Obtaining your car title after loan payoff

Dear Driving for Dollars,
I have paid off the lien-holder bank on my car loan, and it is going to send me paperwork stating that I have fully paid the loan. What is the process to get the title from here?
-- Don

Dear Don,
The process varies depending on your state, but generally the lien holder is required to notify your state's Department of Motor Vehicles, either electronically or by submitting paperwork that states you have paid off your loan. Typically, there is a bit of a delay for the lien holder to do this because they first want to make sure your check clears, and then they have to prepare the paperwork to notify the state. In some states, once the motor vehicles department is notified, it will automatically mail you the title. In other states, you'll need to go to a state vehicles agency office to get the title. To learn the process in your state, visit your state's motor vehicles Web site. A complete list of sites by state can be found at Dmvlist.com.

If you have a car question, e-mail it to us at Driving for Dollars.

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