Motor vehicle lien; authorize mechanic to seek title from title loan company after nonpayment of services.

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To: Judiciary A; Banking and
Financial Services
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Hines

HOUSE BILL NO. 73

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 85-7-107, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 1
TO PROVIDE THAT MECHANICS TO WHOM THE PRICE OF LABOR AND MATERIAL 2
MAY BE DUE SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO SEEK TITLE OF A VEHICLE FROM A 3
TITLE LOAN COMPANY AFTER NONPAYMENT OF SERVICES, IF THE PERSON 4
WHOSE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ACQUIRED A TITLE LOAN ON THE VEHICLE 5
AFTER THE MECHANIC BEGAN REPAIRING THE VEHICLE; AND FOR RELATED 6
PURPOSES. 7
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 8
SECTION 1. Section 85-7-107, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 9
amended as follows: 10
85-7-107. (1) All motor vehicles repaired for any person, 11
and at his or her instance, shall be liable for the price of the 12
labor and material employed in constructing, manufacturing or 13
repairing the same; and the mechanic to whom the price of * * * 14
the labor and material may be due shall have the right to retain 15
possession of such motor vehicles so repaired until the 16
price * * * is paid. 17
If such price * * * is not * * * paid within thirty (30) 18
days, and the person to whom such charges are payable and owing 19
intends to commence suit as provided in this section, such person 20
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shall notify, by certified mail, the legal owner and the holder of 21
any lien of the amount of charges due thereon and provide an 22
opportunity for redemption. 23
If such property has not been redeemed within five (5) days 24
after the mailing of such certified letter, the person to whom 25
such charges are payable and owing may commence suit in any court 26
of competent jurisdiction, and upon proof of the value of the 27
labor and materials employed in such repairs, manufacture or 28
construction, and that such labor and materials furnished were 29
reasonably necessary to prevent deterioration, permit operation 30
and preserve the property, shall be entitled to judgment against 31
the party for whom such labor was done or materials furnished, 32
with costs, as in other cases, and to a special order for the sale 33
of the property retained in his or her possession for the payment 34
thereof, with costs, and to an execution, as in other cases, for 35
the residue of what remains unpaid after sale of the property. 36
The proceeds of the sale of such property in excess of the 37
amount needed to pay the judgment and necessary expenses of the 38
procedure required by this section shall be held by the person for 39
a period of six (6) months, and if not reclaimed by the owner 40
thereof within that time shall become the property of the county 41
and be paid over to the chancery clerk of the county in which the 42
sale was held to be deposited into the county general fund, 43
subject however to any rights of recorded lienholders. 44
H. B. No. 73 *HR26/R615* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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ST: Motor vehicle lien; authorize mechanic to
seek title from title loan company after
nonpayment of services.
(2) The mechanic to whom the price of the labor and material 45
may be due shall have the right to seek title of the repaired 46
motor vehicle from a title loan company after nonpayment of 47
services, if the person whose vehicle was repaired acquired a 48
title loan on the vehicle after the mechanic began repairing the 49
vehicle. 50
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 51
and after July 1, 2026. 52