Add/Remove a Lien

Titles with liens can be issued on paper or electronically by lienholders participating in the ELT program.

You can add or remove a lien on your vehicle's title at your local county tax office. The title fee is $28 or $33, depending on the county, and must be paid at time of application. Please contact your local county tax office for the exact cost.

Note: You will pay a title fee when you add or remove a lien if a new paper title is issued.

Add a Lien

To add a lien on a title, you will need:

• the vehicle title, and
• a completed Application for Texas Certificate of Title.

Add an Additional Lien

To add another lienholder on the vehicle title, you will need:

• the vehicle title. The first lienholder named on the title can send it either to you or to the new additional lienholder,
• a completed Additional Liens Statement, and
• a completed Application for Texas Certificate of Title.

Remove a Lien

After the lien on a vehicle is paid off, the lienholder has 10 business days after receipt of payment to release the lien.

• If the lien was recorded on a paper title, the lienholder will mail it to you along with a release of lien.
• If your lien was recorded electronically, the title record will be maintained electronically by TxDMV and the lienholder will send you a letter to let you know the lien was removed.

To remove a lien, you will need:

• the vehicle title,
• the release of lien letter and/or other notifications from the lienholder(s) currently named on the vehicle title, and
• a completed Application for Texas Certificate of Title.

If your lien was recorded electronically, the lienholder will coordinate with us to remove the lien from our records. No action is required on your part.

Order a paper title for an electronic record

Note: You do not need to apply for a new title after the lien is paid off unless you plan to sell the vehicle or move out of state.

Two options are available:

• Get an original title by submitting an application to your local county tax office.
  
  Note: County tax offices will not accept a release of lien letter for an electronic lien. If your lien was recorded electronically, the lienholder will coordinate with us to remove the lien from our records. No action is required on your part.
   
• Get a duplicate title by mail or walk-in by submitting an application to your nearest TxDMV regional service center. You must show proof of identification for each owner listed.

Both the original title and the duplicate title are acceptable ownership documents for selling the vehicle or if moving out of state.

For more information, read our FAQs.