Common Questions about Electronic Lien and Title
Find all your ELT answers here
ELT stands for Electronic Lien and Title, but you probaby knew that already. The questions below answer some more detailed questions that lenders have asked us over the years as they learned about ELT and were preparing to register for service. Have a look and contact us if you have more questions or
Lienholders need to register for ELT. Lenders that place liens on vehicles, vessels and mobile homes must register for ELT. Each state has different rules, but for the states that mandate electronic lien and title, lenders must manage liens electonically.
ELT offers additional security for lienholders and less fraud for the DMV. ELT will eventually be mandated in all states. For the time being, the states that require lenders to manage liens electronically that we service that can be seen here.
With electronic lien and title, the lien information gets stored electronically in our system once the DMV securely transmits that data to us. There are certain circumstances which may require you to have a paper title. In those cases you can request that the DMV print and mail you a paper title. Each state operates with slightly different rules, but when you release a lien you may have the option to keep the title electronic or have it printed and mailed to a specific address.
Through USA ELT lienholders have the ability to request a printed copy of a title from the DMV. The DMV prints the title. In addition to the DMV printing and mailing the title, some states offer the option to pick up the printed title at a local DMV office. Lienholders do not print titles directly from their office printers.
Registered lienholders that have an account with USA ELT visit the website to securely manage their electronic liens. This includes viewing the information (and optionally reconciling it with an additional system), requesting printed copies of titles, and releasing liens when the loan has been paid off.
USA ELT does not place the lien with the DMV. Lienholders shall continue submitting lien information to the DMV as they always have. USA ELT comes into the picture after the DMV has processed your lien paperwork. Once the DMV has finished processing your lien paperwork, the DMV securely transmits the data to USA ELT where it can be securely managed by the lienholder.
USA ELT charges for each transaction (e.g. incoming lien). The electronic lien fees vary by state, and some states require "pass-through fees" for certain types of transactions, such as printing a title. Please read your state's ELT pricing by selecting your state and clicking through to the pricing page of that particular state's ELT website. There are no monthly fees for active users.
To best understand the big-picture for electornic lien and title, we'd suggest you watch the ELT video and/or view the ELT infographic.
Call us anytime with an ELT-related question. Our number is 1 (888) 675-7477. We'll do our very best to give you a clear and concise answer. Also, each state has its own FAQ page. Find your state here and then click through to the FAQ page.