# Car registration question re: title

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-registration-question-re-title/692597>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 8, 2014, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-registration-question-re-title/692597 "2014-07-08T01:29:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-registration-question-re-title/692597/1 "2014-07-08T01:29:24Z")

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I have a car previously registered in Colorado that I need to register in Texas. I paid the car off years ago, but lost the title (which I need to bring in to get it registered) and sent to CO for a duplicate, which I just received today in the mail.

The duplicate title lists a “first lienholder”, with the original purchase price of the car as the “amount of lien” - there is a space for the lienholder to sign to “release (their) interest in the vehicle”.

Do I need to mail this to the lienholder to get them to sign it off before I can register it in Texas (the “Mail To” address at the top of the title is the loan company name/address, not mine), or can I just bring this in as-is? Again it’s probably been 5 years since the car was paid off.

Thanks in advance.

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**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-registration-question-re-title/692597/2 "2014-07-08T02:09:41Z")

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A reading of the [Texas regs](http://www.txdmv.gov/motorists/new-to-texas) suggests that submitting a copy of your title is **optional** if you fill out the correct forms.

That said, it would be good to figure out your title situation anyway.

Heh. “Registered Texan”. Glad they make that convenient for the rest of us to identify them.

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**Author:** ![excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e8c25b/32.png) [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/excavating_for_a_mind)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-registration-question-re-title/692597/3 "2014-07-08T03:59:01Z")

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> [@zombywoof](#):
>
> Do I need to mail this to the lienholder to get them to sign it off before I can register it in Texas (the “Mail To” address at the top of the title is the loan company name/address, not mine), or can I just bring this in as-is? Again it’s probably been 5 years since the car was paid off.
> 
> Thanks in advance.

This. There are other ways to do it, but this is by far, the easiest and cheapest. Include a SASE to quicken things up (I am not sure; they may have an obligation to pay postage to get it to you in Texas, but why take chances?)