§ 32-8-43 — Certificates Lost, Stolen, Mutilated, Etc

(a) If a certificate of title is lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed or becomes illegible, the first lienholder or, if none, the owner or legal representative of the owner named in the certificate, as shown by the records of the department, shall promptly make application for and may obtain a replacement upon furnishing information satisfactory to the department and payment of the applicable transaction fee and commissions as required by this chapter. The replacement certificate of title shall contain the legend, “This is a replacement certificate and may be subject to the rights of a person under the original certificate.” It shall be mailed to the first lienholder named in it or, if none, to the owner.
(b) The department shall not issue a new certificate of title to a transferee upon application made on a replacement certificate until 15 calendar days after the issuance date of the surrendered replacement title or unless the title information can be verified electronically through the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System.
(c) A person recovering an original certificate of title for which a replacement has been issued shall promptly surrender the original certificate to the department.

Legislative History

(Acts 1973, No. 765, p. 1147, §12; Act 2003-345, p. 870, §1; Act 2021-171, §2.)