How to Get a Title to an RV With a Missing Title (Step By Step)

1. First, ask yourself if a title is even required?

If you are buying a small camper, like a teardrop trailer or pop-up, you might not even be required to register your trailer! In Wisconsin, for instance, homemade trailers under 3,000 lbs are not required to be registered.

And in some states, you don’t have to register towables or truck campers if they’re older than 30 years. These are considered vintage or collector’s items.

Just because you aren’t required to register a trailer, however, doesn’t mean you aren’t required to have a title and/or other proof of ownership!

Even if your camper trailer isn’t legally required to be registered in your state, you could face trouble towing without plates in another state. And without a title, if you are pulled over, you won’t be able to prove ownership.

For these reasons, you will almost always be better off obtaining a title.

2. Secondly, try to contact the holder of the last valid title.

The motor vehicle’s title is held by the state tax office. To discover who owns the RV, go to your state’s tax office and look up the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). You can find out who was the last registered owner of the camper. If you’re lucky, you can contact them to retrieve the title.

But many a new RV owner has discovered to their dismay that the last holder of the title sold the camper, submitted the Recorded Owner(s) Record of Sale stub to their DMV, and can no longer help.

If you bought a camper without a title, chances are the seller you bought the RV from isn’t a registered owner either. In some cases, an RV may have been passed hands two, three, or four times before someone responsible (aka, yourself) decided to register the vehicle.

In rare cases, the camper may not have been titled at all. The RV may have been sold via a private-party sale to the original owner who neglected to ever register the camper at all! In this case, the last valid documents would be the original Bill of Sale or the Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin (MSO).

Most RV manufacturers can’t issue duplicate MSOs after the unit is shipped and sold, so don’t expect much help! You’ll probably have to contact the dealer that sold the unit to the first owner.

3. Thirdly, investigate your homemade trailer registration options.

Some states provide registration for home-built trailers. If you suspect the trailer has an unknown past, was custom-built, or it never had an original title, you could try to register it under DIY trailer laws.

In some states, like Maine, registering a homemade trailer is fairly simple. In others, like Utah, it’s quite complicated! You might be expected to provide receipts for all parts and services, pictures of the build process, photographs of the finished trailer, a market evaluation, VIN inspection, etc.

Titles for homemade or custom trailers are often called “scrap” titles. These are issued to owners of vehicles that did not previously exist. A VIN is created from scratch for your title.

Do not try to game the system by registering a factory-built unit as a homemade trailer! In most states, you’re required to have a VIN inspection performed at your local police station or highway patrol office. If the VIN matches a factory-built unit, you’re in hot water.

4. Fourth, apply for a replacement duplicate title with your state DMV.

This step is where most RV owners find themselves. If you’re without a title, you generally can’t register, insure, or finance your rig. No good!

The process for getting a replacement title will vary from state to state, but there are a few things that are generally required in order to obtain one.

You’ll need to submit an application to the DMV. This application will likely require some basic information about the RV or camper, such as the make, model, and year. In this next section, we’ll go into deeper depth about the process and paperwork.

You may also be required to provide proof of purchase, as well as any other documentation that may be required by your state’s DMV.

Once you’ve submitted your application and supporting documents, it will likely take the DMV 6-10 weeks to process your request and mail you the replacement title. (Yes, it’ll be snail-mailed. DMVs haven’t joined the 21st century yet.)

In some cases, you may also be required to have a VIN and/or safety inspection performed on the RV or camper before a replacement title can be issued.

Once you’ve received the replacement title, you’ll then be able to register the vehicle in your state if required.

Keep in mind that the process for getting a replacement title can vary from state to state, so it’s important to check with your state’s DMV for specific requirements.

Now, for more instructions about the process and its paperwork, read below!

Instructions How to Apply for a Missing Title for an RV

If you’ve exhausted all other options and you need a title, here’s what to do.

1. Download a title application form from your state’s DMV website.
2. On the application form, complete all necessary information.
3. Gather any other vital papers and proofs.
4. Add title application fees to the list.
5. Mail or hand-deliver all documents to your local DMV office.

Sounds simple, right? Unfortunately, amassing all the required paperwork can be a lot of work! The specific paperwork needed varies by state, so it’s important to check with the DMV in your state to find out what is required.

Generally speaking, most states will require some combination of the following documents:

• Your Driver’s License
• Application for Title
• Bill of Sale
• Registration Information (if available)
• Proof of No-Lien Status
• DOT VIN Certification of Inspection

Generally, you have up to 30 days from the sale date on the Bill of Sale in which to register a camper. If you are pulled over within 30 days, you can usually show your Bill of Sale as plausible proof of ownership.