Wisconsin title answers · Lost or damaged title
What if you lost both the title and the registration card in Wisconsin?
Short answer
Replace them separately. If the car is titled in your name, a replacement title costs $20 on form MV2119 or online, and a replacement certificate of registration costs $2 on form MV2026 or online, where WisDOT emails it to you to print. You do not need either lost document to apply. The VIN is on the vehicle itself, and the plate number is on your plates.
The two documents do different jobs
The title proves who owns the car. The certificate of registration goes with the plates and shows the car is registered. Losing both at once feels like a big problem, but WisDOT treats them as two small, separate requests with separate forms, fees and mailing addresses.
Replacing the title
Only the owner on WisDOT's record can apply. Online, an individual needs a Wisconsin driver license or ID number, the last four digits of their Social Security number, date of birth, the VIN and a payment method. WisDOT says the replacement title should arrive in 7 to 10 business days after an online application.
By mail, print MV2119, have the owner on record sign it, and send it with a $20 check payable to Registration Fee Trust to WI Dept. of Transportation, P.O. Box 7949, Madison, WI 53707-7949. In person, add a $5 counter service fee.
If there was a loan on the car listed on or after July 30, 2012, you never had the title to lose. The lender holds it, and only the lender can request a replacement.
Replacing the registration card
The owner, the lessee or the driver may apply. Online, the fee is $2, and the certificate is emailed for you to print. By mail, send form MV2026 with a $2 check to WI Dept. of Transportation, P.O. Box 7911, Madison, WI 53707-7911. In person it is $2 plus the $5 counter fee.
If your plates have expired, WisDOT gives you a choice: request the replacement certificate, or simply renew, and a new certificate and stickers come in the mail.
Where people get stuck
The requests themselves are simple. What slows people down is missing information or a detail on their record.
- Not knowing the numbers. With the registration card gone, copy the VIN from the car and the plate number from the plates before you start. MV2119 says both are needed to process it.
- An old address on file. If you moved, update your address with WisDOT first, or use the permission-to-mail section of MV2119 to send the title somewhere else.
- The car is not in your name yet. If you bought it and lost the seller's title before applying, a replacement is not yours to order. The seller has to request it.
- Lost plates too. Plates are a third request on form MV2118, and they come with a new number, a new registration certificate and new stickers.
Common questions
Can someone else apply for me?
For the registration card, a driver of the vehicle may apply. For the title, only the owner on record can. If someone else picks up a title in person, WisDOT requires form MV2932 and their ID.
What if only my plate sticker is gone?
If you already renewed and the sticker is lost, stolen or damaged, WisDOT lets you get a duplicate online.
The car is registered to my business. What changes?
Applications for a business owner use the full legal business name, ZIP code and the business's FEIN instead of a Social Security number.
Can I cancel an online request if I typed something wrong?
No. WisDOT says completed online replacement transactions cannot be canceled or refunded, so check the VIN before you pay.
Were my documents stolen rather than lost?
The same forms apply. MV2119 covers lost, stolen and mutilated titles. If you think a thief has the title, see our page on a stolen title.
Want us to do the paperwork?
You tell us your situation. We fill out the WisDOT forms for it and give you a checklist of what to include. You review, sign and mail the package yourself.
If the state asks for a bond, you buy it from a licensed surety of your choosing. We take no commission.
- ✓ $299, one flat fee, bonded titles included
- ✓ Track your case online
- ✓ The application is in your name from the start
State fees are paid to WisDOT. Any bond premium is paid to the surety you choose.
Prefer to fill out the forms yourself? The $97 do-it-yourself kit walks you through every form field, the real costs, and the 12 reasons packets get rejected.
Related answers
How much is a replacement title in Wisconsin?
A Wisconsin replacement title is $20 on form MV2119, or $25 at a DMV counter. Only the owner of record, or a post-2012 lender, can apply.
Read this guide →What if you lost the title before registering the car in Wisconsin?
The seller is still the owner on WisDOT's record, so the seller orders a $20 replacement (MV2119), can have it mailed to you, and signs it over.
Read this guide →What is Wisconsin form MV2119?
MV2119 is WisDOT's Replacement Title Application for a lost, stolen or damaged title. $20, signed by the owner of record, or the lender if one holds it.
Read this guide →What should you do if your car title was stolen in Wisconsin?
Confirm the car is still in your name, then order a $20 replacement on MV2119. If the stolen original turns up, Wisconsin law says send it to WisDOT.
Read this guide →How do you change your address on a Wisconsin title and registration?
Update your address with WisDOT online or on form MV3058 within 10 days of moving. You do not need a new title or registration card.
Read this guide →Lost title in Wisconsin
Replacement title or bonded title: how to tell.
Read this guide →Sources, checked 2026-10-31: WisDOT: Replace your title, plates or stickers · WisDOT: Form MV2119, Replacement Title Application · WisDOT: Title and plate processing status · Wis. Stat. 342.13, lost, stolen or mutilated certificates. Rules can change; confirm with WisDOT before you file.
TitleFiled is a document-preparation and title-recovery assistance service operated by Nuvent66 LLC, a Wisconsin limited liability company. It is not a law firm, does not provide legal advice, and is not affiliated with, authorized by, or endorsed by any DMV or government agency, including the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT). We do not guarantee that any agency will approve or issue a title. Information on this page is provided for general reference, was verified against official WisDOT sources on the date shown, and is not legal advice.