Washington at a glance
| What | Washington |
|---|---|
| Form | TD-420-040, Affidavit of Loss/Release of Interest |
| Fee | $39.50, or $89.50 at a Quick Title office |
| How long | Mailed within 4 to 6 weeks if you apply at a vehicle licensing office |
| Faster option | At a Quick Title office, you get the title before you leave, or it’s mailed right away. |
| Ways to apply | By mail or in person |
| Who can apply | The registered owners. |
| ID | The state’s pages don’t say |
| Loan on the car | If you’re still making payments, the lienholder must apply for the replacement title. |
Where Washington’s $39.50 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. Washington charges $39.50.
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 TD-420-040 asks for: license plate/registration number; VIN; model year, make, model, body style; what is missing and why (destroyed, illegible, lost, stolen, defaced); owner name, phone, Washington driver license number, email; date and place signed; notarized signature.Check for a loan on the car
Still making payments? Your lender applies for the replacement, not you, so call it first. Selling the car before it’s paid off? The lender can give your buyer its Affidavit of Loss/Release of Interest along with your Release of Interest, and the buyer transfers the title at any vehicle licensing office.Fill in Form TD-420-040
The form is the Affidavit of Loss/Release of Interest. Notary: Yes. Every registered owner signs in front of a notary, or in front of a vehicle licensing agent at an office.Send it with the fee
- By mail: Mail the notarized form with a check or money order payable to the Department of Licensing to any vehicle licensing office.
- In person: Any vehicle licensing office, run by the county auditor or a subagent.
Good to know in Washington
- Quick Titles aren’t available for vehicles reported stolen, destroyed by insurance or a wrecker, or with “WA rebuilt” on the title.
- If your address on file is out of date and you can’t update it online, include a notarized Vehicle Title Application listing your mailing address.
- Print the affidavit on white paper.
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, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Texas or Wisconsin.