Illinois Duplicate Title Application: Form VSD 190 Filing and Fees

To get a replacement title in Illinois, file Form VSD 190 with the Secretary of State and pay a $50 fee. The Illinois duplicate title application can be submitted by mail or in person at a Secretary of State facility, but there is one wrinkle that catches many owners off guard: if your vehicle has an active loan, state law requires your lienholder to request the duplicate, not you.

Filling Out Form VSD 190

Form VSD 190 is the Application for Vehicle Transaction(s), a multi-purpose form the Secretary of State uses for duplicate titles, corrected titles, and junking certificates.¹ You can complete it through the Electronic Registration and Title (ERT) system on the Secretary of State’s website, then print it for submission. Check the “Duplicate Title” box in the transaction section so the office knows what you’re asking for.

Have the following in front of you before you start:

The full 17-character Vehicle Identification Number, usually visible through the windshield on the driver-side dash or on the door jamb.
The current odometer reading, taken directly from the vehicle rather than estimated.
Year, make, and model, matching the Secretary of State’s records exactly.
The license plate number, which ties the request to your registration.

In the owner section, use the legal name exactly as it appears on the original title. A small mismatch, like a middle initial where the original spelled out the middle name, can get the application kicked back. Your current residential address goes on the form as well, since lien-free titles are mailed to the owner at the address listed.

If Your Vehicle Has a Lien

Under 625 ILCS 5/3-111, when a lien exists on the vehicle, the first lienholder is the party required to apply for the duplicate certificate. The owner does not have standing to file in that situation.² If you are still paying off a loan, contact your lender and ask them to initiate the request.

Before you assume there’s a paper title to replace at all, check whether your lender uses the Electronic Lien and Title (ELT) program. Illinois participates in ELT, and many lenders hold the title electronically instead of on paper. Under ELT, the certificate stays digital until the loan is paid off, at which point a paper title is produced and mailed according to the lender’s instructions.³ If that’s your situation, there may be nothing lost in the first place.

When a duplicate is issued for a vehicle with a lien, the new certificate is mailed to the lienholder, not the owner.⁴ The lienholder’s complete name and address have to appear on the application.

Fee and Payment

The duplicate title fee is $50.⁵ For mailed applications, pay by check or money order made out to the Secretary of State. In-person facilities may accept additional payment methods.

Where to File

You have two options. To file by mail, send the completed VSD 190 and payment to:

Office of the Secretary of State
Vehicle Records Processing Division
501 S. 2nd St., Room 424
Springfield, IL 62756-6666⁶

You can also bring the paperwork and payment to a Secretary of State facility.¹ Staff will process and accept payment at the counter, but the title itself is printed centrally and mailed to the address on file. There is no online submission option for duplicate titles.

If You Need the Title Fast

Illinois offers an expedited title service for situations like a pending sale. Applications received before noon are printed and shipped via FedEx the same day; applications received after noon or by mail ship the next business day.⁷ Expedited service costs extra on top of the $50 duplicate title fee.

How Long It Takes

Standard mailed applications generally take several weeks. The Secretary of State verifies the vehicle details against its records and confirms there are no conflicting ownership or lien issues before printing.

There is also a statutory waiting window. The Secretary of State cannot issue a duplicate within 15 days of the original certificate being issued.² If your title was just printed and immediately went missing, expect to wait that period out.

Odometer Disclosure

The odometer field is not optional. Illinois law requires you to state the current mileage and certify one of three things: the reading is actual mileage, is not actual mileage, or exceeds the odometer’s mechanical limits.²

Vehicles from model year 2011 or newer carry odometer disclosure requirements for the first 20 years of the vehicle’s life under updated federal rules. Model year 2010 and older vehicles follow the previous 10-year threshold.⁸ If your vehicle falls inside that window, a blank or incorrect reading will stall the application.

Having Someone Else File for You

You can send a legal representative in your place when there is no lien on the vehicle. The statute allows “the owner or legal representative of the owner” to apply.² In practice, this means signing a power of attorney authorizing another person to handle the transaction. The Secretary of State publishes a power of attorney form for vehicle transactions; have it completed and signed before your representative files anything.

If the Original Turns Up Later

If the missing title reappears after a duplicate has been issued, Illinois law requires you to surrender the original to the Secretary of State promptly.² Once a duplicate exists, only the duplicate is legally valid. Do not use the recovered original for a transfer or registration.

1
Illinois Secretary of State. Apply for Registration and Title
2
Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Compiled Statutes 625 ILCS 5/3-111 – Lost, Stolen or Mutilated Certificates
3
Illinois Secretary of State. Illinois Electronic Lien and Title (ELT) Program
4
Illinois Secretary of State. Corrected Titles
5
Illinois Secretary of State. Fees
6
Illinois Secretary of State. Duplicate Titles
7
Illinois Secretary of State. Expedited Title Service
8
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Consumer Alert: Changes to Odometer Disclosure Requirements