Title and Electronic Lien Title (ELT) Information

Information on vehicle and mortgage insurance

Hand and pen signing a contract in order to purchase a new car.

For all titled collateral (automobile, boat, recreational vehicle, TV, etc.), please make sure TBA Credit Union is listed as the lienholder on your title as follows:

TBA Credit Union
PO Box 1049
Traverse City, MI 49685

ELT Code = LH172740

If you have a snowmobile financed with TBA Credit Union, please be sure our lien is added to your snowmobile registration:

TBA Credit Union
PO Box 1049
Traverse City, MI 49685

 

What to expect when purchasing, selling, or refinancing your current vehicle

The State of Michigan has made the switch to ELTs as of October 1, 2023; all titles with liens will now be electronic. The switch was made for efficiency and to help prevent fraud associated with titles. An electronic title is a tile that exists in electronic form and is a legal document of vehicle ownership. ELTs enable the Secretary of State and lending institutions to exchange vehicle and title information electronically.

  • If you purchase or refinance a vehicle with TBA Credit Union, your title will be electronic. You will not be issued a paper title until after the loan is paid in full. An electronic title provides the same information as a paper title.
  • TBA Credit Union does monitor its loans and will automatically release our lien once your loan has been paid in full. We will request a lien-free paper title to be issued to you and the SOS will mail the title within 10 business days of your loan being paid in full. If a dealership or insurance company pays off your loan, the title will be sent directly to that party.
  • Once you pay your loan in full, the released paper title will be mailed to the address TBACU has on file for you. It is important that you make sure your address is current with us. TBA Credit Union cannot request another title for you after our initial request. Any duplicate paper titles will have to be requested by you from the Michigan Department of State. You can do this online or at any SOS branch.
  • If you are purchasing a vehicle that has an electronic title, please contact TBA Credit Union for assistance in getting any liens released and getting the title into your name.
  • If you are selling a vehicle with an electronic title; TBACU suggests that you, as the seller, draft a Bill of Sale between you and the buyer that includes the vehicle information (buyer, and seller names, year, make model, VIN of collateral, selling price, and signatures by all parties). This is not required but can help when there is no physical title.
  • If you are selling a vehicle with an electronic title and you have a loan on the vehicle with TBACU, the buyer may ask for a copy of the title. TBACU can assist you with obtaining a printable version of your ELT to provide to the buyer. Your vehicle registration document can also act as proof of vehicle ownership.
  • The quickest and most efficient way to transfer ownership on a vehicle with an electronic title is for TBA Credit Union to release our lien (once the vehicle has been paid in full). This is normally complete within an hour. The buyer and seller can then go the Secretary of State office to complete the seller and buyer portions of the title.
  • Mailed physical titles take an extended time frame to be delivered, 6 to 10 weeks to get a title in the mail from the Secretary of State. To speed up this process you can visit a SOS branch (after our lien has been released) to have a duplicate title printed for a fee at branches that offer same day duplicate titles. Once you receive the title, fill out and sign seller portion. The title can then go to the buyer to take to the SOS to transfer ownership.
  • When moving out of state contact TBACU to release ELT and maintain lien on paper title. TBACU will also provide you with a letter to transfer/register your vehicle in new state.

Lien Release

Immediate Lien Releases

  • Cash
  • Internal Transfers (available funds)
  • Wire Transfers
  • Shared Branch Transfers (available funds)
  • Verified Cashier’s Checks (those we can call and verify from financial institution drawn on)

7 Business Day Lien Release

  • ACH Transfers
  • Personal Check or Money Order
  • Cashier’s Checks that we are not able to verify