State service guide

Delaware duplicate title: MV213, $50 fee, lienholder sign-off, and no edits on the request

Delaware treats title replacement as a duplicate-title transaction on Form MV213, and the state is stricter than many summary pages suggest. The useful Delaware details are that all owners must sign and provide driver license numbers, mail or agent-filed requests need ID copies, the fee is $50, lienholders must either release or acknowledge the duplicate request, and the duplicate process cannot be used to make title changes such as a new lien, new tag, title brand, or mileage update.

Open official source View Delaware services
Main form MV213
Current fee $50 duplicate title fee
ID rule Mail requests and many agent-filed requests need ID copies showing signatures
Review trigger Requests within 15 days of the last title issue date receive further DMV review

Overview

What this page helps you verify

A strong Delaware title-replacement page should start by using the state's own duplicate-title framing. Delaware wants a fully completed MV213 with the vehicle description, owner details, plate details, and current tag expiration, then layers signature and identity rules on top of that. The biggest Delaware-specific friction points are lienholder involvement, original notarized power-of-attorney requirements, the rule that duplicate-title requests cannot make other title edits at the same time, and the extra review trigger for requests filed within 15 days of the last title issue date.

Last reviewed: 2026-05-22. This page was manually upgraded against service-specific official sources, but requirements can still change quickly.

Usually needed

Documents and information to prepare

  • Completed Application for Duplicate Title (MV213) with the VIN, make, model, year, color, owner names and address, plate number with prefix, and the current tag or registration expiration
  • All owners' signatures and driver license or ID numbers
  • A copy of the owner's driver license or other identification showing the owner's signature when the request is mailed or processed by an individual other than the owner, lienholder, or dealer
  • An original notarized power of attorney if someone is signing for the owner
  • Lienholder acknowledgment or lien release information on the bottom of MV213, or a separate acceptable lien letter when a lien still appears on the record
  • Payment for the $50 fee and a self-addressed envelope for mail requests

Typical flow

What the process often looks like

  1. Complete MV213 carefully with the vehicle details, owner information, plate number including prefix, and the current tag or registration expiration date.
  2. Have all owners sign the form and provide their driver license numbers, then attach ID copies if the request is being mailed or handled by someone other than the owner, lienholder, or dealer.
  3. If an agent is signing for the owner, include the original notarized power of attorney and make sure the signature format follows Delaware's rule for signing both the owner's name and the agent's name.
  4. Resolve any lien issue before filing by having the lienholder complete the correct section on MV213 or provide an acceptable separate letter.
  5. Submit the request with the $50 fee and a self-addressed envelope if mailing, and expect additional review if the duplicate is being requested within 15 days of the last title issue date.

Base paperwork

Delaware duplicate title work is built around a fully completed MV213, not a minimal lost-title statement

The official page is unusually specific about how much record detail the state wants before it will print the duplicate.

  • Delaware requires MV213 and says the application must include the VIN, make, model, year, color, owner names and address, plate number, and the expiration of the tag or registration.
  • All owners must sign the MV213 and provide their driver license numbers.
  • A stronger Delaware page should treat missing form details as a real rejection risk rather than as minor clerical cleanup.

ID and signature rules

Mail and agent-filed duplicate requests require more identity proof than many users expect

This is one of Delaware's clearest operational rules and it deserves top-level visibility on the page.

  • Delaware says a copy of the owner's driver license or other identification showing the owner's signature must be supplied when the duplicate request is sent by mail.
  • The same ID-copy rule also applies when the request is brought in by an individual other than the owner, lienholder, or dealer.
  • If a power of attorney is used, Delaware requires the original notarized POA and instructs the signer to print the owner's name and sign their own name on the owner's behalf.

Lienholder control

A Delaware lien changes both the paperwork and who may receive the duplicate title

This is where the duplicate-title process becomes much less generic.

  • If there is a lien, Delaware says the lienholder must complete one of the sections at the bottom of MV213 to either satisfy the lien or acknowledge that a duplicate title is being requested.
  • A separate lien-release letter on the lienholder's letterhead is acceptable if it contains the required owner, vehicle, lien-satisfaction, and signature details.
  • If the lien is left on the title, Delaware says the duplicate is mailed to the lienholder.

What a duplicate does not do

Delaware's duplicate-title process is intentionally narrow and does not double as a title-correction request

This is the nuance many competitor pages leave out, and it matters because people often try to combine a lost-title request with other updates.

  • The MV213 instructions say a new lien cannot be placed on the title at the same time the duplicate title is issued.
  • The same instructions say changes cannot be made on the duplicate request, including change of name, new tag, title brand, and updated mileage.
  • Delaware also says duplicate titles print the last mileage recorded in the system and do not require new mileage disclosure.

Review timing

A very recent prior title issue can slow a Delaware duplicate request down

This is a specific Delaware timing trap worth surfacing because it explains why some requests take longer than others.

  • The MV213 instructions say all duplicate requests filed within 15 days of the last title issue date require further review before DMV can issue the duplicate.
  • Delaware adds that processing time varies depending on the nature of the request.
  • That makes a recently issued missing title a riskier scenario than a routine older lost-title case.

Accuracy notes

Where people get tripped up

  • Delaware replacement-title content should use the state's duplicate-title framing and MV213 form name rather than generic replacement-title language alone.
  • Do not imply the request can be used to update the title record. Delaware explicitly separates duplicate issuance from later title changes or lien updates.
  • Lienholder participation is a real gate in Delaware. The page should not treat liens as a simple optional attachment issue.
  • The 15-day further-review rule is easy to miss but worth surfacing because it can affect processing expectations.

FAQ

Common questions

  • Do all owners have to sign a Delaware duplicate-title request?

    Yes. Delaware says all owners must sign MV213 and provide their driver license numbers.

  • Can someone else file the Delaware duplicate-title request for me?

    Yes, but Delaware adds paperwork. If someone other than the owner, lienholder, or dealer handles the request, ID copies are required, and an original notarized power of attorney is required if that person is signing for the owner.

  • What happens if a lien still appears on the Delaware title record?

    Delaware says the lienholder must either complete the lien section on MV213 or provide an acceptable separate letter. If the lien remains on the title, the duplicate is mailed to the lienholder.

  • Can I update the mileage or make other title changes when I ask for a Delaware duplicate title?

    No. Delaware says the duplicate request cannot be used to change the name, add a new tag, change the title brand, or update mileage, and the duplicate will print the last mileage already recorded in the system.

Sources

Official references used for this page

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