Lien Notations

To note a lien, the following documentation must be presented to any Motor Vehicle Office.

• Certificate of Title or the Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin, properly assigned to the new owner if the vehicle is a new purchase and a completed Application for Certificate of Title.*
OR
• Certificate of Title for a vehicle where the title already exists in the name of the debtor(s).
ALONG WITH
• A copy of the lien instrument. The lien instrument can be in the form of a security agreement, trust receipt, conditional sales contract or other similar instrument. The lien instrument must list include:
  • Debtor's name and address
  • Specific description of the vehicle to include VIN, year, make and model
  • Lienholders name and address.
    (Note: For out-of-state Certificates of Title coming into Nebraska with open liens, a copy of the security agreement is not required as long as the ownership of the vehicle is not changing and the name of the lienholder remains the same. The $7.00 lien notation fee is applicable.)
• All names shown as titled owners of the vehicle should appear on the lien instrument, but only one titled owner is required to be listed. The lien instrument must contain the signatures of those listed.
• Lien notation fee of $7.00. Please contact the appropriate county Motor Vehicle Office for information regarding acceptable methods of payment.

Beginning November 1, 2010, once the lien has been properly noted, the Certificate of Title will be retained by the Department of Motor Vehicles in an electronic format until the lien has been satisfied.

Releasing a Lien

• Existing Paper Certificate of Title: Lienholder must, within fifteen (15) days after receiving the final payment, note the cancellation of the lien on the face of the title over their signature and list the date of the cancellation. The title should then be forwarded to any county Motor Vehicle Office where that office will note the cancellation on the face of the title and record it in their office. They will then forward the title as requested by the lienholder.

• Participating Lenders: Notification must, within fifteen (15) days after receiving final payment, be sent to the Department electronically. The title is then printed and mailed as instructed by the lienholder.

• Non-Participating Lenders: Lienholder must, within fifteen (15) days after receiving the final payment, submit a Non-Participating Lender Lien Release form to any Motor Vehicle Office. The title is then printed and mailed as instructed by the lienholder.

Requests for Duplicate Certificate of Title:

• Existing Paper Certificate of Title: If an Application for Duplicate Certificate of Title* is necessary and the original title contained an open lien that has been satisfied, a dated and signed release from the lienholder on their business letterhead can be accepted in lieu of a signature on the face of the title.
• Participating Lenders: Requests for a duplicate Certificate of Title cannot be processed for Electronic titles.
• Non-Participating Lenders: Requests for a duplicate Certificate of Title cannot be processed for Electronic titles.

Notation of Subsequent Liens:

• Existing Paper Certificate of Title: A copy of the lien instrument and the $7.00 lien notation fee must be submitted to any county Motor Vehicle Office. They will notify the first lienholder to deliver the title to the Motor Vehicle Office within fifteen (15) days for notation of the subsequent lien. Once the subseqent lien is noted the paper title will be retained by the Motor Vehicle Office and the title becomes Electronic.
• Participating Lenders: Subsequent lienholder must submit a copy of the lien instrument and the $7.00 lien notation fee to any Motor Vehicle Office. The subsequent lien is then noted on the system in the order in which they are received.
• Non-Participating Lenders: Subsequent lienholder must submit a copy of the lien instrument and the $7.00 lien notation fee to any Motor Vehicle Office. The subsequent lien is then noted on the system in the order in which they are received.

To transfer ownership of a vehicle with a lien, all liens noted on the title must be released by the lienholder (refer to Releasing a Lien)

If you are attempting to note a lien for an outstanding financial claim on a vehicle that you have repaired or have been storing as a result of a written or verbal agreement with the titled owner of the vehicle, and the vehicle is still in your possession, refer to Storage-Repair Liens.

If you are attempting to note a lien for an outstanding financial claim on a vehicle that you have worked on, or furnished material for, as a result of an agreement with the titled owner of the vehicle and you are no longer in possession of the vehicle, refer to Artisan’s Liens.

(*Adobe Acrobat PDF document.)

Questions regarding Liens can be addressed to Email or by contacting this office at 402.471-3918.

This page last revised 11/12/2010