Paid off your car in Montana? How the lien comes off the title
Montana law requires the lienholder to file a satisfaction of its security interest with the state after receiving final payment, and a lienholder that does not file within 21 days pays the department $25 for each day of delay. After the lien is satisfied the owner can request a new certificate of title without the security interest shown.
What happens to the title in Montana
MCA 61-3-103 says the department enters security interests in an electronic record and issues a transaction summary receipt.
Montana law requires the lienholder to file a satisfaction of its security interest with the state after receiving final payment, and a lienholder that does not file within 21 days pays the department $25 for each day of delay. After the lien is satisfied the owner can request a new certificate of title without the security interest shown.
Getting a clear Montana title
Fee: $10 through June 30, 2034, and $5 after that, for a new certificate of title without the security interest shown.
- Confirm the date your lender received your final payment and ask it to confirm it filed the satisfaction with the state (it has 21 days).
- Ask the Montana Motor Vehicle Division or your county treasurer for a new certificate of title without the lien shown, and pay the fee.
- If the lender has not filed within the statutory window, contact the lender first and then the Motor Vehicle Division with your payoff confirmation.
How long the lender has
Montana gives the lienholder 21 days after payoff.
The lienholder must file a satisfaction within 21 days after receiving final payment, or it must pay the department $25 for each day it is late. Source: MCA 61-3-103.
Get the Montana lien release finished
Your loan is paid off but the title, the release, or the Montana 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 Montana rules behind this page
Recheck the agency page before you apply. Statute copies from third-party sites are labelled.
Montana title after payoff questions
- How long does a lender have to release a lien in Montana?
- The lienholder must file a satisfaction within 21 days after receiving final payment, or it must pay the department $25 for each day it is late. Source: MCA 61-3-103.
- Will Montana mail me the title after I pay off the loan?
- Montana law requires the lienholder to file a satisfaction of its security interest with the state after receiving final payment, and a lienholder that does not file within 21 days pays the department $25 for each day of delay. After the lien is satisfied the owner can request a new certificate of title without the security interest shown. MCA 61-3-103 says the department enters security interests in an electronic record and issues a transaction summary receipt.
- What if my lender went out of business?
- We could not verify an official Montana procedure for a lender that no longer exists. Ask the Montana title agency before paying for a bonded title or court order.
- How much does a clear title cost in Montana?
- $10 through June 30, 2034, and $5 after that, for a new certificate of title without the security interest shown. Confirm the current fee with the Montana title agency before you apply.