Missouri Form 5091, the Request for Motor Vehicle Records with Personal Information, is how you ask the Missouri Department of Revenue for ownership, title, registration, or mileage records on a vehicle or vessel. Each record costs $2.82. You submit the completed form by mail to the Motor Vehicle Bureau in Jefferson City or in person at a local license office, and before the department releases anything you must identify a permissible use under the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act.
What Records You Can Request
Section C of the form lists the record types. Pick the one that matches what you actually need, because each returns different data:
- Current Owner or Lienholder returns the name and address of the most recent owner and any lienholder on file.
- Title History returns every ownership change recorded in Missouri, with the name and address of each owner in the chain.
- Mileage History returns the ownership changes along with recorded mileage, title numbers, and issue dates at each transfer.
- Name Search returns a list of vehicles currently registered to a specific owner.
- Other covers requests that don’t fit the categories above and requires separate approval from the Motor Vehicle Bureau.
If you need the record for a court proceeding, a lender, or another formal purpose, check the “Certified Record Requested” box. Any of the record types can be certified.
Who Is Allowed to Request These Records
Because Form 5091 returns names, addresses, and other personal details, access is restricted by the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (18 U.S.C. §§ 2721–2725). The form lists thirteen permissible-use categories, and you have to select the one that applies before the department will process anything.
The categories people use most often include government agencies and law enforcement carrying out official functions, requests tied to motor vehicle safety or theft investigations, and requests connected to civil or criminal litigation, including service of process and enforcement of court orders. Insurance companies can access records for claims investigations, antifraud work, and underwriting. Licensed private investigators and licensed security services qualify, but only when the underlying purpose itself falls within the DPPA’s authorized uses.
Businesses outside those categories have a narrower path. A legitimate business can request personal information only to verify details an individual already submitted to the business, and if that information turns out to be wrong, to get the correct version, solely for preventing fraud, pursuing legal remedies, or recovering a debt.
Researchers can access records for statistical reports as long as the personal information isn’t published or used to contact anyone. News media can obtain records when the information relates to motor vehicle operation or public safety.
If none of the thirteen categories fits, the department will not release records containing personal information. You may still be able to get vehicle data with personal identifiers redacted through other channels; contact the Motor Vehicle Bureau directly to ask what’s available.
How to Fill Out the Form
The form has three sections. Gather everything before you start, because an incomplete form will come back unprocessed.
Section A: Requester Information
Enter your full name, the name of your organization or entity if that applies, and your title if you’re acting as a corporate officer, news agent, or government agent. Provide a phone number, fax number, and your mailing address. If you want the results sent somewhere other than your physical location, fill in the separate mailing address fields.
Two open-ended fields on this page do more work than they look like they do. “Describe the Primary Function of your Entity or Business” tells the department whether your organization plausibly fits a DPPA category. “Describe in Detail How The Information Will Be Used” is where vague answers get forms rejected. Be specific. If you’re an insurance company investigating a claim, say that. If you’re an attorney serving process, say that. Then check whether you’re filing as an individual, partnership, corporation, news media, government agent, or LLC.
Section B: Authorization
Sign and date the form. For a partnership, corporation, or LLC, the signature has to come from an authorized member or corporate officer. Print your name below the signature line.
Section C: Vehicle or Vessel Information
Enter the vehicle owner’s name and address if you have them, then check the record type you need.
For motor vehicles, provide the year, make, Vehicle Identification Number (the full seventeen characters), title number, license plate number, and plate expiration year. For marine vessels, provide the year, make, title number, Hull Identification Number, expiration year, decal number, and MO number. You don’t necessarily need every field. A VIN or HIN is the most reliable identifier, but a license plate number or title number can work when you don’t have the identification number.
Fees and Payment
Each record costs $2.82. If you’re requesting multiple record types, or records on more than one vehicle, multiply accordingly. Faxed delivery adds $0.50 per page.
The form accepts cash in person only, plus check, money order, debit card, Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express. Make checks and money orders payable to the Missouri Department of Revenue. If you’re paying by card, fill in the cardholder name, card type, card number, and expiration date on the form itself. Credit and debit card transactions carry a convenience fee of 2.0% plus $0.25 per transaction.
Where to Send It and How Long It Takes
Mail the completed form with payment to:
Motor Vehicle Bureau
Harry S Truman Bldg, Room 370
P.O. Box 2048
Jefferson City, MO 65105-2048
You can also drop the form off in person at a local Missouri license office, though those offices forward requests to the central bureau for processing, so in-person submission doesn’t necessarily move things along faster. The Department of Revenue hosts an online inquiry form for motor vehicle records that uses the same identifiers, but Form 5091 remains the standard route when personal information is involved and you need to document your permissible use.
On the form, choose how you want the results delivered: mail, fax, or email. Fax carries the $0.50-per-page surcharge. Email is listed as an option at no additional charge beyond the per-record fee.
Plan on at least seven to ten business days from the date the bureau receives your request. During busy periods, or when a vehicle has a complicated title history with many owners, processing can stretch to roughly two weeks.
Penalties for Misusing the Records
The DPPA declaration on the form is enforceable. Anyone who knowingly obtains or discloses motor vehicle records in violation of the Act faces a criminal fine under federal law. A state motor vehicle department that maintains a policy of substantial noncompliance can be hit with a civil penalty of up to $5,000 per day.
The Act also creates a private right of action under 18 U.S.C. § 2724. If someone obtains personal information from motor vehicle records without a permissible use, the person whose information was accessed can sue for actual damages (no less than $2,500 in liquidated damages), punitive damages where appropriate, and reasonable attorney’s fees. Misrepresenting your reason for requesting records on Form 5091 exposes you to the federal penalties and to civil liability from the people whose records you pulled.