The laser absorption spectrum of the TiCl+molecular ion has been observed for the first time in a hollow cathode discharge. The discharge was driven at 25 kHz at powers in the 80–100 W range. Flowing samples of TiCl4in Ar were discharged. A total of 235 lines of the48Ti35Cl+[17.9]3Δ–X3Φ (0,0) band and 122 lines of the48Ti37Cl+[17.9]3Δ–X3Φ (0,0) band were recorded at resolution 0.02 cm−1. Rotational constants for the [17.9]3Δ (v= 0) andX3Φ (v= 0) states of the48Ti35Cl+and48Ti37Cl+isotopomers are reported. This band system was observed previously in the emission spectrum of TiCl+(W. J. Balfour and K. S. Chandrasekhar, 1990,J. Mol. Spectrosc.139,245–252) but the electronic assignments for the lower and upper states of the transition are revised here. The present experimental results are in excellent agreement with predictions based on ligand field theory models (L. A. Kaledin, J. E. McCord, and M. C. Heaven, 1995,J. Mol. Spectrosc.173,499–509). The symmetry for the ground state of the TiCl+molecular ion was determined to beX3Φ.