How to file an auto mechanic's lien in Texas step by step.

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And I forgot to mention it in the video but PLEASE like and subscribe!
This video will show you all the steps and requirements to doing a vehicle mechanic's lien at your shop. Below are links to my shop, my car lot, and the forms you'll need to complete the lien foreclosure.
www.integritytransmissionrockwall.com
www.buxtonauto.com
The first form you need from the DMV is VTR-275 Request for Motor Vehicle information:
www.txdmv.gov/...
The next form is the actual lien document: (Remember the bottom signature must be notarized. I do this as soon as the 30 days is up)
www.txdmv.gov/...
Then once you have a buyer you will need to fill out an application for title with the buyer.
www.txdmv.gov/...

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15 сен 2024

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Комментарии : 98

@RandyScott001 2 месяца назад

Thanks for the informative video.

@buxtonautosales 2 месяца назад

Appreciate it. Thanks for watching my video.

@laurennishel9415 4 месяца назад

The law actually does address what happens if the vehicle was turned over back to customer by the business but then remaining balance is not paid. However it's confusing on how to recoup vehicle once lien is filed if customer does not pay. Based on the verbiage you have to hire someone to repossess it.

@buxtonautosales 4 месяца назад

I’m really confused at this point. With a mechanic lien in Texas you’re not giving the car back until the repair is paid in full. You never let the car leave your property if you’re not paid.

@RX7GSLSEowner 6 месяцев назад

Thank you for this Tom! I am in the process of filing my first lien. Also, after finding this video, I watched a few of your other videos and decided to become a dealer myself. So I am a repair shop owner and licensed TEXAS dealer as well! Don't know if I will ever do BHPH though, you have intestinal fortitude to be doing that. Anyway thanks for the inspiration!

@buxtonautosales 5 месяцев назад

Wonderful!

@Princess_Pois21 8 месяцев назад

Hey Tom, I just wanted to thank you for making this video! There is really not a ton of info out there that breaks it down so precisely and in such a way that I do not need a law degree to understand. I will be starting this process for the first time at our shop, we have all the requirements met so far, and I am looking forward to sharing the outcome with you and your followers!! We are in Harris County (I read the comment regarding the wait times at the local tax office/DMV here and it's to be expected) so I will include any relevant information specific to Harris County, if any, for anyone who may need it. Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge!! It has been a life saver for this costly job we would love to get paid for!

@buxtonautosales 8 месяцев назад

You're welcome. Just always, always, always, get a written repair authorization. That's where most shops fail. And then you have to file the lien within 30 days of telling the customer the vehicle is completed. After you do your first one or two you'll see it's no big deal. Appreciate you watching!

@cabrown777 2 года назад

So helpful! I was afraid I was going to fall into a situation like this and it took a lot of time and effort to straighten my situation out with my car and repair shop.

@buxtonautosales 2 года назад

Glad it helped!

@bryanle8383 2 года назад

You dont understand how much this helped me! We are trying to file a lien on a car that got left a while back. The car is regestered to Florida but we are located in Texas. We are kinda stuck.

@bryanle8383 2 года назад

+ we just sold our shop, still have everything on file though

@yami9217 2 года назад

Hi I know this was 10months ago but I’m still in the same situation, is registered in Florida but we in Texas . Did y’all resolve it?

@buxtonautosales 5 месяцев назад

Thanks for watching my video. I really, appreciate it. I'm posting more content lately so please SUBSCRIBE if you haven't!

@johngatsby1473 11 дней назад

Ive got an odd one. I have an 07 4runner that belongs to one of my tenants, that is behind on rent, and the vehicle needs tires, cv joint, battery, one brake repaired and hasnt run for years. She gave me the kentucky title where her mom transferred it over to her in 2017 BUT she never finalized the transfer for lack of funds. She basically said i could use it to catch rent up BUT she left her common law husband and has hinted to him she wants her truck back. I went to dmv and they said "bonded title" but if i do that....i know they will contact the girls mom and they will probably retrieve the truck before i get a title. Any thoughts? Can i have her common law husband put it in a shop and let it go into a mechanics lien situation or file for abandonment or anything?

@buxtonautosales 11 дней назад

You can’t file a mechanic lien if you’re not a shop with a signed work order. You also can’t use that title with her name written in as a buyer she would need to transfer into her name and then sell it to you.

@gilbertmacias7466 5 месяцев назад

What happens if the thirty day deadline to file passes? and there are storage fee accumulating does that extend the deadline?

@buxtonautosales 5 месяцев назад

Texas law says you only have 30 days from the time you complete the work to file the lien. If it goes past the 30 days you’ll need a court order to sell the vehicle. As for storage I’ve never added it because either the lien holder picks up if the vehicle is new enough and they usually ask if there is storage fees then I tell them there are or no one picks up and the fees wouldn’t matter. You’ll want to call your local DMV REGIONAL OFFICE and ask them which level of court must sign off for you to sell the vehicle. Sorry!

@MatthieuAmherst 10 месяцев назад

What if vehicle has a lien? Can u acquire title?

@buxtonautosales 10 месяцев назад

As I mentioned in the video when you file your lien you notify the legal owner, the lien holder, and the person who brought it in if other than legal owner. Any of those people can come pay your bill and claim the vehicle. If they do not, you can sell the vehicle and your buyer will get a clear title.

@ronaldoquintos1675 9 месяцев назад

I have a car in my shop in which I am fed up with the customer. She say I will get tomorrow then I will get it in the 28th then 29th came she said she will get it tomorrow she been giving me the run around for two months

@buxtonautosales 9 месяцев назад

If your work was completed longer than 30 days ago regardless what your customer tells you it’s too late to file your mechanical work.

@peyton8801 5 месяцев назад

Does it matter how the letter is written if I have all the information

@buxtonautosales 5 месяцев назад

Nope, as long as the info is there!

@OliviaBach 11 месяцев назад

Excellent explanation, thank you!

@buxtonautosales 11 месяцев назад

Glad it was helpful!

@peyton8801 5 месяцев назад

How would I go about this if it’s the insurance that owes the money I’m a repair shop and I have a signed authorization to repair from the customer

@cookingwithdad1970 5 месяцев назад

So a long as you have all of the required information the format is not so important. You are still going to send your letter to the name and address of the person that brought the car in and signed the authorization, the name(s) and address on the vehicle registration, and the lien holder if any. When the person authorized the work I bet your authorization said “I authorize” or “the undersigned authorizes”; so you’re going to send them the letter. It is between them and their insurance company if the insurance is going to pay it. It is between you and the person that authorized the charges if they are going to pay it.

@buxtonautosales 5 месяцев назад

Not sure why my reply was from my personal account and not Buxton - but that was me above and you're good to go! Thanks for watching!

@atascocitacarcareandcollis5598 Год назад

I have been researching mechanics lien’s and trying to figure out what we can do. We have cars that have been left at our shop for probably over two years. Looks like we’re past the point on where we can file a mechanics lien and trying to figure out if there’s any way to get title on these, We do have signed work orders. DMV does not give clear answers.

@buxtonautosales 11 месяцев назад

You would need to sue the owners in court. Then when you win you would need to take the judges court order to the DMV to get the right to sell the car to the public. If I were in your shoes I would probably just sell the car with " no title " and tell the people they will need to get a bonded title. You won't get retail, it is what it is. Another option would be to mail the owner a letter, offer them $100 for the title.

@ricardojaramillojr5071 9 месяцев назад

Is it the same on florida?

@buxtonautosales 9 месяцев назад

Thanks for watching. I'm a Texas shop I do not know what the process is in Florida. Sorry!

@ricardojaramillojr5071 8 месяцев назад

@brandonmunoz6931 2 года назад

Great Job on the Video. I went to my local DMV ( Harris County) 4-5 hr wait. SMH its cheaper for me to pay a service vs doing it myself with the time lost at the shop.

@buxtonautosales 2 года назад

You're going to the county tax assessor office right? Harris county must have more than one. But that wait is terrible I wouldn't blame you for paying someone!

@davidhamilton3285 2 года назад

I Can Help Topper's Auto Services, LLC

@ivandelcid1592 Год назад

@@davidhamilton3285 how much

@petem5603 Год назад

what if the car has unpaid registration fees?

@buxtonautosales Год назад

A mechanic's lien supersedes all other liens.

@petem5603 Год назад

@@buxtonautosales Thank you!

@Guerrero_10 9 месяцев назад

Thanks you so much

@buxtonautosales 9 месяцев назад

Most welcome

@laurennishel9415 4 месяца назад

Do you have your fees extend 4 months because the lien law says you have to file once fees acrue.

@buxtonautosales 4 месяца назад

I’m not sure that’s correct. On a mechanic lien you have 30 days from the time the work is completed to file the lien with the county. Once you do that the lien holder or customer has 30 days to come pay and pick the car up and if they don’t you can sell it. The detailed printed instructions are on page two of the form. I have never bothered asking for storage fees because generally no one ever picks up a car. I had a lien holder pick up a Tahoe one time. Other than that they’ve all been left for me to sell. Thanks for watching my channel!

@laurennishel9415 4 месяца назад

I was asking because I believe you said you filed it a couple days prior to the 4th month? Maybe I'm mistaken.

@buxtonautosales 4 месяца назад

Yeah I don’t recall that.

@AttyMonroe 6 месяцев назад

Great video. Are you able to add storage fees to the lien, or just the repair amount?

@buxtonautosales 6 месяцев назад

So if you read the back of the mechanic lien form it says that if you're adding storage that's another form that has to be completed as well. I have never done that. If they can't pay for the repair they probably can't pay for the repair PLUS storage. I've never once had a customer pick up their car when I've filed a mechanic lien. I have had lienholders pick the cars up twice and both times they asked if there was any storage fees so I would guess if the lienholder calls you just tell them it's $50/day or whatever and they'll pay it.

@RX7GSLSEowner Год назад

I have a shop, but we use Tekmetric, a cloud based point of sale system. Customers authorize the work over their phone. There is a statement that they must read prior to clicking the authorize button, and it contains the mechanic's lien language. However there is no signature. There is an authorization history though to include the IP address from which the authorization was made. That would suffice I'd think in lieu of the signature wouldn't it? Glad that I watched the video. I'm a new shop owner and thought that I had to give them more time. I am just under the 30 day window, so will hop on this on Monday. Thanks!

@buxtonautosales Год назад

I would call your local county tax office since that's where you will be filing your lien. The lien paperwork states that a signed work order is required. I do not think that the state has kept up with technology. If you look the mechanic lien up in the Texas Motor Vehicle Title Manual it too states a written work order is required and does not mention electronic confirmation. But call your Tax Office there may be an update to the manual. We use Mitchell and on the big jobs I always print a work authorization and email it to them to sign and email back. Yep, it's an extra step, but I'm gonna do it. Let me know what the say!

@RX7GSLSEowner Год назад

@@buxtonautosales Ok thank you! I will do that. It'll be my first task on Monday.

@RX7GSLSEowner Год назад

Alright, so the county tells me that there must be a signature. The only option with this particular vehicle is a bonded title at this point, or so they say. I'm wondering if I could take it to court, as you mentioned in your video. However I don't know what court that would be. Small claims? Dunno. The good news is that Tekmetric has a previously-not-known-to-me advanced setting that requires a signature during the approval process. Wish I had known about that option in Tekmetric, but it is off by default. Now it is not off, it is on. I checked that box and now all customers will be required to sign the estimate prior to clicking on the green approval button. Then when you print the estimate or the invoice, the signature will be there along with the date it was approved. So in short, I'll be covered going forward, but nothing I can do about the vehicle that put me here. Anyway, hope this feedback helps.

@cookingwithdad1970 Год назад

@@RX7GSLSEowner I have a video on bonded titles as well.

@RX7GSLSEowner Год назад

@@cookingwithdad1970 Ok thanks, I 'll try a search for it. I did a bonded title years ago. It was kinda odd how I went to a private company to initiate the paperwork instead of a government office. But I digress... customers!

@Andy-ue3dv 2 года назад

If I'm a mobile tech/mechanic in TX, and I have all the prerequisites for filing a mechanic's lien (signed RPO / authorization for services with costs, etc.) How does it work for my scenario where the customer is in possession of the vehicle after completion of repairs? I haven't had the need to file a lien yet, but recently thought I was needing to for this scenario: Customer already paid 60% of the total for a camshaft/head gasket R&R on a 5.7 hemi, and we got along well. (I know I should have just made sure I got the final balance payment before returning the keys). He stopped replying for a few days when he said he'd pay the next day. Luckily, my payment processor allows partial payments, he just needed to pay the balance with 3 different credit cards. The scenario is what made me research and find your video (subscribed), but I'm just wanting to know for future reference. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for sharing this!

@buxtonautosales 2 года назад

If the customer is in possession of the car you're out of luck my man. At this point you've got small claims court. Which will only get you a judgement - no cash in your hand.

@jaminparker8590 2 года назад

you can hire a repossession company and have it reposessed under Texas property code 70.001. You'll need your customers to sign that acknowledgement on the repair order separately.

@Andy-ue3dv 2 года назад

@@jaminparker8590 thanks for this reply! I’ll look up the TX property code and add an addendum for this. Thank you again 🙏🏻

@rkge254 Год назад

Question: When you mention taking the green receipt to the county vehicle registration office, do you have to wait until it comes back in the mail signed, showing they have received it?

@buxtonautosales Год назад

You don't have to send it "return receipt requested" which is the postcard that comes back. You can just send it "certified mail" there is no signature required and it is just proof that you mailed it.

@larissamcginnis3100 Год назад

Does a signed Copy printed from RO WRiter or Mitchell work?? Electronic signature??

@buxtonautosales Год назад

I'm not sure if it was you I talked to or someone else. The short answer is "I believe it would" but I would call your local county tax assessor which is where you file these and see if they will accept electronic signature. It seems they all do things a little different here and there.

@Imwityohoe Год назад

Has anyone here delt with Fred loya abandoning a total loss insurance claim at your shop? Customer was still paying the car off but has gap and doesn’t care about it

@buxtonautosales Год назад

Usually an insurance company isn't gonna do anything. They provide insurance. The lienholder if there is one may not pick it up nor the owner which means they don't want it. As long as you filed your lien paperwork correctly you'll get the vehicle.

@Imwityohoe Год назад

@@buxtonautosales that’s where I’m at right now, won’t lie customer didn’t sign anything when the truck was dropped off since it was towed in I never even met with the customer but we have txt messages throughout the whole process and proof that we talked with insurance and worked on the truck, what would you do in this situation? The truck has been at my shop over 100 days now

@Imwityohoe Год назад

@@buxtonautosales we wrote up a invoice for storage and it was sent to the lien holder few weeks back haven’t heard anything since then

@buxtonautosales 4 месяца назад

Did you file a storage lien with your county? If you did not you won’t be able to get a title. And there is a legal process in that form in terms of when notices were to be mailed out. If they aren’t done in time the county won’t let you sell the car. You may have to pay an attorney if it’s worth it.

@Imwityohoe 4 месяца назад

@@buxtonautosales I went to the dmv and I was told it was too late to file a mechanic lein, I tried a bonded title application and i was not able to move forward with the process because there is still a lein on the vehicle. I spoke to the lein holder and they literally told me they will are not Intrested in retaining the vehicle so Im pretty much stuck. I believe taking it to court is my best option because at this point since I rather fix and keep the vehicle

@stanesti3966 Год назад

Thanks

@buxtonautosales Год назад

No problem

@lorenasuarez4083 2 года назад

I have a question I’m from the Rio Grande Valley but on spring break I went to San Antonio for vacation my vehicle stopped working the engine was making like a rattling sound and the steering wheel started shaking so I left it there fixing with a “mechanic” supposedly he replaced the engine everything was verbally I never signed anything a few days ago I reported stolen because he had three weeks without answering me so a detective went to his house the guy gave him the truck they took it to the of impound. I had given him 2500 to buy the engine already but he told me that the truck didn’t want to start. I keep asking for the original receipt from where he bought the engine he says he has them but I’ve never seen them so yesterday that the detective picked up my truck the mechanic called me very mad asking for labor money but my truck is not working he even threatened me that he was gonna put a lien hold on my truck if I don’t pay him but my truck doesn’t work is as I left it without turning on, can he even do that

@buxtonautosales 2 года назад

Well he can't put a lien on your vehicle without 1) It being in his possession and 2) him having a signed worked authorization from you. So I would imagine he his just mad.

@ejzayed Год назад

truck has been in my shop for 6 months if you only get 30 days to file what do i do ?

@buxtonautosales Год назад

You have 30 days to file the lien from the time the work was completed. If you were waiting 5 of those months for an approval you are good. If you fixed it and notified the customer 6 months ago you can no longer file a mechanic's lien. You have to go to court to get the vehicle. What might work is to send a letter to the owner or even go knock on their door and ask if they just want to hand over the title and you won't file. They may not realize you've actually missed your limit. You can also go file a request for information at your local tax office and if their is a recorded lien on the vehicle call the lienholder and tell them it's at your property and ask if they want to pay you and pick it up or if they want you to lien it.

@NoviceWhoDatFanatic Год назад

If a mechanic does a Mechanic Lien acquisition against the legal owner and the car is financed, does it go on the legal owner’s credit as a repo?

@buxtonautosales Год назад

I would imagine it would show up as a default and charge off but I'm no credit expert. If the finance company pays the mechanic and keeps the car that's a repo. If they decline to pay and pick up the car that's probably just charged off. I'm not exactly sure how it works on the credit reporting side.

@gw62112009 Год назад

what do you have to do if it has been more than 30 days and i do have a signed work order?

@buxtonautosales Год назад

Well, to put it bluntly. . . . You're SOL. The law say 30 days. The next step is civil court. If I were you I would send them a certified letter (no return receipt, no one picks those up. You'll have proof of delivery) Just tell them that you intend to sell the vehicle if they don't contact you to make payment arrangements. Second, I would still fill out that request for the vehicle information and see if there is a lienholder. If there is, I would call them, tell them you have the vehicle and ask if they want to pay you and pick it up. Other than that, you're gonna have to try to get them in court.

@gw62112009 Год назад

@@buxtonautosales just a follow up to this, has an attorney told you this is the way? I contacted a company that does mechanic liens here in houston and they asked me if it has been AT LEAST 30 days after repairs made, i said yes and they asked for paper work. Currently it is all done and we are waiting for the title to come in, they said 30 to 60 days to get it from the state or county. Even the sheriffs office called to verify we were having this company file on our behalf and they approved the mechanics lien.

@gw62112009 Год назад

update, title came in, car sold.

@thekillerz5733 Год назад

I have a question do you have to be a certified person in order to do mechanical liens

@buxtonautosales Год назад

You have to be a legitimate business with a signed work order. You have to meet all the requirements outlined in the video.

@pdavis4436 2 года назад

Does it have to be legal owner who brought in vehicle

@buxtonautosales 2 года назад

As long as you have the name and address and a signature from whoever authorized the work you are good. The person that brought it in, the legal owner, and the lienholder if any will need to get certified letters.

@beckylambert2292 2 года назад

Your video was so helpful. So there is no license or certificate required to obtain or file a mechanics lien? I work for a repair shop where vehicles are left. Occasionally we have to file mechanics liens.

@buxtonautosales 2 года назад

You just need to do what's in the video.

@davidhamilton3285 2 года назад

We can Help-Topper's Auto Services, LLC

@PROJECTRED5 2 года назад

i have a vehicle that was partially paid thru invoice with credit card in shop. does this constitute authorization? customer authorized over the phone and never physically signed an authorization.

@buxtonautosales 2 года назад

Nope. Signed work order/estimate authorizing repairs.

@beckylambert2292 2 года назад

How can I file a mechanics or abandoned lien if I don't have a signed work order?

@davidhamilton3285 2 года назад

Bond

@buxtonautosales 2 года назад

You can't. You've missed your window. You may be able to press your case with a county judge to give you a court order but most likely you'll need to get sell it without a title or get a bonded title for it. If you go the bonded title route if you put on the paperwork you did work on it and they never picked up you will NOT get a bonded title. You'd want to put it was left on your property and they never came back or something.