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Replacement Titles
A replacement certificate of title may be needed if your Georgia certificate of title has been lost, stolen, misplaced or mutilated. If you cannot find the Georgia certificate of title for your motor vehicle, or mobile home, you should first be sure that it is not currently being held by a lienholder. Georgia law requires that the Motor Vehicle Division mail a title, on which a lienholder is shown, to the lienholder rather than the owner. Once the lien is paid in full the lienholder should release the lien in the space provided on the title and mail it to the owner. If your motor vehicle is older than a 1986 model, a certificate of title is not required for transfer. In this case, you may transfer ownership by simply signing the back of your registration and providing a Bill of Sale to the new owner. However, if the last Georgia title issued in the name of the current owner and has been lost, a replacement may be obtained. Once the chain of ownership has been broken, a replacement title cannot be issued. The State of Georgia does not title vehicles older than 1962 regardless of the chain of ownership.
Replacement certificate of titles may be obtained by submitting the following to the Motor Vehicle  Division or the Athens-Clarke County Tag Office:
  • An MV-1 (download MV-1) application for replacement title completed in the same name(s) as the title which has been lost/stolen/mutilated. The application must be typed in full and signed by the applicant(s). Current odometer reading is required on all applications where an odometer declaration is required. If there is more than one owner, each owner must sign their name individually. The box in the left corner of the application must be checked indicating that it is an application for a replacement title.
  • A T-4 Lien Release from any lienholder on the original certificate of title which has now been satisfied. Any new or existing lien must be shown on the application (MV-1) in the space provided. Note: If a lien is 10 years old or older a lien release is not required. This however, does not apply to mobile homes, cranes or vehicles that weigh more than 10,000 pounds.
  • The application fee for a replacement title is $8.00.
  • The completed and signed application must be mailed to one of the following addresses or delivered to the Athens-Clarke County Tag Office.

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Athens-Clarke County Tag Agent
P. O. Box 8088
Athens, GA 30603
Motor Vehicle Division 
P. O. Box 740381 
Atlanta, GA 30374-0381
The Motor Vehicle Division only mails titles to the lienholder or owner by regular mail. If there is a lien on the vehicle the Motor Vehicle Division is required to mail the title to the lienholder.

 
Legends on Replacement Titles
The replacement title for a lost or stolen title will be issued bearing the following replacement legend: "THIS IS A REPLACEMENT TITLE AND MAY BE SUBJECT TO THE RIGHTS OF THE PERSON UNDER THE ORIGINAL CERTIFICATE." The replacement title for a mutilated title will be issued bearing the following replacement legend: "REPLACEMENT TITLE"

 
Recently Married? A replacement title may be issued in a person's married name even though the original title was issued in the applicants' maiden name by completing the MV-1 application in the married name. A copy of the official marriage license must also be submitted.

 
 

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