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Maryland lien release

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

The lienholder files the release electronically with the MVA within 5 business days of full payment (through an MVA-approved vendor or direct interface). The MVA records the release and notifies the customer by email or through myMVA. Since December 4, 2024 the MVA no longer prints a duplicate title automatically after an electronic lien release, so the customer requests the clear duplicate title.

See the Maryland stepsLender out of business?
Checked against official Maryland 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 Maryland

Maryland law requires a lienholder that regularly finances motor vehicles to file lien releases electronically with the MVA, and the owner does not receive a paper title while a lien is active.

The lienholder files the release electronically with the MVA within 5 business days of full payment (through an MVA-approved vendor or direct interface). The MVA records the release and notifies the customer by email or through myMVA. Since December 4, 2024 the MVA no longer prints a duplicate title automatically after an electronic lien release, so the customer requests the clear duplicate title.

Your steps

Getting a clear Maryland title

Fee: No additional charge for the duplicate clear title after an electronic lien release.

  1. Ask your lender to confirm it filed the electronic lien release, and watch for the MVA notice by email or in your myMVA account.
  2. Once the release shows, request a duplicate clear title through the MVA website, your myMVA account, or an MVA kiosk (the Application for Duplicate Certificate of Title is form VR-018).
  3. There is no additional charge for the duplicate clear title printed after an electronic lien release.
  4. If a lien is still listed on your title, expect the MVA to ask for documentation from the lienholder before it issues a duplicate.
If the lender is slow

How long the lender has

Maryland gives the lienholder 5 days after payoff.

The lienholder must file the electronic lien release within 5 business days after receiving full payment. Source: COMAR 11.15.38.03; Md. Code, Transportation 13-108.1.

Lender gone or unreachable

If the lienholder is out of business

Compare other states' procedures

The MVA's duplicate-title page says that if a lien is still listed on the title, additional documentation from the lienholder may be required. If the lienholder has closed or cannot be found, contact the MVA directly.

Optional paid help

Get the Maryland lien release finished

Your loan is paid off but the title, the release, or the Maryland 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 Maryland rules behind this page

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

Maryland title after payoff questions

How long does a lender have to release a lien in Maryland?
The lienholder must file the electronic lien release within 5 business days after receiving full payment. Source: COMAR 11.15.38.03; Md. Code, Transportation 13-108.1.
Will Maryland mail me the title after I pay off the loan?
The lienholder files the release electronically with the MVA within 5 business days of full payment (through an MVA-approved vendor or direct interface). The MVA records the release and notifies the customer by email or through myMVA. Since December 4, 2024 the MVA no longer prints a duplicate title automatically after an electronic lien release, so the customer requests the clear duplicate title. Maryland law requires a lienholder that regularly finances motor vehicles to file lien releases electronically with the MVA, and the owner does not receive a paper title while a lien is active.
What if my lender went out of business?
The MVA's duplicate-title page says that if a lien is still listed on the title, additional documentation from the lienholder may be required. If the lienholder has closed or cannot be found, contact the MVA directly.
How much does a clear title cost in Maryland?
No additional charge for the duplicate clear title after an electronic lien release. Confirm the current fee with the Maryland title agency before you apply.