PDP Group

Michigan

How does Michigan ELT work?

Certificate of title and lien applications are processed at the State. Once the lien is placed, the certificate of title record is stored electronically in the State systems and PDP stores that electronic record for you in Simply ELT. When the lien is satisfied, a participating lienholder or lender electronically notifies PDP Group via the web portal to release the lien. A message is sent electronically to Michigan. The State will print and mail the certificate of title to the requested address. When a title is electronic with a lien, no paper title is mailed to the customer.

How to Enroll

1. Complete the PDP Service Agreement which may be obtained by filling out this form. PDP will send you the service agreement and enrollment form.
2. Complete the Application for Enrollment/Change In Electronic Lien and Title System.
3. Complete, scan, and email the Agreement and Enrollment form to contact@simplyelt.com.

Upon completion of the above, the PDP team will send you the following forms to complete:

1. MI form ELT-20 - Account manager form.
2. MI form ELT-45. MI form ELT-45 must be manually or electronically signed by every system user.
3. Sign, scan and e-mail the forms to PDP.

You may also fax the agreement to PDP at (410) 584-0404 or mail it to:

PDP Group, Inc.
Attention: ELT Coordinator
10909 McCormick Rd
Hunt Valley, MD 21031

FAQs

General

• Dealer Processing:
  If a dealer receives a trade in and after payoff, the dealer will pull the title electronically from the paid off lender through the Michigan CARS system. If you are the lender being paid off, your interest will be released. If the title is paper, the Dealer will complete the application of title. If you are the financing party, you will need to provide them an ELT code along with our name and address. The lienholder is responsible for relaying their MI lien code to their dealers once it has been issued.
• Is this mandatory?
  No. The State of Michigan will make this program mandatory on October 1, 2023. At this point, the program is voluntary.

Paper Title Request Transactions

• When can a lienholder request a paper title?
  This is only available when a customer is moving from Michigan to another state. This transaction is used to convert an electronic title to a paper title with the lien information intact, resulting in a paper title issued to the lienholder.

Release Transactions

• What type of release transactions are supported?
  Release of Lien/Paid in Full: This transaction is used by the lienholder to release the electronic lien resulting in an unencumbered title. The title can be released and mailed to the owner, dealer, another finance company, or another party.
• What transaction will be included in the future?
  Future transactions will include refinancing liens, deleting liens, modifying liens, and title search.

Securing Your Vehicle Lien

• How do I know my lien has been recorded?
  You will receive an email from PDP that a title lien has been received on our system from the DMV. You will need to validate the accuracy of the record.
• Will the electronic lien and title contain the same information that the owner receives on the title?
  Yes.
• On a transfer between two parties, and the first party has a lienholder, how do we record our lien?
  The lender will need to pay off the lienholder of the first party. The title will be printed and sent to the first party who will then need to reassign the title to the second party. You would need to demand that the first party provide you the title for reassignment. At that point, your lien can be recorded via an application for title for the second party.

Ongoing Maintenance

• When a lien is filed in error, what do I do?
  You will need to contact MI Secretary of State. The MI Secretary of State will notify you when you are added or removed from a title, or the title has been corrected.
• If title has 2 liens, and 1 of them is not participating, will the title be issued as paper irrespective of whether the lender participating in ELT is 1st or 2nd lienholder?
  No, it depends if the 1st lienholder is electronic. Otherwise, the paper title will be issued.
• How does a refinance transaction work with the MI ELT?
  Programming is not complete on the ability to do an electronic refinance process. If the current title is paper, the lender must file this through the application process.

Errors on the ELT Title

• What is the process for correcting a title when there is an error on the ELT and the error originated with a.) the dealer or b.) the state?
  You contact the PDP help desk email at Simplehelp@pdpgroupinc.com. In turn, PDP will contact the Michigan Help Desk to correct the lien name or address. If the lienholder name is a different lender, you will need to contact the Michigan Department of State help desk.
  
  If the title is printed and there is an error, you will need to file an application through a local branch to correct the title.

Releasing Your Lien

• What happens when we release the electronic lien to the owner?
  The MI Department of State will print and mail the clear title to the vehicle owner. The State will charge a $1.00 per release. If there is a new mailing address, you can enter the new address.
• Are there any new requirements relative to the timeframe in which a lender must release their lien? Do these requirements apply to all titles or just ELT titles?
  No, Michigan law requires a lien be released after pay off whether it's electronic or paper.
• What if the vehicle is a total loss?
  When the owner has a total loss to the lienholders, the lender can release a paper title to the insurance company.
• What if the vehicle is repossessed?
  When the lender has a repossession, the lienholder does not need to print the title. They can just complete the Certificate of Repossession. On the certificate, you indicate on Line 5 that the title is electronic. The T&R manual (Section A. page A) states a bill of sale can be used.
• How are leased vehicles impacted by this change? Will the lessor still receive a paper title if they choose not to participate in ELT?
  If the lien is on the lease, an electronic title will be sent to the lender. If not, a paper title will be sent to the lessor.
• Will there be a period where the owner gets the original paper title, and the lien holder also receives an electronic lien and title?
  No. Once the lender releases the title, a paper title will be printed. The lender can request a paper title to be printed but MI intends to limit the circumstances to a customer moving out of state and needs the title.

Dealers

• Will all dealers, both Franchise and Used have access to the dealer portal? Meaning any dealer regardless of license type will have the ability to assume the lien via the e-Services portal?
  Yes.

Miscellaneous

• Will snowmobiles be on the ELT system? What vehicle types will be available?
  No, snowmobiles are only registered with the Michigan Secretary of State. Only vehicles requiring a Michigan certificate of title will be available on the system. This includes boats.

Helpful Links

• Michigan Department of State
• Simply ELT FAQ