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Alaska lien release

Paid off your car in Alaska? How the lien comes off the title

Alaska records a primary lien on the title and mails the paper title to the lienholder. After the final payment the lienholder releases its interest and the owner receives the original title back, then applies to the DMV for a clear title. Alaska's regulation says the lienholder must release the lien immediately once it is satisfied, and the owner then has 10 days to apply for a new title unless the vehicle is being transferred within 30 days.

See the Alaska stepsLender out of business?
Checked against official Alaska sourcesLast reviewed Sep 28, 2026. Every fact below links to its source at the end of the page.
After the last payment

What happens to the title in Alaska

The Alaska DMV records the lien electronically in its system and mails the paper title to the lienholder.

Alaska records a primary lien on the title and mails the paper title to the lienholder. After the final payment the lienholder releases its interest and the owner receives the original title back, then applies to the DMV for a clear title. Alaska's regulation says the lienholder must release the lien immediately once it is satisfied, and the owner then has 10 days to apply for a new title unless the vehicle is being transferred within 30 days.

Your steps

Getting a clear Alaska title

Fee: $15 title fee.

  1. Get the original title back from the lienholder with the lien release signed on it, or get a lien release letter from the lienholder. The DMV lienholder page says the letter must be notarized. A PAID stamp alone is not accepted.
  2. Check that the release shows the date, signature and title of the person releasing the lien, and, if the lienholder's name changed since the lien was recorded, that the letter says the releasing organization is the same as the one on the title.
  3. Complete Form V1 (Application for Title and Registration), signed by the registered owner.
  4. Bring or mail the original title with release, Form V1 and the $15 title fee to the Alaska DMV at 4001 Ingra Street, Suite 101, Anchorage, AK 99503.
  5. If the title was lost, get the lien release first, then apply for a duplicate with the notarized Form 809, a notarized lien release letter showing the VIN, and the $15 fee.
If the lender is slow

How long the lender has

We did not find a Alaska release deadline we could verify.

The lienholder must release the lien immediately when it is satisfied, and the owner then has 10 days to apply for a new title unless the vehicle is transferred within 30 days. Source: 2 AAC 92.160.

Lender gone or unreachable

If the lienholder is out of business

Compare other states' procedures

Alaska says a lien release must come from the lienholder in writing. The DMV requires a lien release before it issues a duplicate or clear title. For questions about unusual situations, call the DMV office at (907) 269-5551.

Optional paid help

Get the Alaska lien release finished

Your loan is paid off but the title, the release, or the Alaska record still isn't right. We check the path and do the paperwork with you.

  • We find the release path for your state and lender from official sources.
  • We prepare the lien release or clear-title request, and any state form, for you to sign and send.
  • We track the lender and the state until the record shows the lien released.
One-time $89 for a paid-off loan whose title still shows the lien. We show the work, terms, exclusions, and delivery date before payment.
Every guide and official link on this site stays free.
By lender

What your lender says about payoff

Each page covers what the lender publishes about releasing the lien, timing, and contacts.

Official sources

The Alaska rules behind this page

Recheck the agency page before you apply. Statute copies from third-party sites are labelled.

Alaska title after payoff questions

How long does a lender have to release a lien in Alaska?
The lienholder must release the lien immediately when it is satisfied, and the owner then has 10 days to apply for a new title unless the vehicle is transferred within 30 days. Source: 2 AAC 92.160.
Will Alaska mail me the title after I pay off the loan?
Alaska records a primary lien on the title and mails the paper title to the lienholder. After the final payment the lienholder releases its interest and the owner receives the original title back, then applies to the DMV for a clear title. Alaska's regulation says the lienholder must release the lien immediately once it is satisfied, and the owner then has 10 days to apply for a new title unless the vehicle is being transferred within 30 days. The Alaska DMV records the lien electronically in its system and mails the paper title to the lienholder.
What if my lender went out of business?
Alaska says a lien release must come from the lienholder in writing. The DMV requires a lien release before it issues a duplicate or clear title. For questions about unusual situations, call the DMV office at (907) 269-5551.
How much does a clear title cost in Alaska?
$15 title fee. Confirm the current fee with the Alaska title agency before you apply.