West Virginia Code Chapter 17A. Motor Vehicle Administration, Registration, Certificate of Title and Antitheft Provisions § 17A-4A-7. Release of lien or encumbrance shown on certificate of title

An owner upon securing the release of any lien or encumbrance upon a vehicle shown upon the certificate of title issued therefor may exhibit the document evidencing such release, signed by the person or persons making the release and acknowledged before a notary public or someone authorized by the laws of this state to take acknowledgments of deeds, and this document together with the certificate of title shall be returned to the division; or the lienholder may release the lien by endorsing across the lien in his or her favor on the face of the title or closely adjacent thereto the following words or words of similar effect or purport: “This lien, this day fully paid, satisfied and released, this __________ day of __________,” and duly signing and executing said endorsement and acknowledging the same before a notary public and having the notary public execute a certificate of the acknowledgment in the form required for releasing deeds of trust in this state; or when it is impossible to secure either such release from the beneficiary or holder of the lien, the owner may exhibit to the division whatever evidence may be available showing that the debt secured has been satisfied, together with a statement by the owner under oath that the debt has been paid and the certificate of title to such vehicle. The division when satisfied as to the genuineness and regularity thereof shall issue to the owner either a new certificate of title in proper form or an endorsement or rider showing the release of the lien or encumbrance which the division shall attach to the outstanding certificate of title. For the purposes of this article, the term release shall mean either an electronic or paper transaction format.