Replacing a lost Mississippi car title: standard Form 78-006 or Fast Track

The short version

The Department of Revenue's motor vehicle FAQ describes two replacement routes for a title that has been lost, mutilated, destroyed or otherwise ruined:

• Standard: complete the Application for Replacement Certificate of Title, Form 78-006, pay $9.00, and mail it to the address on the form.
• Fast Track: complete the Application for Fast Track Replacement Certificate of Title, Form 78-026, pay $39.00, and either mail it to the address on the form or apply in person at the Department's office at 500 Clinton Center Drive, Clinton, MS 39056. A Fast Track title is issued within 72 hours after the Department receives the application.

The Department also says a replacement is required before a sale can go ahead if the title is missing. That is usually when people discover they need one.

Title versus registration: why this is a different office

Everything else on this site is about registration — the tag and decal you renew every year at your county tax collector. The title is the ownership document, and it is a one-time record that does not expire. You can renew your registration for years without ever looking at the title, which is exactly why so many go missing in a drawer or a move.

Losing a title does not affect your ability to renew your tag. The renewal requirements are covered in our renewal checklist, and the title is not on it. The problems start when you need to prove ownership: selling the car, trading it in, or moving it to another state.

Which route should you use?

The fee difference is $30. The Department's fee list shows a Motor Vehicle Title at $9.00 and a Fast Track Title at $39.00, and its Fast Track section describes the service as requiring an additional $30.00 fee — which is the gap between the two figures, so the numbers agree. What the $30 buys is speed.

• Use the standard form if nothing is waiting on the title. The Department's FAQ gives three to four weeks for titles generally. It does not state a separate time for replacements, so treat that as a guide rather than a promise.
• Use Fast Track if a sale, trade-in or out-of-state registration is waiting. Its 72-hour promise starts when the Department receives the application, so mail time is not included. If you are close enough to Clinton, the walk-in option removes mail time entirely.

A worked example: you have agreed to sell a truck on Saturday and find the title is gone on Monday. The standard route will almost certainly not arrive in time. A Fast Track application mailed Monday might reach the Department mid-week, and the 72 hours run from there, which still leaves you depending on the post twice. Walking in at Clinton, if that is realistic for you, is the only way to keep the timeline in your hands.

Step by step: standard replacement

1. Get Form 78-006, the Application for Replacement Certificate of Title.
2. Complete it for the vehicle. Have the vehicle identification number (VIN) ready; it is on your registration receipt and on the vehicle itself.
3. Enclose the $9.00 fee.
4. Mail it to the address printed on the form. The FAQ directs you to the form for the address, so use the current copy rather than an address you found somewhere else.

Step by step: Fast Track replacement

1. Get Form 78-026, the Application for Fast Track Replacement Certificate of Title. The FAQ says it is also available at your county tax collector's office.
2. Complete it and include the $39.00 fee.
3. By mail: send it to the address on the form. In person: go to 500 Clinton Center Drive, Clinton, MS 39056. For walk-in service the Department says to bring a valid driver's license or photo ID, and that the owner(s) must be present.

That last requirement catches couples out. If the title is in two names, plan for both owners to go to Clinton, or use the mail route instead.

What the Department's page does not say

We read the FAQ for guidance on the following and did not find it, so treat these as questions for the Department rather than facts:

• Liens. The page does not explain how a replacement works when a lender is recorded on the title, or where the replacement is sent in that case. If the vehicle is financed, ask before you apply.
• Who may sign. The page does not set out eligibility beyond describing replacements for lost or damaged titles; it does not discuss estates, powers of attorney or businesses.
• A title found after you apply. The page does not say what to do with the old one. Ask; do not try to use both.
• Exact processing time for a standard replacement. Only the general three-to-four-week figure is given.

Motor Vehicle Services at the Department can be reached at (601) 923-7200, the number its FAQ lists for motor vehicle questions.

If you are replacing the title in order to sell

Once the replacement arrives, the sale follows the normal rules. The seller completes the title assignment except for the buyer's printed name and signature, never leaves the buyer's name blank, and removes and surrenders the plate. Our guide to selling a car in Mississippi walks through that, including how to keep your registration credit.

Once the new title arrives

A replacement title is the only proof of ownership you have, so treat it differently from the registration receipt. The receipt belongs in the vehicle; the title does not. A title kept in the glovebox travels with the car if the car is stolen, which hands a thief the one document needed to sell it. Store it at home with other papers you would not want to lose, and photograph both sides so you have the VIN and title details if it goes missing again.

Check the new document as soon as it arrives: owner names spelled correctly, the VIN matching the one on the vehicle and the registration receipt. A mistake is far easier to raise with the Department straight away than on the day a buyer is waiting.

A quick checklist

• Decide whether you can wait: standard Form 78-006 at $9.00, or Fast Track Form 78-026 at $39.00.
• Have the VIN and owner details ready.
• Use the mailing address printed on the current form.
• For walk-in Fast Track in Clinton, bring photo ID and every owner on the title.
• If there is a lien on the vehicle, ask the Department how it affects the replacement before applying.

This is general information based on the Department of Revenue's published FAQ, not legal advice. Fees and forms change; confirm against the Department before you pay.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a replacement title cost in Mississippi?

The Department of Revenue lists $9.00 for a standard replacement using Form 78-006, and $39.00 for Fast Track using Form 78-026.

How fast is a Fast Track title?

The Department says a Fast Track title is issued within 72 hours after it receives the application. Mail time is not included.

Where can I get a Mississippi title replaced in person?

Fast Track walk-in service is at the Department of Revenue, 500 Clinton Center Drive, Clinton, MS 39056. Bring a valid driver's license or photo ID; all owners must be present.

Do I need my title to renew my tag?

No. Registration renewal is handled by your county tax collector and does not require the title. You need the title when you sell, trade or otherwise transfer the vehicle.

Can I sell my car without the title?

The Department says a replacement is required before a sale can proceed if the title is missing.