Paid off your car in North Dakota? How the lien comes off the title
When the loan is satisfied, the lienholder must execute a release of its security interest. If other lienholders are on the title, the title and release go to the next lienholder, who then has 30 days to send them to the department; if none remain, they go to the owner (or the owner's designee), who has 30 days to submit them to the department with a $5 fee so a new title can be issued.
What happens to the title in North Dakota
The statute says lienholders that use an electronic lien notification system must follow the procedure the department adopts for it.
When the loan is satisfied, the lienholder must execute a release of its security interest. If other lienholders are on the title, the title and release go to the next lienholder, who then has 30 days to send them to the department; if none remain, they go to the owner (or the owner's designee), who has 30 days to submit them to the department with a $5 fee so a new title can be issued.
Getting a clear North Dakota title
Fee: $5 sent with the title and release to the department under N.D.C.C. 39-05-16.1.
- Ask your lender for the signed release (NDDOT publishes SFN 2876, Release of Lien by Legal Owner, for this) and the title if the lender holds the paper title.
- Check that the release is signed and matches your vehicle; the statute gives you 30 days to file it.
- Submit the title and release to the NDDOT Motor Vehicle Division with the $5 fee within 30 days of receiving them.
- If you are unsure whether a lien is still on record, use the NDDOT title status search or call NDDOT Consumer Services at (701) 328-2725.
Official form: SFN 2876 Release of Lien by Legal Owner
How long the lender has
North Dakota gives the lienholder 30 days after payoff.
The lienholder must execute the release within 10 days after the owner's demand and in any event within 30 days after the security interest is satisfied. Source: N.D. Cent. Code 39-05-16.1.
Get the North Dakota lien release finished
Your loan is paid off but the title, the release, or the North Dakota 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 North Dakota rules behind this page
Recheck the agency page before you apply. Statute copies from third-party sites are labelled.
- North Dakota Century Code 39-05-16.1 (FindLaw copy of statute text; official ndlegis.gov PDF could not be read)Checked 2026-09-28 ↗Title / lien
- NDDOT Forms: SFN 2876 Release of Lien by Legal Owner listingChecked 2026-09-28 ↗Title / lien
- NDDOT Motor Vehicle Title Status SearchChecked 2026-09-28 ↗Title / lien
North Dakota title after payoff questions
- How long does a lender have to release a lien in North Dakota?
- The lienholder must execute the release within 10 days after the owner's demand and in any event within 30 days after the security interest is satisfied. Source: N.D. Cent. Code 39-05-16.1.
- Will North Dakota mail me the title after I pay off the loan?
- When the loan is satisfied, the lienholder must execute a release of its security interest. If other lienholders are on the title, the title and release go to the next lienholder, who then has 30 days to send them to the department; if none remain, they go to the owner (or the owner's designee), who has 30 days to submit them to the department with a $5 fee so a new title can be issued. The statute says lienholders that use an electronic lien notification system must follow the procedure the department adopts for it.
- What if my lender went out of business?
- We could not verify an official North Dakota procedure for a lender that no longer exists. Ask the North Dakota title agency before paying for a bonded title or court order.
- How much does a clear title cost in North Dakota?
- $5 sent with the title and release to the department under N.D.C.C. 39-05-16.1. Confirm the current fee with the North Dakota title agency before you apply.