top of page

Car Lien Sale Service for California

For Tow Yards | Mechanic Shops | Apply in minutes

Lien Sale service for mechanics, body shops, towing companies, and self-storage liens for the whole state of California.  Apply in minutes, easy process.  Let us help you with a car lien sale for vehicles left abandoned at your business.  We can assist you with filing the required documents to process a car lien sale so you can go on taking care of business. Our company provides vehicle and vessel easy and fast lien processing service for all of the State of California and solves your problems with abandoned vehicles.  Our company can process the required California vehicle lien sale documents/packet quickly, and professionally so you can get title or get rid of abandoned vehicles.  We are licensed by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), insured and bonded.

Lien Sale Service Fees

Vehicles valued under $4000:  $89*

Vehicles  valued  over  $4000:  $179*

*Out of state vehicles/no record, add $39

-If the vehicle value is more than $4,000, publishing service fees are extra.

-Vessels or Vessels with trailers valued less than $1,500: Call us for pricing.

-Vessels or Vessels with trailers valued more than $1,500: Call us for pricing.

-Reprint lien sale packet: $59.

-Reprint archived lien sale packet (over 1 year old): $89.

-Application to continue: 50% of service charge.

-DMV vehicle record inquiry fee $39.

Vehicle lien sale order form

You can only apply for a lien sale online if the vehicle was left abandoned at your automotive industry business, a towing company, or if you are a self-storage facility.  

 What is a car lien sale?

A car lien sale is the process by which the lien holder notifies all  interested parties that a vehicle may be sold if a debt is not paid off by the lien sale date.  On the date of the lien sale, the lien holder sells the vehicle to the highest bidder.  If there are no buyers at the lien sale, the lien holder takes ownership of the vehicle.

What is a lien holder?

The company who has the legal right to hold the property of another for an unpaid debt is called a lien holder.  

What is a lien?

A lien is the legal right of a person or company to hold the property of another person or company until a debt owed by the owner of that property has been paid off.  The debt could arise because someone (a client, or unknown person) abandoned a vehicle on your property, and no storage fees or rent is paid to have the vehicle occupy your property, or when someone did not pay for services performed on a vehicle left in your care.  For example: the case of a mechanic who is not paid for repairs or services performed on a vehicle.

How long does a car lien sale take?

The duration of the lien sale process depends on whether the vehicle is valued less than $4,000 or a vessel is valued less than $1,500 (35 to 45 days) or more than $4,000 or for storage facilities, or if a vessel is valued more than $1,500 (90 to 180 days).  You have to determine the value of the vehicle/vessel in question.

How many days of storage can you charge for?

Amount of days of storage you can generally charge for a vehicle abandoned at your property:

Vehicles valued less than   $4,000:   60 days

Vehicles valued more than $4,000: 120 days

The lien sale process is not for you if you simply lost or never received the title or ownership documents to a vehicle you purchased, acquired, received in trading, was gifted to you, you inherited or have a financial interest in; or you want to remove the legal owner (finance company, etc.) from the title, or you expect that past due registration fees will be waived on a vehicle you legally acquired from someone else, or if the vehicle is out of state or if you do not have possession of the vehicle.

This page last updated December 10, 2024.

bottom of page