Missouri Revised Statutes

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 301.215 (2026)

Certificate of title on repossession under mortgage, issuance

✓ current as of May 2026

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301.215. Certificate of title on repossession under mortgage, issuance — contents — application — notice — rulemaking authority. — 1. When the holder of any indebtedness secured by a security agreement or other contract for security covering a motor vehicle or trailer, who has a notice of lien on file with the director of revenue, repossesses the motor vehicle or trailer either by legal process or in accordance with the terms of a contract authorizing the repossession of the vehicle without legal process, the holder may obtain a certificate of ownership from the director of revenue upon presentation of:

(1) An application form furnished by the director of revenue that shall contain a full description of the motor vehicle or trailer and the manufacturer's or other identifying number;

(2) A notice of lien receipt or the original certificate of ownership reflecting the holder's lien; and

(3) An affidavit of the holder, certified under penalties of perjury for making a false statement to a public official, that the debtor defaulted in payment of the debt, and that the holder repossessed the motor vehicle or trailer either by legal process or in accordance with the terms of the contract, and the specific address where the vehicle or trailer is held. Such affidavit shall also state that the lienholder has the written consent from all owners or lienholders of record to repossess the vehicle or has provided all the owners or lienholders with written notice of the repossession.

2. On a motor vehicle or trailer, the lienholder shall first give:

(1) Ten days' written notice by first class United States mail postage prepaid to each of the owners and other lienholders, if any, of the motor vehicle or trailer at each of their last mailing addresses as shown by the last prior certificate of ownership, if any issued, or the most recent address on the lienholder's records, that an application for a repossessed title will be made; or

(2) The lienholder may, ten days prior to applying for a repossession title, include the information in the above notice in the appropriate uniform commercial code notice under sections 400.9-613 or 400.9-614. Such alternative notice to all owners and lienholders shall be valid and enforceable under both the uniform commercial code and this section, provided it otherwise complies with the provisions of the uniform commercial code.

3. Upon the holder's presentation of the papers required by subsection 1 of this section and the payment of a fee of ten dollars, the director of revenue, if he is satisfied with the genuineness of the papers, shall issue and deliver to the holder a certificate of ownership which shall be in its usual form except it shall be clearly captioned "Repossessed Title". Each repossessed title so issued shall, for all purposes, be treated as an original certificate of ownership and shall supersede the outstanding certificate of ownership, if any, and duplicates thereof, if any, on the motor vehicle or trailer, all of which shall become null and void.

4. In any case where there is no certificate of ownership or duplicate thereof outstanding in the name of the debtor on the repossessed motor vehicle or trailer, the director of revenue shall issue a repossessed title to the holder and shall proceed to collect all unpaid fees, taxes, charges and penalties from the debtor as provided in section 301.190.

5. The director of revenue may prescribe rules and regulations for the effective administration of this section. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010, that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028. This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2005, shall be invalid and void.

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(L. 1955 p. 618, A.L. 1965 pp. 114, 470, A.L. 1984 H.B. 1045, A.L. 1989 H.B. 211, A.L. 2005 H.B. 487, A.L. 2006 S.B. 892)

(1974) Repossession proceedings under this section held not to involve sufficient state action to authorize cause of action under federal civil rights act. Nichols v. Tower Grove Bank (CA Mo.), 497 F.2d 404.

(1976) Issuance of a repossessed title by director of revenue pursuant to section 301.215, RSMo, to secured creditor who had repossessed automobile by self help under power granted in security agreement did not constitute significant participation by state such as to come within legal definition of "state action", thus due process was not involved and statute was not unconstitutional. Smith v. Spradling (Mo.), 532 S.W.2d 202.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 6 cases, 1973–2007 · leading case: Nichols v. Tower Grove Bank, 362 F. Supp. 374 (E.D. Mo. 1973).

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Nichols v. Tower Grove Bank, 362 F. Supp. 374 (E.D. Mo. 1973). · cites it 10× “The procedure it followed was mandated by Section 301.215, V.A. M.S. Initially, we note that the Uniform Commercial Code (Section 400.”

Simms v. Ford Motor Credit Co., 605 S.W.2d 212 (Mo. Ct. App. 1980). · cites it 2× “Respondent filed an application with the Director of Revenue for a Certificate of Ownership of the repossessed car, pursuant to the provisions of § 301.215 RSMo.1969. On February 22, 1978, the appellant filed a three count petition in the Circuit Court of the City of St.”

Liberty Mut. Ins. Co. v. IGF Ins. Co., 888 S.W.2d 757 (Mo. Ct. App. 1994). · cites it 5× “IGF also argues Wilson’s taking possession of the car was a repossession which under § 301.215 RSMo Supp.1993 shifted the burden of retitling to Wilson.”

Strebler v. Hampton Metro Bank, 686 S.W.2d 28 (Mo. Ct. App. 1984). · cites it 2× “After the petition was filed defendant acquired a repossession title [§ 301.215, RSMo.1978] and sold the automobile.”

Smith v. Spradling, 532 S.W.2d 202 (Mo. 1976). · cites it 7× “Appellants filed suit seeking a declaratory judgment that § 301.215, RSMo 1969, V.A.M.S., which provides for issuance of a certificate of “repossessed title” to a secured creditor who has repossessed an automobile, is violative of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States…”

J. Kevin Checkett v. Andy Lee Sutton (8th Cir. BAP 2007). “First, Trustee contends that Mo. Rev. Stat. §301.215 gave Richardson standing to bring a judicial foreclosure proceeding with respect to the Vehicle.”

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