Section 12 of 38
Chapter 11: Transfers
11.100 Legal Owner Is a Dealer Out of Business (as determined by DMV’s records)
When a dealer is shown as the legal owner/lienholder of record and cannot be located, the owner must contact the local DMV field office to:
- Determine if the dealer is out of business (DOB)
- Obtain the DOB owner’s name and telephone number shown on DMV records.
If the input document does not have a designated space for the lessee address, the lessor must provide the lessee’s address on a Statement to Record Ownership (REG 101) form whenever it differs from the registered owner address shown on the application documents.
The owner must contact the local DMV field office:
DOB Contact Chart
| If | Then |
|---|---|
| The DOB owner can be located | Obtain a release on the original title or Application for Replacement or Transfer of Title (REG 227) or a Lien Satisfied/Title Holder Release (REG 166). |
| The DOB owner cannot be located | Evidence of the applicant’s attempt to obtain the owner’s release or lien satisfied in the form of a certified letter returned to the sender, unclaimed and unopened, must be submitted. |
| The letter was delivered, but a response was not received | The postal receipt acknowledging receipt of the letter by the addressee must be submitted. Sufficient time (at least 30 days) must have elapsed to give the recipient time to respond. |
- Statement of Facts (REG 256) form stating the current retail value of the vehicle and what efforts were made to obtain the release.
- A Motor Vehicle Bond for the value of the vehicle must be submitted.
- Any fees due.
- If you have difficulty locating the legal owner/lienholder to obtain a release, the Financial Institution Listing on the DMV website dmv.ca.gov is an alphabetized listing of banks, credit unions and financial/lending institutions, developed to help locate the legal owner/lienholder shown on the vehicle record.
- This information can also be obtained on the FDIC website, fdic.gov and search for Bank/Institution Directory.
- When the legal owner/lienholder cannot be located for a release or lien satisfied, in addition to all transfer or nonresident requirements, the following are required:
- Statement of Facts (REG 256) form stating the current retail value of the vehicle and what efforts were made to obtain the release.
- Evidence of the applicant’s attempt to obtain the legal owner’s release or lien satisfied in the form of a certified letter returned to the sender, unclaimed and unopened.