ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Electronic lien and title

An electronic lien and title is just like when you borrow something from someone, and they keep a note to remind you that you owe them.

When you want to borrow a car, you go to a bank or someone who has the car you want, and you give them money (or promise to pay later). But you don't just get the car, there's a paper that says you still owe them money, and they can take the car back if you don't pay.

This paper is called a lien. It's just a fancy word that means someone else still owns the car until you pay for it.

The problem is that if you lose this paper, you might not be able to prove that you're paying for the car. So instead, the government has made a computer system that keeps track of who owns what cars, and who still owes money on them.

This is called an electronic lien and title system. It means that instead of keeping a paper with all the details about your car and who owns it, it is all kept electronically in a computer. So there's no need for the paper, and it can't get lost or damaged.

It's really useful because if you want to sell your car, you don't need to go find the paper to show that you own it. The buyer can just check online to see that the car is yours, and that there's no lien on it anymore.

So basically, an electronic lien and title is just a computer system that keeps track of who owns what cars and who owes money on them. It's like a big virtual notebook that everyone who needs to know can access, so they always know who owns what.