Existing law requires specified persons, including legal owners and junior lienholders of manufactured homes, mobilehomes, or commercial modulars, to execute and deliver prescribed documents to the Department of Housing and Community Development to create, assign, or release security interests and to effect changes to the permanent title record maintained by the department. Existing law requires the department, upon receipt of those documents and applicable fees, to amend its records and issue updated certificates or registration documents, and provides remedies if a secured party fails to release its interest as required.
This bill would require the department, on or before January 1, 2028, to accept an electronically executed signature on a document submitted to release or satisfy a security interest held by a legal owner pursuant to these provisions and to treat that signature as having the same force and effect as an original signature. The bill would prohibit the department from requiring submission of a wet signature for that purpose.

Statutes affected:
AB 2174: 18100.5 HSC
02/19/26 - Introduced: 18100.5 HSC