Paid off your car in Minnesota? How the lien comes off the title
When a lien is satisfied, the secured party must execute a release in the format the department prescribes and mail or deliver it to the owner within 15 days (7 days when a licensed dealer satisfied the lien). The party holding the certificate of title sends it to the next secured party or to the owner, and the owner then submits the release and title to DVS or its agent to have the lien removed.
What happens to the title in Minnesota
Minnesota's lien statute lets a secured party notify the registrar of satisfaction in a manner the department prescribes, which allows electronic notice.
When a lien is satisfied, the secured party must execute a release in the format the department prescribes and mail or deliver it to the owner within 15 days (7 days when a licensed dealer satisfied the lien). The party holding the certificate of title sends it to the next secured party or to the owner, and the owner then submits the release and title to DVS or its agent to have the lien removed.
Getting a clear Minnesota title
Confirm any title fee with the state before you apply.
- Ask your lender for its lien release (DVS's prescribed release form is titled Lien: Notification of Assignment - Release or Grant of Secured Interest) and for the title if the lender holds it.
- Submit the lien release and title to DVS or its agent (for example a deputy registrar) so the lien is removed from the record and a title without the lien is issued.
- If the lender does not respond, send a certified letter, return receipt requested, asking for the release and keep the returned letter as evidence.
- If you cannot get the release, ask DVS about the no-proof-of-ownership title application, which lists being unable to obtain the lien release as a qualifying situation.
Official form: Lien: Notification of Assignment - Release or Grant of Secured Interest
How long the lender has
Minnesota gives the lienholder 15 days after payoff.
The secured party must execute and deliver the release within 15 days after the lien is satisfied, or within 7 days when the lien was satisfied by a dealer licensed under section 168.27. Source: Minn. Stat. 168A.20, subd. 1.
Get the Minnesota lien release finished
Your loan is paid off but the title, the release, or the Minnesota 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 Minnesota rules behind this page
Recheck the agency page before you apply. Statute copies from third-party sites are labelled.
- Minn. Stat. 168A.20: Satisfaction of security interest (Revisor of Statutes)Checked 2026-09-28 ↗Title / lien
- Minnesota DVS: Vehicle title adding or removing a security interest or lienChecked 2026-09-28 ↗Title / lien
- Minnesota DVS: No proof of ownership vehicle title applicationChecked 2026-09-28 ↗Title / lien
- Minnesota DVS: Vehicle titlesChecked 2026-09-28 ↗Title / lien
- Minnesota DVS: Notification of Assignment - Release or Grant of Secured Interest (form PDF)Checked 2026-09-28 ↗Title / lien
Minnesota title after payoff questions
- How long does a lender have to release a lien in Minnesota?
- The secured party must execute and deliver the release within 15 days after the lien is satisfied, or within 7 days when the lien was satisfied by a dealer licensed under section 168.27. Source: Minn. Stat. 168A.20, subd. 1.
- Will Minnesota mail me the title after I pay off the loan?
- When a lien is satisfied, the secured party must execute a release in the format the department prescribes and mail or deliver it to the owner within 15 days (7 days when a licensed dealer satisfied the lien). The party holding the certificate of title sends it to the next secured party or to the owner, and the owner then submits the release and title to DVS or its agent to have the lien removed. Minnesota's lien statute lets a secured party notify the registrar of satisfaction in a manner the department prescribes, which allows electronic notice.
- What if my lender went out of business?
- Under Minn. Stat. 168A.20 subd. 5, an owner who has paid the lien but cannot get a release can send the lienholder a certified letter (return receipt requested) and, if that fails, present the returned letter to DVS; a security interest on a passenger automobile may then be cancelled seven years after its perfection date. DVS also offers a no-proof-of-ownership title application when the lien release cannot be obtained: for vehicles over five years old the applicant may buy a surety bond of 1.5 times the vehicle's value, held three years, and the title carries a BONDED brand.