is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. We are compensated in exchange for placement of sponsored products and, services, or by you clicking on certain links posted on our site. Therefore, this compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear within listing categories. Other factors, such as our own proprietary website rules and whether a product is offered in your area or at your self-selected credit score range can also impact how and where products appear on this site. While we strive to provide a wide range offers, Bankrate does not include information about every financial or credit product or service.
Insurance Disclosure
This content is powered by , a licensed insurance producer (NPN: 8781838) and a corporate affiliate of . LLC services are only available in states were it is licensed and insurance coverage through may not be available in all states. All insurance products are governed by the terms in the applicable insurance policy, and all related decisions (such as approval for coverage, premiums, commissions and fees) and policy obligations are the sole responsibility of the underwriting insurer. The information on this site does not modify any insurance policy terms in any way.
Once you’ve made the final payment on an auto loan, you’ll need to get the title from your lender in order to prove that you legally own the car. This title is also a critical document if you end up selling your car down the line. However, the process of obtaining a car title varies by state.
What is a car title lien?
An auto lien is a note showing that your vehicle is legally owned by another party, in many cases your auto loan lender. In a lot of ways, a lien on your car is similar to a property lien on your home. With a lien in place, the lender has rights to the home (or your car) until you satisfy your loan in its entirety by paying off every dollar you borrowed, plus taxes and fees.
Once your loan is fully paid, the lien on your car title is lifted, and the title can be released to you. At this point, the legal ownership of the car transfers to you from your lender.
Once you pay off your auto loan, the lien holder who serviced your loan is required to notify your state’s Department of Monitor Vehicles, or DMV. They can do so electronically or by submitting specific state-required paperwork, but either way, they will let your auto loan servicer know that you no longer carry a balance on your loan.
“After you’ve paid off your auto loan, you’ll have a ‘free and clear’ vehicle title, meaning you now fully own your car,” says Julie Shinn, vice president of lender management at RateGenius. “Anytime there are ownership changes, you have to update the title.”
Does the process differ by state?
The process involved in getting the title to your paid-off car varies dramatically by state, with some states taking care of it entirely and others requiring you to do some grunt instant payday loans online Athens, TN work.
According to Shinn, in states that require you to do some filing to get your title, your financial institution will send you a lien release and formal documentation that the loan is paid in full. From there, you’ll take those documents to your state DMV to get an updated title solely in your name.
In other states, once the motor vehicles department is notified, they will automatically mail you the title to your car with nothing required on your part.
German
English