How to Get a Lost Title in New Mexico: Forms, Signatures, and Fees

To get a lost title in New Mexico, file Form MVD-10901 (Application for Duplicate Certificate of Title) with the Motor Vehicle Division, either in person at a field office or licensed partner office, or by mail to the Vehicle Services Bureau in Santa Fe. You’ll need your driver’s license, the vehicle’s VIN, a lien release if one applies, and the state fee. Once processed, MVD mails the replacement to the address on your registration and voids the original.

What You Need to File

The application is Form MVD-10901, available on the MVD website or at any office.¹ It asks for the vehicle’s year, make, model, and full Vehicle Identification Number. The VIN sits on the dashboard near the windshield or on the driver-side door jamb.

The form specifically requires your driver’s license as identification. If you’re mailing the application, include a photocopy.¹ Check every field against your existing registration before submitting. Mismatched information is the most common reason applications come back.

Federal law requires an odometer disclosure statement when a title is issued for most vehicles less than 20 model years old.² You certify one of three things: the reading is accurate, the odometer has rolled past its mechanical limit, or the reading doesn’t reflect actual mileage. Vehicles 20 model years or older are generally exempt.

Who Has to Sign

Under NMSA § 66-3-24, only the owner listed in MVD records, the owner’s legal representative, or a successor in interest (such as an heir) can request a duplicate.³ If you bought the vehicle but never transferred it into your name, you’ll need the seller’s cooperation, or you may have to use the bonded title process described below.

When two names appear on the title, the connector between them controls. Names joined by “and” mean every listed owner has to sign. Names joined by “or” mean either owner can sign alone.⁴ A representative signing for an owner needs a notarized power of attorney.

If a lien is on record, the lienholder also has to sign.³ If the loan has been paid off, include a lien release from the lender with your application. Without one, MVD sends the duplicate directly to the lienholder rather than to you.¹ If you still owe money on the vehicle, contact your lender before starting. They may need to initiate the request or cosign the application.

How to Submit the Application

In Person

An MVD field office or a licensed MVD partner office is the fastest route. Bring the completed MVD-10901, your driver’s license, and your payment. Staff verify the paperwork on the spot. Partner offices are privately operated and typically add a service fee on top of the state charge, so ask about total cost before they process anything.

By Mail

Mail the completed form, a photocopy of your driver’s license, any supporting documents such as a lien release, and payment by check or money order to:

Vehicle Services Bureau
P.O. Box 1028
Santa Fe, NM 87504-1028¹

Make the check or money order payable to the Motor Vehicle Division. Don’t send cash. MVD mails the new certificate to the address on your vehicle registration. Issuing the duplicate automatically voids the original, so if the old one turns up later, it no longer proves ownership.

Fees

New Mexico charges a state fee for duplicate titles. The MVD-10901 instructions reference an “appropriate fee” payable by check, money order, or (at in-person locations) credit or debit card.¹ Partner offices add their own service charge, which varies by location. Call ahead or check the MVD website for the current amount.

If your application needs notarization, for instance when a representative signs under a power of attorney, New Mexico caps notary fees at $5 per signature. A notary using electronic tools may add a technology fee of up to $25.⁵

If the Owner on the Title Has Died

A duplicate title alone won’t transfer a deceased owner’s vehicle. After the owner’s death, the vehicle’s registration stays valid until it expires, until the title transfers, or until a surviving joint owner claims it. A personal representative appointed by a probate or district court can transfer the vehicle using the title (or a duplicate, if the original is lost), a certified copy of the court order appointing them, a bill of sale or title assignment to the new owner, and an odometer disclosure. When the estate goes through formal probate, a court order identifying the vehicle by VIN takes the place of an owner signature.⁶

If You Never Had a Title in the First Place

The duplicate process assumes you’re the recorded owner. If a title was never issued in your name, for example after buying from a private seller who never handed over paperwork, MVD can accept a surety bond in place of ownership evidence.⁷ The bond has to equal twice the vehicle’s value and stay in effect for at least three years, so anyone with a legitimate ownership claim during that window can recover from it. The application packet goes to MVD’s Dealer Licensing Bureau and includes Form MVD-10070, an Affidavit of VIN (Form MVD-10861), any bill of sale or older title you have, proof of New Mexico residency, and the bond itself, issued by a company authorized to do business in New Mexico.

One limit worth knowing: a bonded title cannot substitute for a lien process. If the vehicle is subject to a mechanic’s lien, tow lien, storage lien, or abandoned vehicle lien, the applicable lien process is the required path instead.⁷

1
State of New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division. Application for Duplicate Certificate of Title
2
eCFR. Part 580 Odometer Disclosure Requirements
3
Justia. New Mexico Statutes Section 66-3-24 (2025) – Lost or Damaged Certificates, Registration Evidence or Plates
4
Motor Vehicle Division NM. Chapter 3 – Title and Registration – New Vehicles
5
Justia. New Mexico Statutes Section 14-14A-28 (2025) – Fees
6
Motor Vehicle Division NM. Chapter 8 – Special Title Situations
7
Motor Vehicle Division NM. Chapter 10 – Bonds and Liens