How Long Does It Take to Release a Vehicle Lien?
2 Answers
After the vehicle loan is fully repaid, you should contact the lending institution as soon as possible to initiate the lien release process, which must be completed at the vehicle management office. Below are relevant considerations: Time Selection: Business at the vehicle management office must be conducted on working days. National statutory holidays such as New Year's Day and Mid-Autumn Festival are non-working days for these procedures. Advance Appointment: Some regions offer appointment services. Failure to book in advance may result in inability to proceed with the procedure. Scheduling an appointment also allows you to confirm required documentation in advance, preventing delays due to incomplete materials.
Last time I went through the vehicle lien release process, it went pretty smoothly and took a total of three days. As soon as the loan was paid off, I went to the bank to get a lien release certificate, which I received by the next afternoon—the bank's processing wasn't too slow. On the third day, I arrived early at the DMV to queue and spent half a day completing the registration. However, I know someone who took five days because the bank delayed issuing the certificate or there were document errors. The key is to prepare all the required materials in advance, such as the vehicle registration certificate and loan payoff statement—missing even one document means having to redo the process and waste time. It's better to handle this on weekdays to avoid the weekend crowds. I recommend calling the bank frequently to check the progress rather than just waiting, as this can help keep the process within three days. Generally, the bank takes one to two days, and the DMV takes about a day, so the total time shouldn’t exceed a week.
