The best place to go is to the dealer you bought the car from.
If this is not possible, check with your local tax office where you renew auto tag. They can help you get the title.
Contact the (former) lienholder to get them to release the title to you.
If the vehicle has a lien, the title shouldn't be lost, the lienholder should have it. Once the vehicle is paid in full, they will mail you the title.
Yes. The title you received when you purchased the vehicle should show the lien holder. Even when you buy a vehicle on credit, you will receive a title. It is a lien title. You will not receive the full or clear title until the vehicle loan is paid off.
yes
To find out if your vehicle has a lien, you can check the title or contact the lender who provided the loan for the vehicle. A lien indicates that there is a financial interest in the vehicle by a lender until the loan is fully paid off.
It is illegal for a bank to hold onto a title for a vehicle once a typical deadline for funds to clear for payment of said title has cleared. Contact your local attorney general and state government banking institution that governs bank licensing and file a complaint. They should notify you in writing as to why you have yet to receive your title.
Contact the dealer or finance company, whoever has the title, and ask them to send it to you. If they refuse, you may have to contact an attorney.
When you own it
If a title was never issued, how did you get the car? Every vehicle starts out with a manufacturer's certificate that can be traced. It should be possible to trace the first sale of that vehicle. If it was a legal sale and that owner never got a title and sold you the car, you should be able to contact the appropriate governmental entity and get a title. Normally when you purchase a car that has been a lease and never had a title issued, the seller has all the legal documents that you need to get the title. Frequently, you paid a fee for the seller to get you the title.
YES! Do not release the title of the vehicle until it is COMPLETELY paid off. Once they hold the title, they can stop paying and there is nothing you can do... legally.
Your vehicle has to be paid in full for you to have a clear title without a lien. If you haven't paid the sales tax, you may not have a clear title that you can sign off to the new owner.
Yes, if it is paid for. If it is not paid for it is legally owned by the lien holder(s) whose name appears on the title. The vehicle title always designates ownership.