How to Get a Replacement Title in Wisconsin: Form MV2119 Options

To get a replacement title in Wisconsin, file Form MV2119 with the Department of Transportation and pay the $20 state fee. You can submit it online, by mail, or in person at a DMV service center, and the same form covers a title that was lost, stolen, or damaged. One catch decides whether you can file at all: if a lien was recorded on your vehicle on or after July 30, 2012, only your lender can request the replacement.¹

Who Is Allowed to File

Wisconsin splits authority between owners and lienholders by the date the lien was recorded. If your vehicle has no lien, or the lien was filed before July 30, 2012, you file as the owner. If the lien was filed on or after July 30, 2012, the lienholder files and you do not. In that case, call your lender and ask them to request the replacement.¹

You also have to be the person the state already has listed as owner. Dealers cannot use the replacement title system, and unauthorized use can lead to license suspension.²

What Form MV2119 Asks For

Form MV2119 is available on the Wisconsin DOT website or at any DMV service center. You will need:¹

The full legal name of every owner as listed in the current title record. If ownership reads “and,” all owners must sign; “or” means only one has to.
Your Social Security number, or your Wisconsin driver license number in its place.
The vehicle’s VIN (usually 17 characters, found on the dashboard or door jamb), plate number, year, make, and model.
The reason for the replacement: lost, stolen, or damaged.

If a non-exempt vehicle is involved, you should also be ready to write down the current odometer reading when you apply.³

If You Paid Off the Loan But the Lien Is Still on Record

When the title still shows a lien that was actually satisfied, include the lien release with your MV2119. Without it, Wisconsin will carry the old lien onto the replacement title.¹

If the lender was a bank or savings institution that failed and went into FDIC receivership, the FDIC can sometimes issue the release. You submit a request through the FDIC Information and Support Center along with a copy of the title (or a state vehicle inquiry report if it is lost) and proof the loan was paid, such as a promissory note stamped “PAID” or a copy of the payoff check. Processing runs about 30 business days.⁴ The FDIC cannot help with credit unions, mortgage companies, finance companies, or banks that closed voluntarily; for those, you will need to track down a successor institution or speak with an attorney.

Applying Online

The DOT’s online portal is on the “Replace your title, plates or stickers” page. It pulls your information from state records and walks you through the fields. The fee is $20, payable by credit or debit card (with a convenience fee) or by e-check from a checking or savings account (no convenience fee). After you submit, you get a digital receipt and a confirmation number.²

The portal is restricted to vehicle owners. If a lender holds your title under the post–July 30, 2012 rule, you will not be able to use it.

Applying by Mail

Fill out the MV2119 and mail it with a check or money order for $20 made payable to “Registration Fee Trust.” No cash. Send it to:²

WI Dept. of Transportation
PO Box 7949
Madison, WI 53707-7949¹

A tracked mailer is worth the small extra cost so you can confirm delivery. Most mailed applications finish in 14 days or less, and the new certificate goes to the primary owner’s address on file.⁵

Applying in Person

Any DMV service center that handles title transactions can take a walk-in replacement. Bring the completed MV2119 and payment. The state adds a $5 counter service fee to the $20 title fee, so the total at the window is $25.⁶

You can pay with cash, a check or money order, or a credit or debit card (convenience fee applies). A clerk reviews the form on the spot and enters it into the system; you leave with a printed confirmation, and the title itself is mailed to your address on file. Filling out the MV2119 before you arrive shortens the visit.²

If You Later Find the Original

Wisconsin law requires you to turn a recovered original certificate over to the Department of Transportation promptly after a replacement is issued. Keeping both creates a risk of conflicting ownership records.⁷

Why You Should Not Skip the Replacement

You cannot legally transfer ownership of a Wisconsin vehicle without a title. If you sell or try to transfer a vehicle and fail to execute the required assignment of title and deliver it to the buyer, you can be hit with a forfeiture of up to $500.⁸ The buyer also cannot register the vehicle or prove ownership. Passing a car through your hands without ever putting your name on the title, then reselling it, is known as title jumping and is illegal. A $20 replacement is far cheaper than the alternative.

1
Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Replacement Title Application MV2119
2
Wisconsin DMV Official Government Site. Replace Your Title, Plates or Stickers
3
eCFR. Part 580 Odometer Disclosure Requirements
4
FDIC.gov. Obtaining a Lien Release
5
Wisconsin DMV Official Government Site. Processing Time for DMV Products
6
Wisconsin DMV Official Government Site. DMV Fees – Counter Service Fees
7
Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 342.13 – Lost, Stolen or Mutilated Certificates
8
Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 342.15 – Transfer of Interest in a Vehicle