How to Get a Certified Copy of Car Title in Texas

To get a certified copy of a car title in Texas, submit Form VTR-34 to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles either by mail or in person at a Regional Service Center. The fee is $2 by mail and $5.45 in person.¹ There is no online option. The process itself is short, but a lien still showing on your record will stop the application cold, so clear that up first.

Who Can Apply

Texas restricts certified-copy requests to three people: the recorded owner, a lienholder listed on the title, or a verified agent of either.² If you are the owner and no lien is on file, you apply directly. If a lien is active, the lienholder can apply, or they can give you an original release of lien so you can apply yourself.¹

An agent applying for someone else must attach a letter of signature authority on original letterhead, a business card, or a copy of their employee ID, plus a copy of their government-issued photo ID.¹

For jointly owned vehicles, every recorded owner has to sign the form and provide a photo ID copy. No one can be left off. If a co-owner cannot sign, a power of attorney for that person will stand in for their signature.³

What to Gather Before You Start

Vehicle identification number, year, make, body style, and model. License plate number and existing title/document number are helpful but optional.
A photocopy of a valid photo ID for each owner or agent: U.S. driver’s license or state ID, U.S. or foreign passport, or U.S. military ID.³
An original release of lien, if TxDMV’s records show a lien on the vehicle.

Clear Any Recorded Lien First

This is where most applications stall. If TxDMV’s record shows a lien, no certified copy will be issued until it is released. You need an original, signed release on the lienholder’s letterhead or on Form VTR-266. Photocopies, scans, faxes, and emails are not accepted.³

If you paid the loan off years ago and never received a release, contact the lender. This is a common discovery moment when someone tries to sell the car or replace a lost title. Lenders are required to release liens once the debt is paid, but the release does not always reach TxDMV on its own. If the lienholder no longer exists, work back through mergers or successor institutions. Where the trail runs out entirely, TxDMV can help resolve the record.

Filling Out Form VTR-34

Form VTR-34, “Application for a Certified Copy of Title,” is the only form TxDMV accepts for this request. Download it from the TxDMV website or pick one up at a Regional Service Center.¹

Use black or blue ink. Work through the requirements checklist printed down the left side, ticking each box as you confirm it. Under “Recipient Information,” put the name and address of whoever should receive the certified copy, whether that is you, a co-owner, or a dealership.³

Every recorded owner, or their authorized agent, has to sign the form in original ink. The certification you sign states that you are the owner, lienholder, or verified agent, and that the original title was lost, destroyed, or mutilated. Print your name and the date under each signature.

Where to Send It

By Mail

Mail the completed VTR-34, photocopies of all required IDs, the original lien release if applicable, and your payment to:

Texas Department of Motor Vehicles
1601-A Southwest Parkway
Wichita Falls, TX 76302⁴

In Person

Any of the 16 TxDMV Regional Service Centers across the state can process the application. Bring the completed form, your original photo ID, and payment. An appointment shortens the wait.⁵

Do not go to your county tax assessor-collector’s office for this. County offices handle registration and title transfers, but certified copies are processed only through TxDMV Regional Service Centers or by mail to the Wichita Falls address above.

Fees and Payment

The statutory fee is $2 by mail and $5.45 in person.¹ Payment options depend on how you apply:

By mail: personal check, cashier’s check, or money order payable to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. No cash.
In person: cash, check, money order, or credit card. Credit card payments include a convenience fee.⁵

How Long It Takes

An in-person application at a Regional Service Center can be processed the same day. Mailed applications take longer; TxDMV advises allowing at least 20 business days for title processing, plus mailing time in both directions.⁶

One rule catches people off guard: after TxDMV issues a certified copy, there is a 30-day waiting period before you can apply for another one.¹ Lose the replacement and you have to wait it out. The new document is stamped “certified copy” on its face, so it looks a little different from the original, but it carries the same legal weight for proving ownership or completing a sale.

If the Titled Owner Has Died

If the person named on the title is deceased, Form VTR-34 is not the right route. Texas handles that through an Affidavit of Heirship for a Motor Vehicle (Form VTR-262), filed at the county tax assessor-collector’s office, and the physical title is not required to complete the transfer.⁷

1
Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Get a Copy of Your Vehicle Title
2
State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code 501 – Certificate of Title Act
3
TxDMV.gov. Application for a Certified Copy of Title (Form VTR-34)
4
Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. TxDMV Wichita Falls Regional Service Center
5
Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Receiving In-Person Motor Vehicle Services
6
TxDMV.gov. Buying or Selling a Vehicle
7
TxDMV.gov. Affidavit of Heirship for a Motor Vehicle (Form VTR-262)