If a vehicle title certificate is lost or destroyed, the owner or perfected lienholder must apply to the commissioner for a certified copy, and the copy must be marked “duplicate copy.”
§713. Lost or destroyed certificate In the event of a lost or destroyed certificate of title, application shall be made to the commissioner by the owner of said vehicle in whose name the original title was issued or by the perfected lienholder holding said title for collateral for a certified copy of same upon a prescribed form duly sworn to by the owner or perfected lienholder and accompanied by a fee prescribed by this Chapter. Thereupon the commissioner shall issue a certified copy of said certificate of title to the person or perfected lienholder entitled to receive the certificate of title under the provisions of this Chapter. Said certified copy and all subsequent certificates of title issued in the chain of title originated by said certified copy shall be plainly marked across their face "duplicate copy", and any subsequent purchaser of said vehicle in the chain of title originating through such certified copy shall acquire only such rights in such vehicle as the original holder of said certified copy himself had. Any purchaser of such vehicle may at the time of such purchase require the seller of same to indemnify him and all subsequent purchasers of said vehicle against any loss which he or they may suffer by reason of any claim or claims presented upon the original certificate. In the event of the recovery of the original certificate of title by said owner or perfected lienholder, the party, shall forthwith surrender same to the commissioner for cancellation or a statement of destruction from the perfected lienholder stating the original title has been destroyed. Acts 1950, No. 342, §16. Amended by Acts 1959, No. 121, §1; Acts 2011, No. 288, §1.