With the ELT Program, DMV keeps California Certificates of Title in an electronic format in a database instead of in a physical location. To participate, lienholders must become an ELT service provider or contract with one of DMV’s approved ELT service providers to transmit vehicle and title data. DMV will assign each participating lienholder a unique ELT ID so they can access and manage their electronic records. 

Get Started

To enroll in the ELT Program, contact DMV at RODELTGRP@dmv.ca.gov

Electronic Titles vs. Paper Titles 

The difference between electronic and paper titles is the way they are issued. For ELT participants, we will send an electronic notification to the lienholder in place of a paper title certificate after an application is approved.

Both paper and electronic titles:

• Require the same title documents to apply.
• Receive the same examination of title documents and application.
• Hold the same legal significance.

When the lien is satisfied, a lien satisfaction notification will be sent to DMV and the title will either be automatically issued to the registered owner of the vehicle, or to a new lienholder if one is being added. A lien is perfected when the registration/titling documents are submitted to DMV and processed. DMV then sends an electronic notification to the lienholder. ELT service providers do not send electronic records to DMV for lien perfection.

ELT Program Benefits

Lienholders will no longer need to wait for a paper title in the mail to verify their liens are perfected. Instead, they’ll receive electronic notification the next business day, with owner and vehicle information included. Other benefits to lienholders include:

• Fraud prevention and reduction.
• Savings on the cost of filing paper titles.
• Reduced staff time spent filing or looking for paper titles.
• Savings on the cost of replacing lost titles.
• Savings on postage needed to mail paper titles.
• Quick identification of inaccurate information.
• Eliminate need to manually release liens on paper titles.

Transactions Lienholders Can Process in the ELT System

• Release of paper title to a vehicle’s registered owner without a registered owner change of address.
• Release of paper title to a new legal owner with a registration certificate sent to the registered owner.
• Change lienholder branch/location only with a registration certificate sent to the registered owner.
• Release of paper title to lienholder with no changes (no registration certificate will be issued).
• Release of paper title to dealer, auction, or insurance company (no registration certificate will be issued to registered owner).

Lienholders Participating in the ELT Program

• Electronic Title Lienholders (ELT) Table-Alphabetical Listing
• Electronic Title Lienholders (ELT) Table-Numerical Listing