the Out-of-State Resident Duplicate Title Application (ISS-TITLE). Notary: No notary needed. Mailed forms can’t use an electronic or digital signature.Send it with the fee
- Online: Request a Duplicate Title in SOS Online Services, with your driver’s license or ID and date of birth.
- By mail: Only if you’re a Michigan resident living out of state or a former resident. Mail or fax the Out-of-State Resident Duplicate Title Application to Michigan Department of State, Internal Services Section, 7064 Crowner Drive, Lansing, MI 48918.
- In person: Any Secretary of State office (schedule a visit); self-service stations don’t replace titles.
Good to know in Michigan
- If the title hasn’t arrived in 60 days, call 888-767-6424.
- Out-of-state mail or fax requests take about 5 business days to process. Fax requests have to pay by card.
Title from another state?
Apply to the state that issued it. Find yours on the lost car title page for every state, or go straight to Alabama, California, Florida, Illinois, Missouri, New York, Texas, Washington or Wisconsin.