What Happens If You Lose A Title Before It’s Transferred?

So what happens if you lose a car title before you transfer it into your name? Well, in that case, it’s like that transfer never even happened. The only people that know that the car title is transferred are you and the person that gave you the title. Although, sometimes the person who sold you the car and signed it over isn’t even the actual owner on paper. So the document of that transfer of title may just be a bill of sale. That’s just a witness to the transaction is not proof of ownership. If that original car title certificate is gone, then that evidence is gone. It’s protection against vehicles being transferred illegally to the wrong owner. 

The title certificate is the ownership proof. The DMV will not simply take your word for it because then anybody could show up there and say “Hey I own this car, give me a title in my name!” and you wouldn’t want that to happen to your car. 

A title that is signed, but not transferred, is a major liability for both the buyer and seller. To avoid this, take it to the DMV in exchange for a new title as soon as possible.

Want a CarTitles.com professional to do it for you?

For as little as $159 for most processes, we will save you the headache and prepare all of the car title paperwork needed to get you a new title. Simply choose the title recovery method you’d like to use and we’ll get started!

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Order Vermont Title LoopholeOrder Deceased Owner Title TransferOrder Bonded Title ProcessOrder Abandoned Vehicle ProcessOrder Prior Owner ContactOrder Lien Release Request LetterPGlmcmFtZSBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vYXBwLmFjdWl0eXNjaGVkdWxpbmcuY29tL3NjaGVkdWxlLnBocD9vd25lcj0xOTQ4ODEyNiZhcHBvaW50bWVudFR5cGU9MjMwNjY0MTAiIHRpdGxlPSJTY2hlZHVsZSBBcHBvaW50bWVudCIgd2lkdGg9IjEwMCUiIGhlaWdodD0iODAwIiBmcmFtZUJvcmRlcj0iMCI+PC9pZnJhbWU+PHNjcmlwdCBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vZW1iZWQuYWN1aXR5c2NoZWR1bGluZy5jb20vanMvZW1iZWQuanMiIHR5cGU9InRleHQvamF2YXNjcmlwdCI+PC9zY3JpcHQ+