If you fail to make your car loan payments, the lender can repossess your vehicle. The lender may hotwire your car, SUV, truck, motorcycle, van, or other vehicle and take it back—all without warning. And if the car lender then sells your car and the proceeds don't cover the amount you owe on the loan, you could be on the hook for the "deficiency." But that doesn't mean you're without protections.
Read the articles in this section to learn about car repossession, what you can do to avoid it, getting your car back, and more.
Learn about car repossessions: how they work, how to avoid them, and your options if it happens to your car.
Learn what the repo man can and cannot do when repossessing your car.
If your car is repossessed, the lender is required to provide you with certain notices after the repossession and after it sells the car.
The SCRA provides special protections to military members facing car repossession.
If you cosign on a car loan and the car is repossessed, you have rights and liabilities.
If your car is repossessed, you have a right to get back your personal belongings that were in the car.
What you need to know about vehicle repossession laws in California.
In California, the repossessor must send you certain notices after a car repossession.
This articles discusses some options to keep the car, resolve the debt, or protect yourself against a deficiency judgment.
Learn about your options to get your car back after it has been repossessed.
You might be able to get your car back after repossession by redeeming it or reinstating the loan.
Find out when your car loan lender is more likely to use replevin than repossession to get your car back.
If you default on your car loan payments, the lender can take your car back through repossession or replevin. Learn the difference.
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At Nolo, we prioritize quality and transparency because we know how important reliable legal information is to our readers. Our information is meticulously researched, regularly updated, and written in plain English by our experienced writers and editors. Learn more about our editorial standards.