State service guide

New Hampshire replacement title: TDMV 18, $35 statutory fee, lienholder-first mailing, and pre-2000 title exemptions

New Hampshire duplicate-title work is narrower than a generic lost-document request. State law says the first lienholder, or if there is no lienholder the owner or legal representative named in the title record, or a dealer who bought the vehicle, may apply when the title is lost, stolen, mutilated, destroyed, illegible, or never received. The practical New Hampshire details are the paper TDMV 18 workflow, the current $35 statutory fee that now outpaces some older DMV form PDFs, the lien-release requirement even when an old lien was already paid off, the rule that most motor vehicles with a model year before 2000 are outside the title system, and the 15-day hold that can still slow a sale when a buyer or dealer is waiting on a duplicate-backed transfer.

Open official source View New Hampshire services
Main form TDMV 18 Application for Duplicate Certificate of Title
Current fee $35 under RSA 261:20 effective January 1, 2026
Who may apply The first lienholder, or if none the titled owner or legal representative, or a dealer who purchased the vehicle
Title-exempt cutoff Most motor vehicles with a model year before 2000 do not receive New Hampshire titles

Overview

What this page helps you verify

A strong New Hampshire replacement-title page should make four things clear early. First, not every older vehicle can use this process, because most motor vehicles with a manufacturer's model year before 2000 are title-exempt. Second, New Hampshire still runs duplicate-title work through the paper TDMV 18 form rather than a general public online lane. Third, liens matter even after payoff, because the owner may need a separate release before the duplicate can come back clean. Fourth, mailing is not fully open-ended: the title usually goes to the first lienholder or, if none, the owner, with only a narrower licensed-dealer route when the form and the underlying ownership facts support it.

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 TDMV 18 Application for Duplicate Certificate of Title with the current mailing address, VIN, title number if known, and the reason the original title is unavailable
  • Owner and co-owner driver license or government ID information, with both signatures if the vehicle is jointly owned
  • A release of lien on Form TDMV 20A or on lender letterhead if the original title named a lienholder that has already been paid off
  • The original title if it is damaged or illegible and still in your possession
  • If the owner is a corporation, partnership, or other association, the agent certification required on TDMV 18
  • Payment for the $35 duplicate-title fee

Typical flow

What the process often looks like

  1. Confirm first that the vehicle is still in New Hampshire's title system, because most motor vehicles with a manufacturer's model year before 2000 are title-exempt and usually do not get a duplicate title.
  2. Make sure the requester fits New Hampshire's duplicate-title rule: the first lienholder, or if there is no lienholder the titled owner or legal representative, or a dealer who has purchased the vehicle.
  3. Complete TDMV 18, gather both owner signatures if needed, and add any lien-release paperwork before filing. If the old title is damaged but still exists, include it with the duplicate request.
  4. Submit the paper application and fee to the Bureau of Title and Anti-Theft at 23 Hazen Drive in Concord, then watch the mailing path closely because New Hampshire normally sends the title to the first lienholder or, if none, to the owner.
  5. If you recover the original title after the duplicate is issued, surrender the original to the department immediately. If the duplicate is being used to finish a sale, plan around the separate 15-day hold before New Hampshire issues a new title to a transferee or dealer on that duplicate-based application.

Who can use it

New Hampshire limits duplicate-title requests to the record-side parties, not to every would-be buyer

That is the first correction a good state page should make, because it changes who can fix a missing-title problem.

  • RSA 261:12 says the first lienholder may apply for the duplicate title, or if there is no lienholder the owner or legal representative named in the certificate may apply, or a dealer who has purchased the vehicle may apply.
  • The current anti-theft rule in Saf-C 1903.08 also frames the duplicate-title process around the first lienholder, the owner if there is no lienholder, or the licensed dealer.
  • That means a general buyer should not assume New Hampshire treats a seller's missing title as a simple buyer-side cleanup task.

Title-system cutoff

Many older New Hampshire vehicles are outside the duplicate-title system entirely

This exemption line changes whether the duplicate-title process exists at all.

  • RSA 261:3 says most motor vehicles with a manufacturer's model year before 2000 are exempt from the certificate-of-title requirement, except heavy trucks and truck-tractors over 18,000 pounds gross vehicle weight.
  • The current TDMV 18 instructions restate that if the vehicle model year is 1999 or older, the vehicle is exempt and a title may not be issued.
  • A replacement-title page for New Hampshire should therefore route older title-exempt vehicles toward ownership-proof and registration guidance instead of pretending every vehicle has a normal duplicate-title lane.

Form and lien rules

TDMV 18 is a paper filing, and old lien data still matters even after payoff

This is where a lot of preventable filing friction appears.

  • TDMV 18 is New Hampshire's official duplicate-title application and covers titles that were lost, stolen, destroyed, never received, or otherwise need reissuance.
  • The form instructions say that even if the lien was previously satisfied, a lien release is still needed on Form TDMV 20A or on bank letterhead if the original title named a lienholder.
  • Saf-C 1903.08 says the owner must also submit a release of all liens and encumbrances, if applicable, along with the duplicate-title fee.
  • The form also says that if ownership is joint, both parties' signatures must appear on the duplicate-title request.

Mailing and timing

New Hampshire keeps tight control over where the duplicate goes and how fast a follow-on transfer can close

This is the operational detail that generic pages often flatten too much.

  • RSA 261:9 says a certificate of title is mailed or delivered to the first lienholder named in it or, if none, to the owner.
  • The DMV Title Handbook says a duplicate title will be mailed to the owner, to the lienholder if the lien on the original title is still outstanding or the lienholder lost the original, or to a New Hampshire licensed dealer if the dealer paid off the lienholder and became the owner.
  • TDMV 18 also includes the dealer-mailing authorization block used when the owner has transferred the vehicle interest and authorizes mailing to the licensed dealer.
  • RSA 261:12 says the department shall not issue a new certificate of title to a transferee or dealer on an application made on a duplicate until 15 days after receipt of the application.

Outdated form fees

The statute controls the fee even when older New Hampshire PDFs still show the prior amount

This is an important 2026 accuracy point for anyone comparing sources.

  • RSA 261:20 now sets the duplicate certificate of title fee at $35 effective January 1, 2026.
  • Some older DMV duplicate-title and fee PDFs still show the prior $25 amount because the forms were published before the 2026 statutory increase.
  • A reviewed New Hampshire page should therefore use the current statute for the fee and use the form mainly for the workflow, fields, and lien-release instructions.

Accuracy notes

Where people get tripped up

  • New Hampshire replacement-title content should not imply a general online duplicate-title service. The official workflow reviewed here is the paper TDMV 18 process.
  • Keep the model-year cutoff near the top. Most motor vehicles with a manufacturer's model year before 2000 are title-exempt, so many older vehicles do not have a duplicate-title lane at all.
  • Use the current statute for the fee. RSA 261:20 raised the duplicate-title fee to $35 effective January 1, 2026, even though some older DMV PDFs still show $25.
  • Mailing rules should stay narrow. New Hampshire defaults to the first lienholder or, if none, the owner, with only limited dealer-routing situations supported by the handbook and form.

FAQ

Common questions

  • How much does a New Hampshire replacement title cost?

    RSA 261:20 sets the duplicate certificate of title fee at $35 effective January 1, 2026.

  • Can I get a New Hampshire duplicate title for a vehicle from model year 1999 or earlier?

    Usually no. RSA 261:3 says most motor vehicles with a manufacturer's model year before 2000 are title-exempt, and the TDMV 18 instructions say a 1999-or-older vehicle is exempt and a title may not be issued.

  • Do both owners have to sign a New Hampshire duplicate-title application?

    Yes if the vehicle is jointly owned. New Hampshire's rule and the TDMV 18 instructions say both signatures must appear on the duplicate-title request.

  • What if my New Hampshire title showed a lien that has already been paid off?

    You still need a lien release. TDMV 18 says a release is required on Form TDMV 20A or on bank letterhead when the original title named a lienholder, even if the lien was previously satisfied.

  • Where will a New Hampshire duplicate title be mailed?

    Normally to the first lienholder named in the record or, if there is no lienholder, to the owner. The DMV handbook also describes a narrower licensed-dealer mailing route when the dealer paid off the lienholder and became the owner, and TDMV 18 includes a dealer-mailing authorization block.

Sources

Official references used for this page

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