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CALIFORNIA · SELLER GUIDANCE · PRACTICAL GUIDE

Selling a California car with a lender or lien

Before selling a California car with a lien, obtain the lender’s payoff and release instructions. The vehicle offer does not automatically settle the debt or remove the lien.

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Get the payoff and release instructions

Ask the lender for the current payoff, its expiry date and the process for releasing its interest. Tell the purchasing partner whether the title is held electronically or on paper. Keep the instructions with your sale records.

A replacement application does not cancel a lien

REG 227 explicitly cannot release a lien on an Electronic Lien Title vehicle. Its instructions also impose special restrictions on lien releases for certain newer vehicles. Ask the lender and DMV which documents are required rather than assuming a signed replacement application is sufficient.

Agree who receives each payment

Compare the offer with the payoff. If the car is worth less than the debt, resolve the difference with the lender before handover. Confirm who pays the lender, how release is documented and what amount remains payable to you.

Official sources.

Sources reviewed September 26, 2026. Use the current instructions for your vehicle and transaction.

Continue with your California sale.

Selling a California car with a missing titleFor a missing California title, check whether REG 227 fits the ownership record and transaction. A lender-held title or a transfer subject to secure odometer disclosure may need another route.California vehicle pickup and sale recordsFor a California pickup, prepare the ownership documents, agree the buyer and amount, arrange access and keep the sale record. Complete the separate DMV sale notification afterward.Selling a California vehicle through an authorized representativeA representative selling a California vehicle needs valid authority for the transaction. REG 260 and secure REG 262 serve different purposes, particularly when odometer disclosure is required.

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