Bonded Title — How to Get a Surety Bond Title
A bonded title lets you legally own and register a vehicle when you cannot prove complete ownership history. You purchase a surety bond equal to 1.5× the vehicle's fair market value, and the state issues a title branded "BONDED" for 3 years — after which you receive a clean title.
When Do You Need a Bonded Title?
You bought a vehicle and the seller did not have a title or gave you a bill of sale only. The vehicle has never been titled in your name.
You acquired a vehicle through abandonment and cannot locate the previous owner to get a signed title.
You received a vehicle through informal inheritance and no probate or small estate process produced a formal title transfer.
The title was lost, destroyed, or damaged beyond use and the vehicle is old enough that DMV records may not be available.
How the Bonded Title Process Works
Get a professional appraisal or use NADA/KBB retail value. Multiply by 1.5 — this is your required bond amount. Example: $10,000 vehicle = $15,000 bond.
Contact a licensed surety company (Western Surety, Lexon Insurance, IndemniCo are national options). Pay the annual premium — typically 1–3% of the bond amount.
Collect your state's bonded title application form, the surety bond, and a written statement explaining how you acquired the vehicle. Some states require a VIN inspection.
File the application with your state DMV or equivalent agency. Pay the standard title fee. Processing typically takes 2–6 weeks.
Your title is issued with a "BONDED" brand. You can register and insure the vehicle normally. The brand is visible on the title certificate.
After the bond period with no adverse ownership claims, contact your DMV to request removal of the BONDED brand. A clean, unbranded title is issued.