Lien - FAQs

In Colorado, county motor vehicle offices are responsible for title and registration, including the addition of a lien. The bank should send the lien documentation to the customer's county for processing; this includes a DR2395 Application for Title, title assigned to the customer, security agreement (all pages of the lien document) along with the lien filing fees. The cost is $5/page under legal size and $10/page over legal size for the security agreement pages (back is considered a page), plus the title cost of $7.20. On July 1, 2025, the price will be a flat rate of $40 plus the title fee.

If your lienholder physically held your title, your lienholder should send you the title along with a letter and/or stamp that the lien has been satisfied.  You can then take these documents to your county motor vehicle office to get a clean title in your name. The title fee will be $7.20.

If your lienholder utilized the ELT system and the title was kept electronically, once the lienholder notifies the state that the lien has been satisfied, it will be released in the system, and a new title will be sent to the owner at the address the lien holder has on file. Please be aware that this may not be the same address associated with the vehicle's record, so the owner must ensure their address is current with their lien holder.

For liens filed in Colorado:
The lienholder on the title itself must sign the lien release or may be released on a separate lien release letter. The name of the lienholder on the letter must match the name of the lienholder printed on the face of the title. All lien releases will require an agent's signature and date of release.

The letter must be on company letterhead and include the following:

• Vehicle description (year, make and VIN)
• Titled owner's name
• Agent's signature
• Signed under penalty of perjury in the second degree (CRS 42-6-125) or notarized
• Date lien released

Note: Letterhead is not required if the lien holder is an individual, not a corporation/company. A copy of the lien release is acceptable.

For Liens not filed in Colorado:
Lien releases for out-of-state and Colorado titles with a notation of "NOT FILED IN COLORADO" must all have the agent's signature and the date the lien was satisfied. A lien release on the face of a Colorado title is unacceptable if the lien was not filed in Colorado. A separate lien release letter is required. 
When an out-of-state lien release form is unavailable, a separate lien release letter will be accepted on the lienholder's letterhead. It must include:

• Vehicle description (year, make, VIN)
• The titled owner's name(s)
• Signed under penalty of perjury or notarized (if required)
• Date
• Agent's signature

Note: Letterhead is not required if the lien holder is an individual, not a corporation/company. A copy of the lien release is acceptable.

No, the lien release must be done at the county where you reside and where the vehicle is registered.

Unfortunately, if the vehicle has a current lien, you cannot get the title until the lien has been released or is past its maturity date. If you are moving out of state or into Colorado and need proof of ownership with your title, you can contact your lienholder to request a copy of the front and back for verification purposes. Once the lien has matured in the system, the title would be sent to you.

It should be shown on the back of your vehicle's registration. You can also visit mydmv.colorado.gov in the "Vehicle Services" tab,  and under the "Records" heading, select a "Vehicle Record" search; this will provide you with your records of this vehicle, showing you the lien holder. Only the owner listed on the title document can request the VRS account (a VRS account will need to be set up before the search is requested) unless they have a DR 2175 Power of Attorney for a Motor Vehicle (POA.)

No, if the lien has matured, the title will be sent to the owner.  If the title has been lost and the lien shows as matured, the title will be released upon requesting a duplicate title (DR2539A). Liens on motor vehicles are valid for ten years from the date filed.  Liens on manufactured homes, trailer coaches, motor homes, multipurpose trailers, and truck tractors are for the duration of the lien as indicated by the maturity date on the security agreement. CRS. 42-6-127.

The FDIC may be able to assist in issuing a lien release in the following cases:

• If the lien holder is a bank or savings and loan that failed and was placed into FDIC Receivership,
• If the lien holder is an active or recently dissolved Subsidiary of a failed bank or savings and loan,
• If the loan was paid off to the bank or savings and loan before the Institution failed,
• If the loan was paid off to the FDIC after the bank or savings and loan failed.

If you have any questions regarding the FDIC's ability to assist with a lien release, contact FDIC DRR Customer Service at 888-206-4662 between 8 am and 4 pm CST Monday through Friday (except federal holidays). https://www.fdic.gov/