California Lien Sale Processing
A towing storage yard, a licensed vehicle repair shop, a self-service storage facility, a marina, and a vessel/vessel trailer repair business storing a vehicle or vessel in California subject to lien can file their own lien sale documents with the California DMV, or they can hire any licensed California DMV Registration Service to process the paperwork on their behalf. All other business types, and individuals, may not file lien sale documents in California.
What does a lien agent acting on behalf of the lienholder do?
The lien agent gathers information from the business, and then accesses the California DMV vehicle database to request a vehicle or vessel record. Depending on the category of the lien being processed, the agent sends applications to DMV, schedules sale dates, advertises sales when appropriate, mails notices, and produces completed DMV documents. The lien sale documents are then delivered to the lienholder, and this is where the involvement of the agent ends. The lienholder conducts the public sale on their property on the scheduled sale date and time.
California Lien Agents Association