The following bullets are excerpted from Maryland MVA’s most recent “Talking Points” newsletter.
Discontinuance of the Duplicate Title after Lien Release
Effective December 4, 2024, the MVA no longer automatically prints a duplicate title when a lien has been released electronically. When the lien is released electronically:
- A customer is still entitled to a free title. They may request the free, duplicate clear title via MVA website, MyMVA account, kiosk or ERT systems.
- MVA records will indicate the lien has been released. The customer will receive a notification of the release by email or their MyMVA account.
Duplicate Title
When requesting a duplicate title, dealers should use the VR-003 and title service agencies should use the VR-018 and provide the documents listed on the form. If a duplicate title is ordered via ERT (preferred), the duplicate title will be free once the record indicates the lien has been released. Dealers and title service agents can use the dealer inquiry to verify if the lien has been released.
If the dealer inquiry shows that a lien has been released, a dealer can use the last issued title to transfer ownership in Maryland. A separate lien release letter or a lien clearance letter is not needed for an in-state transaction. If the vehicle is being sold or transferred out of state and a clear title is required, the dealer with the vehicle can request a clear title by submitting the title showing the lien with the request for a duplicate title.
If an electronic lien release request was submitted electronically and the lienholder received an error message, the MVA will continue to accept a notarized lien release letter.
If you have a topic, you’d like us to cover in a future newsletter, please send it to Kristin Orlando-Dillahunt at korlando@mdot.maryland.gov.
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