Rhode Island Lien Search

In Rhode Island, lien searches are inquiries to identify liens or claims against a property. Properties in this context include movable and real estate properties like motor vehicles and residential or commercial properties.

A lien search reveals financial obligations that may affect the purchase or ownership transfer of properties within the state. Interested parties can find lien information through land records or vehicle title documents. The state's Division of Motor Vehicles maintains records of vehicle titles.

Lien searches are essential precautions when purchasing or inheriting property. They help users become aware of outstanding debts associated with the property. Lien searches are held by county recorder’s offices and court clerk offices and are part of Rhode Island civil court records.

What is a Lien in Rhode Island?

In Rhode Island, a lien is a creditor's right over a property until the debtor repays the attached debt. In this agreement, the creditor has the right to seize, sell off, or reclaim the liened property. The debtor, on the other hand, cannot sell or transfer ownership of liened properties without the creditor's consent.

There are different lien contracts in Rhode Island, each of which has specific requirements or guidelines. Example of lien agreements include mechanic liens, UCC liens, and title liens.

Note: In Rhode Island, the creditor is referred to as a lienholder and may include credit agencies, financial institutions, government agencies, individuals, or sellers.

Types of Liens in Rhode Island

In Rhode Island, there are different lien types based on specific conditions. For example, lien types based on the lienholder may include the following:

• Mechanic liens
• UCC liens
• Tax liens
• Title liens
• Mortgage liens

In contrast, there are also lien types based on properties involved in the agreement or the debtor's control over the liened property.

General Liens in Rhode Island

In Rhode Island, general liens are legal claims over any of a debtor's property. This gives the creditor the right to repossess or sell off properties in the debtor's name. Creditors may place general liens on real estate properties or personal properties. Examples of general liens include the following:

• Child support liens
• Tax liens
• Judgment lien

Specific Liens

As the name implies, this lien type applies to specific properties used as collateral for debts. In a specific lien, creditors do not have the right to seize properties that are not under the contract. Examples of a specific lien include mechanic liens, mortgages, and title liens.

Consensual vs Involuntary Liens

The debtor's consent is the main difference between consensual and involuntary liens. In consensual liens, the debtor willingly consents to placing liens on properties in exchange for a loan. In contrast, involuntary liens occur when a court places a lien without the debtor's consent. The lien types also differ in terms of priority. Consensual or voluntary liens have priority over involuntary liens. In simple terms, creditors in a consensual lien will get paid first from the proceeds of a liened property sale.

Statutory Liens

Statutory liens are a form of involuntary liens since they do not require the debtor's consent before they come into effect. Rhode Island state laws support statutory liens like mechanic liens, tax liens, and child support liens.

What is a Tax Lien in Rhode Island?

Per R.I. Gen. Laws § 44-9-1, the government will place liens on personal or real estate properties if you fail to pay taxes. Tax liens in Rhode Island are general and statutory liens that affect all the tax debtor's properties.

To enforce a tax lien, the state tax administrator will file a tax lien notice with the city clerk’s office or tax assessors’ agencies where the properties are situated. The tax lien applies to properties acquired before the filing and those obtained six years after the filing date. Note that Rhode Island tax liens have a six-year timeframe.

Are Tax Liens Public Records?

Under Rhode Island's Access to Public Records Act, tax liens are public records. The state's Department of Revenues, via the Division of Taxation, maintains a list of 100 taxpayers with the largest personal income and business tax debts. Record seekers can also find tax liens through the city or town clerk’s office or tax assessment agencies. You can view an online directory of these custodian agencies.

Note: Tax liens may affect a debtor's ability to get credit or loans from credit facilities. Since the records are publicly accessible, these entities can view a taxpayer's debt history.

Rhode Island Tax Lien Search

Record seekers can conduct searches for Rhode Island tax liens through state and local-level agencies. At the state level, you can access a list of the top personal income or business tax debtors. In contrast, you can find detailed tax lien information through land record or tax assessment agencies in the state’s counties or cities. Note that some regions may have only one custodian agency overseeing tax lien data.

Federal Tax Lien Search

In Rhode Island, record seekers can lookup federal tax liens through the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The agency maintains an online search portal through which record subjects can view their tax debts and liens. That being said, the record subject can view the record by creating an account and verifying their identity on the portal.

In contrast, requesters can contact the IRS Office in Rhode Island during normal business hours at:

380 Westminster Street
4th Floor
Providence, RI 02903
Phone: (617) 316-2608
Fax: (877) 477-8740

What is a Lien on Property in Rhode Island?

In Rhode Island, liens on properties are legal claims on properties used as collateral for debts. In property liens, the debtor can't sell or transfer property ownership without the consent of the lienholder. Furthermore, the lienholder may choose to sell or reclaim the property to recoup the debt.

There are different property liens in Rhode Island. Some lien types affect specific properties, while others affect all properties registered under the debtor's name. Furthermore, some property liens have higher priority than others. For example, title or mechanic liens may have a higher priority than judgment liens.

Who can put a lien on a property?

In Rhode Island, any party can place liens on properties, provided they are legally eligible to do so. For instance, R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-28-5 empower contractors to file a mechanic lien for unpaid services. Credit facilities may also place liens on properties used as collateral for debts.

How to put a lien on property in Rhode Island

In Rhode Island, there are different ways of placing liens on liens. The lien type will determine the process. Nevertheless, you may follow these general steps when placing liens on properties:

Step 1: Determine if you are legally eligible to file a property lien

In Rhode Island, not all people can file property liens. For instance, contractors are eligible to file mechanic liens under these conditions:

• It's less than 200 days after they rendered their services to the debtor.
• They must have sent a notice of intent via mail to the debtor within the timeframe.

Step 2: Gather the necessary documents for filing a property lien

In most cases, you need to complete and file a notice of intent document. In Mechanic liens, a notice of of intent document must contain the following details:

• The property owner's name
• A description of the property
• Description of the services rendered to the property owner
• The lienholder’s name, address, and signature.
• File the document and pay the filing fee

You must file a lien with the agency responsible for keeping the record. In Providence City, you can file mechanic liens with the city clerk. The city or town clerk may charge fees for filing a property lien.

How to Find a Lien on Property in Rhode Island

In Rhode Island, property lien information is accessible through city or town-level agencies. Some city clerk’s offices or tax assessor agencies may maintain all property lien information. Thus, record seekers must send a request to the city clerk or local-level agency where the lien was filed. The agency may provide online or offline access to property lien information.

Property Lien Search By Address

To search property liens by address, record seekers must contact Rhode Island's city clerks or tax assessment offices. These agencies may allow online or offline access to the records. For example, Burrillville City Clerk's Office offers property lien information through online or in-person request options at:

Burrillville Town Hall
105 Harrisville Main Street
Burrillville, RI 02830
Phone: (401) 568-4300
Fax: (401) 568-0490

Free Lien Search on Property

Rhode Island's city clerks and tax assessor offices may offer free access to property liens. Requesters can obtain lien information through the agencies’ available request options. While the agencies may not charge fees for viewing records, you may pay to copy or print lien records.

What is a Mechanics Lien in Rhode Island?

In Rhode Island, construction contractors will file a mechanic lien if the property owner, leasee, or tenant refuses to pay for work done on the property. Per R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-28-5, mechanic liens become effective under these conditions:

• The lienholder sends a notice of intent through certified mail to the debtor before and within 200 days of completing the project. In addition, the notice of intent must express the lienholder’s willingness to file a lien if the debtor refuses to pay.
• The lienholder must file a mechanic lien with the agency responsible for recording liens. The city clerk or the tax assessment office may record mechanic liens on properties situated within the city or town.

Rhode Island Mechanics Lien Search

In Rhode Island, the city clerk's or tax assessor's office keeps mechanic lien records. Record seekers may check if the agency maintains an online searchable database for liens. You may access online mechanic lien data by using the following search options:

• Parcel ID
• Property owner's name
• Address

In the absence of an online search database, record seekers may access the records in-person at the custodian agency. For requests via this option, visit the custodian during normal business hours. You can find the agencies’ contact information on Rhode Island's Land Record website.

What is a Mortgage Lien in Rhode Island?

In Rhode Island, a mortgage lien allows creditors to seize properties used as collateral to obtain a mortgage loan. In a mortgage lien, the debtor takes a loan from creditors to either purchase or refinance a property.

Creditors in mortgage liens can repossess or sell off the house if the debtor defaults on the debt repayment. Debtors are also unable to sell off mortgaged properties or transfer ownership without repaying the debt. In some cases, liened property buyers may take on the remaining debts in a mortgage lien.

What is a UCC Lien in Rhode Island?

In Rhode Island, creditors use UCC liens as a public notice of their interest in properties used in securing debts. It also serves as proof of the transaction between the creditor and debtor. A UCC lien enables the creditor to first get paid when the debtor defaults or becomes bankrupt.

That being said, Rhode Island will only recognize UCC liens filed at the Secretary of State's Office. To file UCC liens, the creditor must send a completed online or offline form along with the filing fee to the state agency at:

State of Rhode Island
Department of State - Business Services Division
148 West River Street
Providence, Rhode Island 02904-2615
Phone: (401) 222-3040
Email: corporations@sos.ri.go

UCC Lien Search Rhode Island

You can search UCC liens in Rhode Island through these steps:

1. Fill out an online or offline form
2. Attach the applicable fee in your preferred payment option.
3. Send the completed form and fees to:

State of Rhode Island
Department of State - Business Services Division 148 West River Street
Providence, Rhode Island 02904-2615
Phone: (401) 222-3040
Email: corporations@sos.ri.go

What is a Lien Title in Rhode Island

Rhode Island's lien title applies to vehicles or mobile homes. In this contract, an individual may secure an asset through loans financed by creditors, such as financial institutions. The creditors or sellers will then place a title lien on specific properties until the debtor fully repays the debt. In a title lien, the creditor has the right to repossess the property if the debtor defaults on repaying the debt. On the other hand, debtors are unable to sell or transfer the liened property without the creditor's consent.

Rhode Island Title Lien Search

Record seekers can find Rhode Island title liens at the Division of Motor Vehicles

The state-level agency provides online or offline options for accessing lien titles. To obtain title liens online, record seekers must visit the agency's search database and provide the liened vehicle's VIN number, plate number, or license

Note that you can access title liens on the portal by creating an account and paying the required search fees.

In contrast, you can obtain the records by visiting the agency during business hours at:

Division of Motor Vehicles
600 New London Avenue
Cranston, RI 02920-3024
Phone: (401) 462-4368

Free Title Lien Search in Rhode Island

The Division of Motor Vehicle does not offer free searches for lien titles. Per Rhode Island General Law 31-3.1-6, record seekers must pay the statutory $50 search fee in addition to a $4.50 access and DMV technology fee. Furthermore, you may pay extra fees to get physical copies of the documents.

What is a Jugdement Lien in Rhode Island?

In Rhode Island, jugdement liens are court orders that place liens on a debtor's properties. It is also referred to as involuntary liens since the debtor has no control over which property is liened.

Judgement liens in Rhode Island are attached to both personal and real estate properties. Furthermore, these liens have a 20-year lifespan, after which the creditor may choose to renew or sell the creditor's properties. Note that certain factors may influence your ability to collect debts under a judgement lien. For instance, you can't sell the property if it's the debtor's primary residence. Furthermore, you can't collect debt if there are other liens on the property.

Rhode Island Judgement Lien Search

You can find judgement liens by contacting the city/town clerk's office or the tax assessor's office. These agencies may maintain online or offline access to liens filed on properties within the region. That being said, you can find an online directory of these agencies on the Rhode Island Land Records website.

How to Get a Lien Release in Rhode Island

Generally, you get a lien release when you pay off or fulfill the debt conditions. Nevertheless, there are different procedures for getting a lien release in Rhode Island. Take a title lien for instance; the creditor only needs to sign-off on the title and provide you with a letter of lien release. Interested parties can get a lien release in Rhode Island by taking these general steps:

Step 1: The debtor repays the loan or completes the requirement in the lien

Debtors may either repay the loan in full or make installments. To get a tax lien release, you may work out a repayment plan with the IRS or Rhodes Island Division of Taxation. For a mechanic lien release, you must pay the full amount owed, including interest and other required fees, to the court clerk that recorded the lien.

Step 2: The creditor or lienholder must submit a lien release to the agency that recorded the lien

After a debt is fully repaid, creditors will send a lien release letter to the debtor. The debtor will, in turn, file the lien release letter alongside other required documents to the respective government agency.

How to Get a Copy of a Lien Release in Rhode Island

You can obtain copies of a lien release letter from the agency responsible for recording the lien. In the case of title liens, you can also get copies of the document from the creditor. Title lien creditors are required to send a lien release letter to debtors after receiving the full debt payment.