Frequently Asked ELT Questions
The following questions and answers relate to the different procedures you should be familiar with when using North Carolina's electronic lien and title program. After reading through our North Carolina Electronic Lien and Title FAQs, should you still have questions, please call 1 (888) 675-7477 or write to us.
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How do I know if I need to register for the ELT system?
If you currently finance vehicles and/or place liens on vehicles as a function of your business, or if you derive income from those activities, you need to register. If you are named as the lienholder on a North Carolina title you need to register. This applies to banks, credit unions, vehicle finance companies and vehicle dealerships, including Buy Here Pay Here dealers.
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What happens after I register for electronic lien and title service with North Carolina ELT?
After you register for a North Carolina Electronic Lien and Title account with North Carolina ELT, we'll provide your business with a unique ELT Identification Number that is used on the North Carolina title application when placing liens.
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Can I print a title through the North Carolina ELT service or must I go to a DMV office or tag agency?
The North Carolina ELT system conveniently allows you to request the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to print and mail the title. Upon releasing a lien, the title gets mailed to the customer (or another address if you choose).
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How long does it take for an electronic lien to show up in the North Carolina ELT system?
After the title application has been properly submitted to the tag agency/tax collector's office it will take three to five days for the electronic lien to appear in your North Carolina ELT account. You'll receive an email notification when the lien is in your account.
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Can I print the electronic title after releasing the lien?
You have the option to request a printed title from with the North Carolina ELT system, but you will not actually print the title yourself. The North Carolina ELT system sends a request to the DMV for the title to be printed.
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How are subsequent lien charges handled?
Please write to us or call 1 (888) 675-7477 to speak with an electronic lien and title specialist that can provide guidance for this question.
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What's the process for refinancing an existing customer's loan?
Please write to us or call 1 (888) 675-7477 to speak with an electronic lien and title specialist that can provide guidance for this question.
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If I'm paying off a lien for my customer that has a paper title, what do I do if there's a lien from another financial institution?
Please write to us or call 1 (888) 675-7477 to speak with an electronic lien and title specialist that can provide guidance for this question.
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If I'm paying off the lien for my customer that has an electronic title (stored as an ELT), what do I do if there's a lien from another financial institution?
Please write to us or call 1 (888) 675-7477 to speak with an electronic lien and title specialist that can provide guidance for this question.
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I am accepting a trade-in vehicle from a customer, but the customer doesn't have the title. I verified that there is no lien recorded on the vehicle and there is no electronic title. Must I apply for a duplicate title and process the paperwork as usual?
Please write to us or call 1 (888) 675-7477 to speak with an electronic lien and title specialist that can provide guidance for this question.
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If there is an electronic lien on a title, must the dealer wait for a paper title to be printed before the ownership can be transferred to a new retail buyer or another dealer?
Please write to us or call 1 (888) 675-7477 to speak with an electronic lien and title specialist that can provide guidance for this question.
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I have to do a reposession. What do I do now because I don't have the paper title?
Please write to us or call 1 (888) 675-7477 to speak with an electronic lien and title specialist that can provide guidance for this question.
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Who prints the title? Where can I get a printed title? Can the customer print the title at any North Carolina DMV office / tag agency?
The North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles is fully responsible for printing all titles. Lienholders who have a North Carolina Electronic Lien and Title account with North Carolina ELT may request a printed title through the system to convert an electronic title to a paper title. Once a lien is released, the title print is automatically requested and mailed by the DMV.
