Connecticut General Statutes 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.
Terms Used In Connecticut General Statutes 14-188
- Commissioner: means the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-165
- Electronic title file: means the file maintained by the commissioner in an electronic media format for the purpose of recording and storage of the evidence of a lienholder's security interest in a vehicle. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-165
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
- Lienholder: means a person holding a security interest in a vehicle. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-165
- Owner: means a person, other than a lienholder, having the property in or title to a vehicle. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-165
- Security interest: means a "security interest" as defined in subdivision (35) of subsection (b) of §. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-165
- Vehicle: means a motor vehicle as defined by §. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-165
(b) If the security interest of the lienholder is maintained in the electronic title file pursuant to subsection (b) of § 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.