Paid off your car in Illinois? How the lien comes off the title
Illinois law requires a lienholder that holds the certificate of title to sign a release within 21 days after receiving payment (10 business days if the payoff was made by cash, cashier's check or certified check), and to mail or deliver the certificate and release to the next lienholder or, if none, to the owner or a person the owner authorizes. The owner may then ask the Secretary of State for a new certificate showing no lien by sending the release and certificate with an application and fee. If a prior lienholder holds the certificate, the paid-off lienholder must deliver a release to the owner within the same time.
What happens to the title in Illinois
Electronic lien status not verified
Illinois law requires a lienholder that holds the certificate of title to sign a release within 21 days after receiving payment (10 business days if the payoff was made by cash, cashier's check or certified check), and to mail or deliver the certificate and release to the next lienholder or, if none, to the owner or a person the owner authorizes. The owner may then ask the Secretary of State for a new certificate showing no lien by sending the release and certificate with an application and fee. If a prior lienholder holds the certificate, the paid-off lienholder must deliver a release to the owner within the same time.
Getting a clear Illinois title
Confirm any title fee with the state before you apply.
- After your final payment, ask the lender for the signed lien release and the certificate of title; Illinois gives the lender 21 days, or 10 business days if you paid by cash, cashier's check or certified check.
- Check that the release is signed and that the certificate is delivered to you (or to a person you authorized in writing).
- Submit the release, the certificate, a title application and the fee to the Illinois Secretary of State to receive a new certificate with no lienholder; ask the Secretary of State's Vehicle Services Department for the current application form and fee.
- If the lender does not deliver the release on time, the statute lets you sue it in small claims court for $150 plus attorney fees and court costs.
- If a different lienholder holds the certificate, that lienholder may deliver it to you or send it directly to the Secretary of State with the release, application and fee.
How long the lender has
Illinois gives the lienholder 21 days after payoff.
The lienholder must execute and deliver the release within 21 days after receiving payment, or within 10 business days if payment was by cash, cashier's check or certified check, and a lienholder that fails is liable for $150 plus attorney fees and court costs. Source: 625 ILCS 5/3-205.
Get the Illinois lien release finished
Your loan is paid off but the title, the release, or the Illinois 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.
What your lender says about payoff
Each page covers what the lender publishes about releasing the lien, timing, and contacts.
- Alabama Credit Union
- Ally Auto
- Arlington Community Federal Credit Union
- Bank of America Auto
- Cadillac Financial
- Capital One Auto Finance
- Chase Auto
- Chrysler Capital
- Connexus Credit Union
- Credit Acceptance
- Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU)
- Direct Federal Credit Union
- Exeter Finance
- First Investors Financial Services
- Flagship Credit Acceptance (now Flagship Financial Group)
- Ford Credit
- Global Lending Services
- GM Financial
- Jaguar Financial Group
- Land Rover Financial Group
- LBS Financial Credit Union
- Lendbuzz
- Lexus Financial Services (loans)
- Lincoln Automotive Financial Services
- Maserati Capital USA
- Mazda Financial Services
- Navigant Credit Union
- Navy Federal Credit Union
- PNC Auto
- Regional Acceptance
- Rivian Financial Services
- Santander Consumer USA
- Skopos Financial
- Southeast Toyota Finance
- Stellantis Financial Services
- Subaru Motors Finance
- Tower Federal Credit Union
- Toyota Financial Services (loans)
- Truliant Federal Credit Union
- U.S. Bank Auto
- United Auto Credit
- Upgrade Auto Finance
- Virginia Credit Union
- Volkswagen Financial Services
- Volvo Car Financial Services
- Wells Fargo Auto
The Illinois rules behind this page
Recheck the agency page before you apply. Statute copies from third-party sites are labelled.
Illinois title after payoff questions
- How long does a lender have to release a lien in Illinois?
- The lienholder must execute and deliver the release within 21 days after receiving payment, or within 10 business days if payment was by cash, cashier's check or certified check, and a lienholder that fails is liable for $150 plus attorney fees and court costs. Source: 625 ILCS 5/3-205.
- Will Illinois mail me the title after I pay off the loan?
- Illinois law requires a lienholder that holds the certificate of title to sign a release within 21 days after receiving payment (10 business days if the payoff was made by cash, cashier's check or certified check), and to mail or deliver the certificate and release to the next lienholder or, if none, to the owner or a person the owner authorizes. The owner may then ask the Secretary of State for a new certificate showing no lien by sending the release and certificate with an application and fee. If a prior lienholder holds the certificate, the paid-off lienholder must deliver a release to the owner within the same time.
- What if my lender went out of business?
- 625 ILCS 5/3-205 has no provision for a lienholder that cannot be found or no longer exists. Ask the Illinois Secretary of State Vehicle Services Department how to proceed.