State service guide

Vermont replacement title: VT-004, $42 fee, lienholder mailing, and the 60-day no-arrival rule

Vermont treats title replacement as a specific DMV title transaction, not a generic registration fix. The state now uses VT-004 when the original Vermont title has been lost, stolen, destroyed, mutilated, or become illegible, and the replacement title fee is currently $42 for cars, trucks, trailers, and motorcycles, or $27 for ASVs, ATVs, motorboats, and snowmobiles. Vermont's form also bakes in two rules that matter in practice: if a lienholder exists, the replacement title is mailed to the lienholder rather than the owner, and if you want it sent somewhere else you need to complete the separate mailing section. The other Vermont-specific edge cases are that a lien release can be combined with the replacement-title request without stacking another title fee, and that some older or low-category Vermont vehicles are still title-exempt, so the right answer may be a registration-based ownership document rather than a replacement title.

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Main form VT-004 Replacement Title Application
Current fee $42 for cars, trucks, trailers, and motorcycles; $27 for ASVs, ATVs, motorboats, and snowmobiles
Lien mailing rule If a lienholder exists, Vermont mails the replacement title to the lienholder instead of the owner or lessor
Missing-title delivery rule If a title never arrived, Vermont says you must notify DMV within 60 days of issuance or a paid replacement may be required

Overview

What this page helps you verify

A strong Vermont replacement-title page should separate true duplicate-title situations from missing-document problems that are not actually solved by VT-004. Vermont's replacement-title form is for an existing Vermont title that was lost, stolen, destroyed, mutilated, or is now illegible. The state also keeps the lien routing explicit, because Vermont sends titled-lien records to the lender and the replacement form says a lienholder gets the replacement title if one is recorded. A good page should also keep the state-specific limits visible: Vermont has a lower replacement-title fee for ATVs and similar units, it allows a combined lien-release-and-replacement filing for the same base title fee, and some vehicle types or grandfathered older vehicles may not need a replacement title at all.

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 VT-004 Replacement Title Application
  • Owner and co-owner identifying information, including license numbers, dates of birth, and both mailing and physical addresses as requested on VT-004
  • Vehicle, vessel, ATV, or snowmobile details including the VIN or serial number, plate or registration number, and registration expiration date
  • Current odometer information and the required mileage certification on the VT-004 form
  • Lienholder information if a lien is still shown on the title record
  • Payment of the replacement-title fee, using Vermont's accepted payment method for the filing channel
  • If someone signs as an agent for the owner, the Vermont DMV Vehicle Power of Attorney form VN-101 rather than a custom power-of-attorney form
  • If you also need to remove a lien, VT-008 Release of Lien together with the existing title when that title is available

Typical flow

What the process often looks like

  1. Confirm first that you are replacing an existing Vermont title that was lost, stolen, destroyed, mutilated, or is now illegible. If the problem is a missing title record or an exempt older vehicle that never needed a title, Vermont may require a different ownership path instead.
  2. Complete VT-004 with the owner information, vehicle details, mileage certification, lien information, and the reason the original title is no longer usable.
  3. If a lien is still recorded, expect the replacement title to be mailed to the lienholder unless the record has been properly cleared. If you need the title mailed somewhere else, use the separate mailing section on VT-004.
  4. If the lien has been paid off and you are clearing it now, submit VT-008 with the title paperwork so Vermont can process the lien release and replacement together under the same base title fee.
  5. File the paperwork with Vermont DMV by mail to Montpelier or through a DMV office, and use the payment method that matches the channel you chose.

Base route

Vermont's replacement-title form is for a real lost or unusable title, not for every ownership-document problem

The threshold question is whether VT-004 actually matches the problem.

  • The Vermont DMV's replacement-title application says it is used when the original Vermont title has been lost, stolen, destroyed, or is illegible.
  • The current VT-004 form is slightly broader than the summary page and also includes mutilated titles as a replacement reason.
  • That means Vermont replacement-title guidance should not be written as a catch-all fix for no-title situations where the state may instead need a registration record, an out-of-state ownership document, or a bonded-title route.

Liens and mailing

Lien status controls who receives the replacement Vermont title

This is the most practical Vermont-specific rule for many owners.

  • Vermont's title pages say that when you title a vehicle in Vermont, the DMV forwards the title with the lien recorded to the lender.
  • VT-004 says the replacement title will be mailed to the lienholder, and if no lienholder exists it will be mailed to the owner or lessor.
  • The same form includes a separate mailing section if you want the new title sent to a different address than the one already listed on the title.
  • Vermont also offers a myDMV lien-check tool, but the public title page warns that liens held by individuals may not display personal information online.

Fees and combo filings

Vermont uses a lower fee for certain non-highway units and does not stack a second title fee for a same-time lien release

Those details are more specific than a generic replacement-title summary.

  • The Vermont fee page lists replacement-title fees at $42 for cars, trucks, trailers, and motorcycles.
  • The same fee page lists a $27 replacement-title fee for ASVs, ATVs, motorboats, and snowmobiles.
  • VT-008 says that when a lien release is submitted along with VT-004, the total fee remains $42 for vehicles or $27 for boats, ATVs, and snowmobiles rather than adding another title fee on top.
  • Vermont accepts Visa, MasterCard, and Discover for online and in-person services, but mail filings that require payment must use a check or money order.

When not to use VT-004

Some Vermont vehicles do not need a replacement title at all, and some nonreceipt problems should be raised quickly instead

This is where the state-specific edge cases matter most.

  • Vermont's current registration and title instructions say the state does not issue titles for some categories, including trailers with an empty weight of 1,500 pounds or less and motorcycles under 300cc.
  • The title FAQ also says that owners of some older vehicles registered before the Act 165 title-law change do not have to obtain a title, even though they may choose to do so.
  • If a registration, license, or title never arrives, Vermont says DMV must be notified within 60 days of issuance or the owner may later have to buy a replacement.
  • If the vehicle lacks a title or the title is incomplete rather than simply lost, Vermont's title page says a bonded title may be required after other options have been exhausted.

Accuracy notes

Where people get tripped up

  • Vermont replacement-title content should not imply that every missing ownership document uses VT-004. The form is for an existing Vermont title that became lost or unusable, while no-title or incomplete-title cases may need a different path.
  • The lienholder-mailing rule is central in Vermont because the state routes titled lien records to lenders and repeats that rule on VT-004.
  • Keep the fee split explicit. Vermont does not use one universal replacement-title fee across standard vehicles and ATV or boat-type titles.
  • Do not tell users that a title replacement is always required for older Vermont vehicles. Some categories remain exempt from title, and some pre-Act-165 older vehicles may stay registration-based unless the owner chooses to title them.

FAQ

Common questions

  • How much does a Vermont replacement title cost?

    Vermont currently charges $42 for replacement titles for cars, trucks, trailers, and motorcycles, and $27 for ASVs, ATVs, motorboats, and snowmobiles.

  • What form do I use for a Vermont replacement title?

    Use VT-004 Replacement Title Application.

  • Who receives the Vermont replacement title if the vehicle still has a lien?

    VT-004 says the replacement title is mailed to the lienholder. If no lienholder exists, it is mailed to the owner or lessor.

  • What if I need to remove a lien and replace the title at the same time in Vermont?

    Vermont's VT-008 lien-release form says it can be filed together with VT-004, and the combined filing still uses the normal replacement-title fee rather than charging another separate title fee.

  • What if my Vermont title never arrived in the mail?

    Vermont says you must notify DMV within 60 days of issuance if a title does not arrive. If you do not notify DMV within that period, you may later have to purchase a replacement title.

Sources

Official references used for this page

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