How to Get a Replacement Title in Wisconsin

Getting a replacement vehicle title in Wisconsin costs $20, takes about 7 to 10 business days through the online eMV Public portal, and can also be done by mail or at a DMV customer service center. You apply using form MV2119.¹ The one situation that stops this cold is an active loan on the vehicle, so check that first before you do anything else.

If Your Vehicle Has a Loan on It, Read This First

Wisconsin became a “title to lienholder” state on July 30, 2012. For any loan filed on or after that date, the lender holds the physical title, and only the lienholder can request a replacement. You cannot apply yourself.¹

What you received when you financed the vehicle was a Confirmation of Ownership, not the title itself. It proves ownership but cannot transfer the vehicle. Once the loan is paid off, the lender electronically releases the lien and a new title is mailed to you automatically.² If you need the document before payoff, you have to go through the lender.

The older rule still applies to older liens. If the lien was filed before July 30, 2012, the owner can apply for the replacement directly and will certify on the MV2119 that the title is lost, stolen, or mutilated and is not held by the lienholder.¹

What to Gather Before You Apply

Wisconsin law requires the owner shown in the Department of Transportation’s records to apply when a title is lost, stolen, damaged, or unreadable.³ Have the following ready:

The full 17-character Vehicle Identification Number.
Your Social Security Number, or a Federal Employer Identification Number if a business owns the vehicle.
The current odometer reading.
Your full legal name and mailing address, matching what the state has on file.

The owner on the title must sign. If multiple owners are joined by “and,” every owner has to sign; owners joined by “or” need only one signature.¹ If someone else is applying on your behalf, they need an original MV2690 Power of Attorney on secured paper. Photocopies are rejected.⁴

The Three Ways to Apply

Online Through the eMV Portal

This is the fastest route. The eMV Public portal validates your information against the state database as you go. You’ll need a Wisconsin driver’s license or state ID card, the last four digits of your Social Security Number, your date of birth, and a valid email address for the electronic receipt. Businesses sign in with their full legal business name, zip code, and FEIN.⁵

Pay the $20 fee by credit card, debit card, or electronic check from a bank account. Card payments carry a convenience fee; paying from a checking or savings account avoids it.⁶ Save the confirmation. The title should arrive within 7 to 10 business days.

By Mail

Send the completed MV2119 with a $20 check or money order payable to “Registration Fee Trust” to:

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

Do not send cash. Mail takes longer than the online option.⁶ Mail is the practical choice for out-of-state owners, because the eMV portal requires a Wisconsin license or ID. As long as you’re still the owner of record, the MV2119 can be mailed from anywhere.

In Person at a DMV Customer Service Center

Walking the paperwork in means staff can catch missing items on the spot. The trade-off is a $5 counter service fee on top of the $20 replacement fee, for a total of $25.⁷ If you don’t bring proof of identity to the counter, the DMV will mail the title to the address on file rather than hand it over.⁶

Authorized third-party title and registration service providers can also process the transaction electronically, but they charge up to $38 per title transaction on top of state fees.⁷

What to Expect After You Apply

The replacement is mailed to the owner’s address on file. Online applications generally arrive in 7 to 10 business days; mail and in-person applications take longer.⁶ Wisconsin does not offer expedited or rush processing, so online is as fast as it gets.

The new title carries a notation identifying it as a replacement, which signals to future buyers or lenders that a previous title existed. If the original turns up later, state law requires you to surrender it to the Department of Transportation promptly.³ Don’t hold onto both copies.

If You’re Trying to Sell the Vehicle

Wisconsin requires a seller to sign the certificate of title over to the buyer at the time of sale.⁸ Without the physical document, a private sale can’t legally close. Wait for the replacement before finalizing the deal. A bill of sale alone won’t let the buyer register the vehicle. The seller also has 30 days from the sale to report the buyer’s identity and the VIN to the Department of Transportation.⁹

If the Owner Has Died

When the owner has passed away and the title is missing, whoever is handling the transfer still has to file an MV2119 and pay the $20 replacement fee before the vehicle can move to an heir or buyer. Who signs depends on probate: if the decedent’s solely owned property totaled $50,000 or less, an heir can transfer using a Statement of Transfer (MV2300); above that threshold, a court-appointed personal representative handles it with a copy of their appointment papers.¹⁰

Correction, Not Replacement

If your title arrived with an error such as a misspelled name or wrong VIN, that is a correction, not a replacement. Use form MV1020 and mail it in with the incorrect document so the state can reissue it. If a Wisconsin dealer’s paperwork caused the error, contact the dealer first; they’re responsible for initiating the fix. Adding or removing a co-owner isn’t a correction either. The state treats that as a transfer of ownership with its own paperwork and any required lien release.¹¹

1
Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Replacement Title Application
2
Wisconsin DMV Official Government Site. Lien Holder Search
3
Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Code 342.13 – Lost, Stolen or Mutilated Certificates
4
Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Plain Dealing Jan 2023
5
Wisconsin DMV Official Government Site. Apply for Title and/or License Plates (Registration)
6
Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Replace Your Title, Plates or Stickers
7
Wisconsin Department of Transportation. DMV Fees
8
Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Code 342.15 – Transfer of Interest in a Vehicle
9
Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Code 342.41 – Identity of Buyer
10
Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Transfer a Vehicle to an Heir
11
Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Title/Registration Correction Request