§32-8-43. Certificates lost, stolen, mutilated, etc.

(a) If a certificate of title is lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed or becomes illegible, the first lienholder or, if none, the owner or legal representative of the owner named in the certificate, as shown by the records of the department, shall promptly make application for and may obtain a replacement upon furnishing information satisfactory to the department and payment of the fee as hereinafter required. The replacement certificate of title shall contain the legend, "This is a replacement certificate and may be subject to the rights of a person under the original certificate." It shall be mailed to the first lienholder named in it, or, if none, to the owner.

(b) The department shall not issue a new certificate of title to a transferee upon application made on a replacement certificate until 15 calendar days after the issuance date of the surrendered replacement title.

(c) A person recovering an original certificate of title for which a replacement has been issued shall promptly surrender the original certificate to the department.

(Acts 1973, No. 765, p. 1147, §12; Act 2003-345, p. 870, §1.)