Vehicle lien release / ownership release

Is there still a “retained title / lien” from a bank or dealership? We arrange the official clearance so the title becomes clean and you can legally transfer the vehicle to the new owner.

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What “retained title / lien” means

When a vehicle is purchased with financing or an installment agreement, the original seller (dealership, bank, financing company, etc.) may register a retained title / lien. In practice this means: the vehicle is not considered 100% yours until it is fully paid off.

When you need a release

The lien/retained title must be officially lifted before any legal ownership transfer (sale to a new owner). You also need it if you want the registration document to show you as the sole legal owner.

What we handle for you

We CONTACT the party holding the lien, obtain the payoff / clearance letter, prepare and collect the required signed declarations, file everything at the competent Transport Authority, and follow up until the vehicle is marked as “free”.

Documents usually required

From the current holder of the vehicle

  • Vehicle registration (valid).
  • ID card or passport.
  • Tax ID number and basic contact details.

From the party that registered the lien

  • Official payoff / lien release letter (signed by the dealership, bank, or financing company).
  • In many cases, a signed declaration from that party that they no longer have any claim on the vehicle.

Case-by-case

  • Owner’s solemn declaration (with certified signature) stating the debt has been fully paid and requesting the lien/retained title to be lifted.
  • Proof of payment / settlement of the original financing contract.
  • Any state fees / stamps that may apply for processing.

The exact list depends on who originally retained the title (dealership, leasing bank, financing company, etc.) and whether a valid payoff / clearance letter already exists.

How the release works in practice

1) File pre-check

You send us photos of the vehicle registration and any documents you have from the original seller / bank. We check if anything is missing (for example, the official payoff letter).

2) Gathering the documents

If needed, we contact the bank / dealership that registered the lien so they can issue an official statement that the debt is fully settled and no ownership right remains.

3) Submission & update of the registration

We submit the file to the competent Transport Authority. Once processed, the vehicle registration is updated without the lien. From that point, you can proceed with transfer with no obstacle.

Important

A vehicle cannot be legally transferred if an active lien / retained title still exists. The release must be done first.

If 7 years have passed since the first day the lien / retained title was registered and you plan to transfer the vehicle, in most cases you do not need a formal payoff letter from the bank or dealership. A signed solemn declaration from the legal owner (the seller) is usually sufficient.

Timing & cost

Processing time

This mainly depends on how fast we can obtain the official payoff / clearance letter from the bank or dealership, and on how busy the Transport Authority is.

Service cost

Our fee is tailored to your case (e.g. company vehicle, old financing contract, multiple owners). We send you a specific quote once we’ve reviewed your file.

What you get

– A personalized checklist of required documents.
– We handle contact with the previous seller / bank (where possible).
– Submission and update so the vehicle becomes “free” and ready for legal transfer.

Planning to sell the car immediately? Talk to us before you book an appointment with the buyer, so we can make sure the lien will already be cleared.

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