Lien Sale Excess Fees Lookup

Check if you’re eligible for a lien sale refund

Enter your License Plate or Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to see if a refund is available. Refund data is refreshed on the 2nd business day of every month. If eligible, excess fee details and step-by-step instructions to request a refund will be revealed. Use your browser’s “Refresh” button to search again.

Enter one of the following options to start your search:

Vehicle Information

Enter License Plate Number or CF Number

Enter 2-7 characters. Do not use blank spaces. Leave out special characters when entering a plate number. For Kids Plates, please leave out any symbols. Minimum of 2 characters. Maximum of 7 characters.

– OR –

VIN/HIN

Enter the last 5 digits of the vehicle identification number (VIN) or vessel hull identification number (HIN). For HIN that are 2-3 digits, please enter the full number. Minimum of 2 characters. Maximum of 5 characters.

Frequently Asked Questions

Excess lien fees are monies received in excess of the lien amount, when a towed vehicle is sold at auction.

The Excess Lien Fee Lookup is an online service from the California DMV that allows vehicle owners to quickly find out if excess fees were received for a vehicle sold via a lien sale. These fees are available for 3 years after the lien sale.

A vehicle owner whose car has been sold via lien sale, usually after being towed, repaired, or stored at a self-storage facility.

Currently, the tool checks for excess lien fees paid within the last 3 years from the date of your search. 

If you qualify, refunds are typically issued by check, mailed to the address associated with your vehicle within 4–6 weeks after the request is approved.

You may still be eligible for a refund. As long as you were the registered owner during the time the fee was paid, you can still look up your information and submit a claim.