How to Replace a Lost Car Title in Connecticut: Form H-6B and Filing

To replace a lost car title in Connecticut, file Form H-6B (Application for Replacement Certificate of Title) with the Department of Motor Vehicles, pay the $25 fee, and wait up to 20 business days for the duplicate to arrive by mail. You can submit online, in person by appointment, or by mail. The replacement is printed with a “duplicate” designation, and the DMV voids the original in its records automatically.¹

Who Can File the Application

Connecticut General Statutes Section 14-178 limits replacement requests to the registered owner listed on the original title, or a legal representative acting under a valid power of attorney.²

If a loan is still recorded against the vehicle, the rule flips: the lienholder files, not you. That application has to go by mail with a power of attorney attached. Online and in-person filing aren’t available while a lien is active.¹

First, Check Whether Your Vehicle Even Needs a Title

Connecticut doesn’t require a title for any motor vehicle older than 20 model years. In 2026, that means model year 2006 or earlier. You can still request one voluntarily, but it isn’t mandatory.³

Other vehicles are exempt regardless of age, including trailers with a gross weight of 3,000 pounds or less, self-propelled wheelchairs, farm equipment, and vehicles owned by the state or a municipality. For exempt vehicles, DMV registration records prove ownership in place of a title.³

What Form H-6B Asks For

Download Form H-6B from the CT DMV site or pick one up at a DMV office. You’ll fill in the Vehicle Identification Number (the 17-character code on the dashboard or driver-side door jamb), the current odometer reading, and your personal information exactly as it appears on the current registration: full legal name, residential address, and date of birth.¹

Every owner on the title has to sign, or a legal representative can sign with proper identification. Complete every field. Don’t use correction fluid or cross anything out; the DMV will reject an altered form.

If a lienholder appeared on the original title but the loan has been paid off, get a lien release letter from the lender and include it. The letter has to be an original. Faxes and photocopies are not accepted.¹

Three Ways to Submit

The fee is $25 regardless of method.⁴

Online

The fastest option is the CT DMV online portal, which takes about seven minutes. Pay the $25 electronically. Online filing is available only when no lien is active on the vehicle.¹

In Person

DMV hubs and branch offices handle title replacements by appointment only, so book one before you go. Accepted payments include cash, personal check, bank check, money order, and Visa or Mastercard credit and debit cards.⁴

By Mail

Send the completed Form H-6B with a $25 check or money order payable to “DMV” to:

Department of Motor Vehicles
Attention: Specialized Registry Services, Room 305
60 State Street
Wethersfield, CT 06109

Certified mail gives you a tracking number to confirm delivery. Mail is also the only option when a lienholder is applying.¹

How Long It Takes and What Arrives

Once the DMV receives your application and payment, plan on up to 20 business days for the duplicate to reach you by mail. That’s roughly four calendar weeks, so build in time if you’re trying to sell the vehicle or need the title for another transaction.¹

The replacement is mailed to the registered owner’s address, or to the lienholder if a lien is still recorded. The face of the document is printed with a “duplicate” designation, and the DMV updates its records to void the original. If the lost title turns up later, it no longer has legal effect.

One boundary worth flagging: if the registered owner has died, this isn’t the right process. The estate’s executor or administrator handles a title transfer with different paperwork through a DMV hub or branch office, not a replacement title request.⁵

1
CT.gov. Replace Your Title
2
Justia. Connecticut General Statutes Title 14 Section 14-178 – Replacement Certificate of Title
3
Justia. Connecticut General Statutes Title 14 Section 14-166 – Exempted Vehicles
4
CT.gov. DMV Fees
5
CT.gov. Transfer Car Ownership