Bonded title cost by state: the bond, the premium and the rules
Bonded title cost is not the big number printed on the bond. The state sets a bond amount, usually 1.5 times the vehicle's value and as much as twice it, and you buy that bond from a surety company for a small share of the face value, about 1.5% on average according to Wisconsin DMV. On an $8,000 car that is a $12,000 bond and roughly $180 in premium, plus the state's normal title fee. 36 states offer a bonded title. The other 14 and DC have none, and use a court order, an affidavit or another procedure instead. The table has every state's rule.
How much a bonded title really costs you
Three separate amounts get mixed up in most quotes:
- The bond amount. The most the surety would pay out if someone proved a better claim to the vehicle. The state sets it, and you never pay it yourself unless a claim succeeds.
- The premium. What the surety company charges you to write that bond, usually once for the whole term. It depends on the company and your credit; Wisconsin DMV reports an average of about 1.5% of the bond amount.
- State fees. The regular title fee and any inspection or search fees. A few we confirmed: Texas charges a $15 administrative fee, Georgia an $18 title fee, Nebraska $50 for the application and title plus $10 for the sheriff's inspection, and Missouri $25 for the Highway Patrol exam.
Run the arithmetic for a $6,000 car. In a 1.5x state the bond is $9,000 and the premium about $135. In a 2x state such as Florida, Colorado or Michigan it is $12,000 and about $180. Nevada is the odd one: it bases the bond on the original sticker price, so a car that sold for $30,000 new needs a $45,000 bond and roughly $675 in premium, whatever it is worth today. Alabama ignores value and uses a fixed $10,000 to $50,000 by the car's age.
Bond amounts and terms in every state
Checked on 2026-10-30 against each state's own law, rule, DMV page or bond form. "Not stated" means the state's published material gives no bond term. Each state name links to its title transfer page.
| State | Bond amount | Bond term | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Fixed: $10,000 to $50,000 for a car | 3 years | Set by vehicle type and age, not value: a car under 5 years old needs $50,000, 5 to 9 years $25,000, 10 or older $10,000. Requested in the ALDOR Surety Bond Portal (MVT 10-1A), then filed through a designated agent within 90 days. Source |
| Alaska | 1.5x appraised value | 3 years, non-cancelable | The appraisal (Form 825) has to be done in Alaska by a dealer, insurance appraiser or bank and be under 90 days old. Cash bonds are allowed. The vehicle must be in Alaska and running. Source |
| Arizona | 1.5x value | 3 years | MVD sets the value, and a cash deposit can stand in for the surety bond. Application 40-1001, plus an inspection and notice to any owner or lienholder on record. Source |
| Arkansas | 1.5x value | 3 years, irrevocable | Get DFA approval first with the Statement of Fact (10-345), then file the bond within 30 days of its effective date. A CD or letter of credit is accepted. Expect 10 to 25 business days. Source |
| California | 1x market value | Not stated | Needed only when there are no ownership papers and the car is worth $5,000 or more, or a lienholder release cannot be had. Bond form REG 5057; value from a dealer appraisal or REG 256. Source |
| Colorado | At least 2x value | Not stated | Value from a dealer appraisal or current Kelley Blue Book. A certified VIN inspection (DR 2704) and certified-mail notice to past owners come first, and the car has to be in Colorado. Source |
| Connecticut | 2x value | 5 years | One of two states that hold the bond for five years. The multiple went up from 1.5x in 2002. Bond form H-113. Source |
| Delaware | No bonded title | Delaware's title law has no bond provision and the DMV publishes none. Ask the DMV what proof of ownership it will accept. Source | |
| District of Columbia | No bonded title | The DC Code has a title bond for boats only. Ask DC DMV about a car with no title. Source | |
| Florida | At least 2x retail value | 3 years | The value is the current Kelley Blue Book retail figure, and it must match on HSMV 82026 and HSMV 82033. Any alteration voids the bond. Source |
| Georgia | 2x retail value, $5,000 minimum | Not stated | Georgia residents only, and never for 1985 or older models or abandoned vehicles. Apply at the county tag office within 6 months of buying the bond (MV-46). The title fee is $18. Source |
| Hawaii | 1x retail value | 3 years | Handled by each county's director of finance, who sets the form. Source |
| Idaho | 1.5x appraised value | 3 years | The title is branded "Bonded Title" until the bond period ends. Source |
| Illinois | 1.5x wholesale value | 3 years | Wholesale rather than retail, so the bond comes out smaller than in most states. Appraisal from a disinterested dealer or a printed guide. Not for abandoned cars, repossessions, estates or mechanic's liens. Source |
| Indiana | No bonded title | A court order can stand in for proof of ownership (IC 9-17-3-5). Source | |
| Iowa | 1.5x value | 3 years | No bond at all for a vehicle worth $1,000 or less that is 12 or more model years old. Applied for online with photos of the car and VIN plate. A cash bond is held 3 years with no interest. Source |
| Kansas | No bonded title | The Kansas title statute (K.S.A. 8-135) has no bond route. Your county treasurer is the place to ask. Source | |
| Kentucky | No bonded title | Kentucky's titling chapter (KRS 186A) has no bond provision. Your county clerk is the place to ask. Source | |
| Louisiana | No bonded title | The OMV lists bonds only for businesses such as dealers and title companies. Ask the OMV what it accepts in place of a title. Source | |
| Maine | 1.5x value | 3 years | The Secretary of State sets the value. Bond form MVT-18. Source |
| Maryland | 1.5x value | 3 years | The MVA sets the value, and a cash deposit is accepted in place of a bond. Source |
| Massachusetts | 1.5x NADA clean trade-in | Not stated | At the RMV's discretion. Bring a notarized affidavit of the vehicle's history and a completed VIN inspection. Source |
| Michigan | 2x value | 3 years | Asked for only when the car is worth over $2,500 or is under 10 years old. Older, cheaper cars get a self-certification (TR-205) with no bond. Source |
| Minnesota | 1.5x value | 3 years | Only for vehicles more than 5 years old, valued by DVS. The BONDED brand can come off after 3 years with no claim. Source |
| Mississippi | 1.5x average trade-in | Not stated | Send the bond, an Affidavit of Ownership and the bill of sale to the Department of Revenue. Source |
| Missouri | 2x value, $100 minimum | 3 years | Only for vehicles 7 or more years old worth $3,000 or less. The Highway Patrol exam is $25, and the title comes no sooner than 30 days after a complete application. Source |
| Montana | 1x value | 3 years | No bond if the value is $1,000 or less or the vehicle is 30 or more years old. Value comes from NADA as of January 1. Form MV10. Source |
| Nebraska | 1.5x value | 3 years | Residents only. Certified letters go to the owner, lienholder and seller, who get 30 days to answer; then a $10 sheriff inspection and a $50 application and title fee. Source |
| Nevada | 1.5x original MSRP | 3 years | Based on the price when new, so even an old car needs a large bond; 25% of MSRP for a salvage vehicle. Only the Title Research section in Carson City handles it. Source |
| New Hampshire | 1.5x value | 3 years | A cash deposit works too. The director may also just hold the title until you produce the papers. Source |
| New Jersey | No bonded title | Uses the mail-in Improper Evidence of Ownership procedure (OS/SS-142) instead: a title search and a certified notice of intent to the owner and lienholder. The title fee is $60. Source | |
| New Mexico | 2x NADA average trade-in | 3 years | Residents only. Where a tow, storage or mechanic's lien process applies, it has to be used instead. Forms MVD-10070 and MVD-10861. Source |
| New York | 1.5x value | 3 years | DMV sets the value. Bonded applications go by mail to Title Services in Albany, not to a local office. Source |
| North Carolina | 1.5x value, $100 minimum | 3 years | Value from the NCDMV Value Schedule; a cash bond is allowed. A Highway Patrol inspection and forms MVR-92D and MVR-92H are required. Source |
| North Dakota | No bonded title | Show proof you paid and two certified-mail attempts to reach the owner and lienholder. For a vehicle over 40 years old, a bill of sale or affidavit is enough. Source | |
| Ohio | No bonded title | Petition the county Court of Common Pleas for an order telling a Clerk of Courts title office to issue the title. Source | |
| Oklahoma | No bonded title | The Tax Commission's motor vehicle rules contain no title bond. A certified court order is the published route. Source | |
| Oregon | No bonded title | Oregon cannot brand a title as bonded, but it accepts another state's bonded title and issues a clean Oregon title with Form 550. Source | |
| Pennsylvania | No bonded title | PennDOT can register the car but holds back the title. The route is a court order, after notice to the titleholder and every lienholder. Source | |
| Rhode Island | 1.5x value | 3 years | The Registrar sets the value. Uses the DMV's own bond application form. Source |
| South Carolina | No bonded title | The title chapter has no bond. A 2012 law told SCDMV to design a process for vehicles with no title, so ask SCDMV directly. Source | |
| South Dakota | At least 1.5x value | 3 years | Only for vehicles over 30 years old with no record and no bill of sale, after a $2 record search. With a bill of sale, a vehicle 11 or more years old is titled with no bond. Source |
| Tennessee | 1.5x market value | 3 years | Only for vehicles under 30 years old worth over $3,000; the rest use the Certification of Ownership. The state writes a personal bond at no cost if two Tennessee landowners co-sign. Source |
| Texas | 1.5x value | 3 years | A $15 fee to TxDMV. Value is the Standard Presumptive Value or NADA, and an older car appraised under $4,000 is set at $4,000. Forms VTR-130-SOF and VTR-68-A. Source |
| Utah | 2x market value | Not stated | Asked for only when the vehicle is worth over $3,000, and the DMV tells you if it applies. Bond form TC-824. Source |
| Vermont | 1.5x J.D. Power trade-in | 3 years | Residents only. Form VT-020, which is rejected if it has any strikeouts, plus a VIN check on VT-010. Source |
| Virginia | No bonded title | File an Affidavit in Lieu of Title Certificate (VSA 12) with whatever ownership papers you have. Source | |
| Washington | 1.5x value | 3 years | Required only of dealers or where a lien shows on record. Anyone else can take a three-year registration without a title instead. Source |
| West Virginia | No bonded title | We found no title bond in the state code. WV DMV answers at 1-800-642-9066. Source | |
| Wisconsin | 1.5x value, $2,500 minimum | 5 years | The title reads BOND POSTED for 5 years. Wait for the DMV letter giving the amount before you buy the bond (MV2082). Source |
| Wyoming | 2x retail value | One-time, non-refundable | No bond for a vehicle worth under $2,500, and the county clerk can waive it for a non-running car bought to restore. Source |
The multiple most states use is 1.5x. Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Missouri, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming ask for twice the value, and California, Hawaii, Montana ask for the value itself. Connecticut and Wisconsin hold the bond for five years; almost everywhere else it is three.
States with no bonded title
Delaware, District of Columbia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia have no bonded title process that we could find in their title law or agency pages. That does not leave you stuck. The common routes are:
- A court order declaring you the owner, which Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Oklahoma all accept. Ohio sends it through the county Court of Common Pleas.
- A sworn affidavit with proof of effort, as in Virginia's VSA 12, New Jersey's Improper Evidence of Ownership packet, or North Dakota's two certified-mail attempts.
- Another state's bonded title. Oregon accepts one and issues a clean Oregon title, though it cannot create one itself.
When a bond state will not ask for one
Low value or old age often gets you out of the bond. California only wants a bond at $5,000 and up. Iowa skips it at $1,000 or less for a vehicle 12 model years or older, Montana at $1,000 or less or 30 years old, and Wyoming below $2,500. Michigan, Tennessee and Utah use a simpler sworn certification for cheaper or older vehicles. A few states draw the line the other way. Missouri only bonds vehicles 7 or more years old worth $3,000 or less, Minnesota only vehicles more than 5 years old, and South Dakota only those over 30 years old with no paperwork at all.
How the process works
- Check the record. The state, or you through an NMVTIS report, looks for an existing title and any open lien. A lien on record usually has to be released first.
- Try the last owner. Many states want proof you asked. Nebraska and Wyoming want certified letters to the titled owner and any lienholder; Colorado wants certified-mail notice to past owners.
- Get the VIN inspected. Usually by police, a sheriff or the DMV. Texas uses form VTR-68-A, Michigan TR-54, Colorado DR 2704.
- Let the state set the value. Nevada and Wisconsin both tell you not to buy the bond until they send the exact amount.
- Buy the bond and file. The bond goes in with the title application and fees, often within a deadline: 30 days in Arkansas and Nebraska, 90 days in Alabama, 6 months in Georgia and Washington.
- Wait out the term. The title carries a bonded note or brand. If nobody claims the vehicle before the term ends, you can usually apply for a title without it.
If someone claims the vehicle later
The bond protects the earlier owner or lender, not you. If a person proves they had a better right to the vehicle, they are paid from the bond, up to its amount. Wisconsin DMV is plain about what follows: the surety company then seeks restitution from the applicant. So a bonded title is only as safe as the story behind it. If you are unsure how the seller came by the car, find that out before paying anyone.
Questions about bonded titles
How much does a bonded title cost?
For most people, somewhere between a hundred and a few hundred dollars in premium, plus the normal title fee. The state decides the bond amount, usually 1.5 or 2 times the vehicle's value, and a surety company charges you a small share of it. Wisconsin DMV puts the average at about 1.5% of the bond amount, so a $12,000 bond comes to roughly $180.
How long does it take to get a bonded title?
Usually a few weeks to a couple of months, and most of that is waiting on other people. Nebraska makes you give the owner, lienholder and seller 30 days to answer certified letters. Missouri will not issue the title until 30 days after a complete application. Arkansas quotes 10 to 25 business days once the paperwork is in.
Can you sell a car with a bonded title?
Yes. Wisconsin and Nebraska both say so plainly, and the same is true elsewhere. The bonded note carries over to the buyer's title until the bond period runs out, which some buyers and dealers will price in. Wisconsin adds a catch: the bond has to stay in good standing, or the title and registration can be suspended.
Do you get the bond money back?
With a surety bond you never hand over the bond amount, only the premium, and that is not refunded. Wyoming spells out that its bond is one-time and non-refundable. A cash bond is different: Arizona, Maryland and New Hampshire return the deposit at the end of the bond period if nobody has claimed against it, and Iowa holds cash for 3 years with no interest.
Can you get a bonded title for an abandoned car?
Usually not. Georgia, Illinois and Alaska shut abandoned vehicles out of the bonded route, and New Mexico says that where a tow, storage or abandoned vehicle lien process exists, it has to be used instead. A car left on your property normally goes through the state's abandoned vehicle process first.
Do you need a bill of sale for a bonded title?
Most states want one, or at least a sworn statement of how you got the vehicle. Mississippi lists the bill of sale with the bond, and Tennessee accepts a notarized statement from the seller in its place. South Dakota turns it around: its bonded title is only for vehicles over 30 years old that have no bill of sale.
Related: replacing a lost title when you are already the owner on record, junking a car with no title if you only want it gone, title transfer costs by state, and what a branded title means.