How to Replace a Lost California Car Title

Replacing a lost California car title means filing a DMV form called REG 227, paying a $28 replacement fee, and waiting up to 30 days for the new one to show up in the mail.

That much stays the same for almost every driver.

What changes is whether a notary has to get involved, whether a lender’s name is still sitting on the old title, and what happens if the person who sold the car never had a title to hand over in the first place.

Here’s how each of those pieces plays out.

Note: This is general information, not legal advice. Titling rules and fees are subject to change, so confirm the current requirements with the California DMV.

REG 227 Is the Form You Need

California’s REG 227 is the single form that replaces a lost, stolen, or damaged car title.

Registration (REG) forms are how DMV numbers this kind of paperwork, and this one’s full name is the Application for Replacement or Transfer of Title, last updated in September 2024.

A straight replacement only needs Sections 1 through 3: the registered owner’s information, any legal owner or lienholder on file, and a Missing Title Statement where the applicant checks a box for what happened to the title.

The choices are lost, stolen, illegible or mutilated, never received from a prior owner, and never received from DMV.

Check the box that’s true.

Once DMV issues that replacement, the original title becomes void, even if it turns up later in a junk drawer.

It’s gone for good.

Anyone whose mailing address no longer matches DMV’s records has to file in person instead of by mail, bringing a photo ID and proof of ownership like the registration card.

When a Notary Has to Get Involved

A notary only enters California’s title replacement process when a lender is still listed as the legal owner on record.

No lienholder on file means the registered owner alone can sign off, no notary trip required.

That’s it.

A lender still on the title changes things.

That legal owner has to release its interest in Section 5 of REG 227, and DMV requires that signature to be notarized before it’ll process anything.

One name on file, one extra step.

Once that loan is paid off, the lender can release its interest either by notarizing Section 5 or by filing a separate Lien Satisfied and Title Holder Release, known as REG 166.

A notary public confirms who signed the form, not whether the paperwork itself is accurate, so it’s still worth double-checking every section before that appointment.

When the Lienholder Can’t Be Reached

A California title replacement can stall when the legal owner on record has closed, merged, or simply stopped responding.

DMV keeps a lender lookup tool built for exactly that, tracing a lender’s successor company so the current lienholder can sign Section 5.

Track the lender down and it still won’t cooperate. Or it can’t be found after every reasonable attempt to reach it. Either way, DMV accepts a motor vehicle bond in place of that signature.

A bond fills the gap.

That bond applies no matter what the car is worth, and it only comes into play once every reasonable attempt to reach the legal owner has come up empty.

Replacement or Transfer on REG 227

REG 227 splits into two different jobs depending on what's happening with the car.

A straight replacement, with no sale attached, only needs Sections 1 through 3, and the new title mails to the same owner already on file.

A missing title tangled up with an actual sale turns REG 227 into a Transfer of Title with Replacement instead.

The seller completes Sections 1 through 4, requesting the replacement and releasing their interest in the same filing, and the new owner finishes Sections 6 and 7.

One form, two outcomes.

The $28 Replacement Fee

A replacement California title costs $28, whether the original was lost, stolen, damaged, or simply never arrived.

That's the flat rate DMV charges under vehicle code section 9265, no sliding scale for the reason it went missing.

A field office in Fresno charges the same $28 as one in Beverly Hills, no city or county add-on.

DMV takes that fee online, by mail, over the phone, or at a field office, the same as other DMV registration fees.

How Long a Replacement Title Takes

Fifteen to thirty days is the usual wait for a replacement California title once DMV has REG 227 in hand.

About a month, worst case.

Drivers who can't wait a month can request rush processing instead, which DMV turns around in about three business days, not counting weekends or holidays, for an added fee.

That's the exception, not the norm.

If the Seller Lost the Title First

Buying a California car whose seller can't produce the title doesn't kill the sale, but it does add a step.

REG 227 has a box for exactly that situation, labeled Not Received from Prior Owner, and the new owner checks it when filing their own replacement request.

A seller who still owns the car and lost their own title before ever listing it works through it differently.

They check Lost instead of Not Received from Prior Owner, the only difference from the standard Transfer of Title with Replacement covered above.

REG 227 covers it.

Once the sale closes, the new owner has 10 days to finish their half of the paperwork, and the seller has 5 days to file a Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability so the car stops being their responsibility the moment it drives away.

California's Virtual Office Filing Option

California's DMV also runs a Virtual Office tool that lets a driver start a replacement title request online instead of mailing REG 227 in.

It only asks for a driver's license or ID number, the last five digits of the vehicle identification number (VIN), and the license plate number before it walks through the rest.

DMV Now kiosks sit inside more than 130 grocery stores statewide, at chains like Ralphs, Vons, and Albertsons, but that self-service touchscreen only handles routine business like a registration renewal.

A lost title still routes through REG 227 or the Virtual Office instead.

FAQ

Quick answers to what California drivers ask most about replacing a lost car title.

Straight answers, no jargon.

How much does it cost to replace a lost California title?

DMV charges $28 for a replacement title, whether the original was lost, stolen, or damaged. The fee is the same across the board.

Does a lost California title replacement need to be notarized?

Only if a lender is still listed as the legal owner on the title. If there's no lienholder on record, the registered owner can sign REG 227 without a notary.

How long does it take to get a replacement California title?

Replacement titles usually arrive by mail within 15 to 30 days of DMV receiving REG 227. Rush processing is available for an added fee.

Can I sell a California car if the title is lost?

Yes. REG 227 doubles as a Transfer of Title with Replacement, so a missing title doesn't stop the sale from closing.

What if the person selling me a car never had the title?

Check the Not Received from Prior Owner box in Section 3 of REG 227 when filing for a replacement title as the new owner.