Sec. 14-188. Release of security interest.

(a) Upon the satisfaction of a security interest in a vehicle for which the certificate of title is in the possession of the lienholder, the lienholder shall, within ten days after demand and, in any event, within thirty days, execute a release of the security interest, in the space provided therefor on the certificate or as the commissioner prescribes, and mail or deliver the certificate and release to the next lienholder named therein, or, if none, to the owner or any person who delivers to the lienholder an authorization from the owner to receive the certificate. The commissioner may require such lienholder to electronically transmit to the Department of Motor Vehicles a release of its security interest in a vehicle.

(b) If the security interest of the lienholder is maintained in the electronic title file pursuant to subsection (b) of section 14-175, such lienholder shall, upon the satisfaction of such security interest, execute a release of such security interest, and mail, deliver or electronically transmit such release to the next lienholder or, if none, to the owner or to any person who delivers or electronically transmits to the lienholder, an authorization from the owner to receive a certificate of title. Such release shall be provided in not more than ten days and shall be in such form and manner, and contain such information necessary to evidence the release of the lien and to identify the motor vehicle and the record of the certificate of title, as the commissioner may prescribe. The commissioner may require the lienholder to electronically transmit to the Department of Motor Vehicles information pertaining to the release of a security interest in a vehicle.

(c) Upon the satisfaction of a security interest in a vehicle for which the certificate of title is in the possession of a prior lienholder, the lienholder whose security interest is satisfied shall within ten days after demand and, in any event, within thirty days execute a release in the form the commissioner prescribes and deliver the release to the owner or any person who delivers to the lienholder an authorization from the owner to receive it, and shall deliver or electronically transmit such release to the prior lienholder. The lienholder in possession of the certificate of title shall deliver the certificate to the owner or the person authorized by the owner to receive such title. The commissioner may require a subordinate lienholder to electronically transmit to the Department of Motor Vehicles information pertaining to the release of its security interest in a motor vehicle.

(d) A lienholder who does not comply with subsection (b) or (c) of this section and who has disappeared and cannot be located by the debtor shall be deemed for purposes of this section only to have released such security interest, if evidence satisfactory to the commissioner is filed concerning the disappearance of the lienholder, and the commissioner shall so note on the records of the department.

(e) Any security interest in a vehicle that was originally perfected by a financial institution or other institution that (1) is no longer in existence, and (2) did not execute a release of such security interest, in accordance with subsections (a) to (c), inclusive, of this section, shall be deemed to be dissolved not earlier than ten years after such security interest was perfected if the debtor's records cannot be located by any successor institution to such financial or other institution.

(1957, P.A. 607, S. 24; 1967, P.A. 796; P.A. 02-70, S. 13; P.A. 08-150, S. 22; P.A. 11-213, S. 34; P.A. 13-271, S. 31.)

History: 1967 act added Subsec. (c) re release of security interest; P.A. 02-70 made technical changes in Subsec. (a) for purposes of gender neutrality, inserted new Subsec. (b) to require lienholder, upon satisfaction of security interest, to notify commissioner within ten days of such satisfaction if the security interest of lienholder is maintained in electronic title file pursuant to Sec. 14-175(b) and to provide for the form and manner of such notification, and redesignated existing Subsecs. (b) and (c) as Subsecs. (c) and (d), making technical changes therein, effective July 1, 2002; P.A. 08-150 amended Subsec. (b) to replace provisions requiring lienholder to notify commissioner within 10 days of satisfaction with provisions requiring lienholder to execute release of security interest and mail, deliver or electronically transmit such release, in not more than 10 days, to next lienholder or, if none, to owner or any person who delivers or electronically transmits to lienholder an authorization from owner to receive a certificate of title, and amended Subsec. (d) to include lienholder who does not comply with Subsec. (b); P.A. 11-213 amended Subsecs. (a) to (c) to delete requirements that documents be mailed or delivered to commissioner and that commissioner release lienholder's rights or issue new certificate, and to authorize commissioner to require lienholder to electronically transmit release, or information pertaining to release, to department, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 13-271 added Subsec. (e) re dissolved security interest when successor institution cannot locate debtor's records, effective July 1, 2013.