Maine bonded title & title bond
Maine Vehicle Title Bonds
Also called a motor vehicle ownership surety bond or defective title bond. In Maine, get an instant estimate with one simple input—your vehicle's fair market value.
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At a glance
Maine Bonded Title Key Facts
Governed by 29-A M.R.S. §§ 654, 659.
The basics
What Is a Bonded Title in Maine?
A bonded title in Maine is a regular certificate of title the Secretary of State issues on the strength of a Motor Vehicle Title Surety Bond (BMV form MVT-18). Maine uses it only when you cannot provide enough paperwork to meet the normal title requirements — for example, you have no prior title — for a vehicle that must be titled. Maine law calls this filing a title surety bond under 29-A M.R.S. §659.
Good to know — There is no minimum dollar value. A surety bond applies only when you cannot provide enough documentation to meet the standard title requirements (29-A M.R.S. §654) and the Secretary of State is not satisfied as to ownership, and only for a vehicle Maine requires to be titled. As of January 1, 2026, vehicles with a model year of 2001 or newer must have a Maine title; older, title-exempt vehicles do not need a title or a bond.
The bond protects the State of Maine and any prior or future owner or lienholder if someone else turns out to have a claim on the vehicle. You file it together with your Application for Title — it does not replace the application.
Maine sets the bond at 1.5 times your vehicle's value, and the bond stays in effect for three years. If no one makes a valid claim during that time, the bond ends and you keep a clear title.
A bond is not always needed. If the Secretary of State can confirm ownership another way, or your vehicle is old enough that Maine does not require a title, you will not need a bond. Check with the BMV Division of Title Services first.
Eligibility
Do You Qualify for a Maine Bonded Title?
You may qualify when all of the following are true.
- You cannot provide enough documentation to meet the standard title requirements in 29-A M.R.S. §654 (for example, you have no prior certificate of title).
- The vehicle is one Maine requires to be titled. As of January 1, 2026, vehicles with a model year of 2001 or newer must have a Maine title.
- The Secretary of State is not satisfied as to ownership of the vehicle or the absence of security interests, and asks you to file a bond.
- The bond is issued by a surety company authorized to conduct surety business in Maine (a non-Maine company's bond must be countersigned).
Step by step
How to Get a Bonded Title in Maine: Step by Step
Contact the BMV Division of Title Services
Maine requires a title surety bond only in certain cases, so confirm you need one before you buy it. The Division of Title Services can tell you whether your vehicle must be titled and whether a bond is required.
Get your Application for Title
The Application for Title is not available online. Pick one up from a BMV branch office or your town office. This is the standard title application under 29-A M.R.S. §654.
Application for Certificate of TitleDetermine your bond amount
Maine sets the bond at 1.5 times your vehicle's value, as determined by the Secretary of State (29-A M.R.S. §659). Enter your vehicle value in the calculator above to estimate your premium.
Buy and sign your MVT-18 surety bond
Purchase the Motor Vehicle Title Surety Bond from a surety company authorized in Maine and complete BMV form MVT-18. Once issued, the bond stays in effect for three years.
Motor Vehicle Title Surety Bond (MVT-18)File your bond and application with the BMV
Submit the signed MVT-18 bond with your completed Application for Title and pay the $33 certificate of title fee. The BMV then issues your title.
Paperwork
Maine Title Bond Documents
Not available online — obtain it at a BMV branch office or your town office. The standard title application under 29-A M.R.S. §654.
The surety bond filed with your Application for Title.
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Cost
How Maine Title Bond Pricing Works
You do not pay the full bond amount. In Maine, the surety bond must equal 1.5 times your vehicle's value, as determined by the Secretary of State. You pay a premium, which is a smaller percentage of that bond amount.
Your premium depends on the bond amount and underwriting. Use the calculator above for an estimate; your final premium may vary. The $33 certificate of title fee is separate from the bond premium.
Worked example
If your vehicle's value is $6,000, the bond amount is 1.5x that, or $9,000. You pay only the premium on the $9,000 bond, not the full $9,000.
Get help
Filing Information
Maine Secretary of State - Bureau of Motor Vehicles
207-624-9000, ext. 52138FAQ
Maine Bonded Title FAQ
Yes, in certain cases. Maine issues a certificate of title backed by a Motor Vehicle Title Surety Bond (form MVT-18) under 29-A M.R.S. §659 when you cannot provide enough documentation to meet the normal title requirements and the Secretary of State is not satisfied as to ownership.
The bond amount is 1.5 times your vehicle's value, as determined by the Secretary of State. You pay a premium — a percentage of that amount — not the full bond amount. Use the calculator above to estimate it.
By the Secretary of State. Under 29-A M.R.S. §659, the bond must equal one and one-half times the value of the vehicle as determined by the Secretary of State.
Three years. Under 29-A M.R.S. §659, the bond stays in effect for three years, unless it ends earlier when you fully meet the title requirements or you end the registration and surrender the title.
Only when you cannot provide enough paperwork to meet the standard title requirements (29-A M.R.S. §654) for a vehicle that must be titled, and the Secretary of State asks for a bond. If ownership can be confirmed another way, you will not need one.
With the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Get the Application for Title from a BMV branch office or your town office, then submit it with the signed MVT-18 bond and the $33 title fee. Call the Division of Title Services at 207-624-9000, ext. 52138 with questions.
A surety company authorized to conduct surety business in Maine. If the surety is not a Maine company, the bond must be countersigned.
Sources
Last verified 2026-06-23. Requirements change — confirm current details with Maine Secretary of State - Bureau of Motor Vehicles before you file. This page is informational and not legal advice.
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VehicleTitleBond.com is operated by Insurance Services by Shield, a California and Texas licensed insurance agency (CA License #6018195, TX License #3446536). Insurance Services by Shield is not an insurance carrier and does not underwrite bonds or insurance policies. Bond and coverage availability, pricing, and issuance are subject to carrier underwriting approval, eligibility, applicable state requirements, and policy or bond terms. Availability varies by state.
