Theoretically your father can be the lien holder on the vehicle. The lienholder is just the person or entity that loaned you the money to purchase the vehicle. Whenever the purchase agreement is fullfilled the lien holder forfeits the lien and you own the vehicle. If your father is claiming to be the lienholder and wanting to "repossess" the vehicle he is going to need to show that you violated the terms of an agreement to repay a loan. You are claiming that he is not going to be able to do that so in essence he wouldn't be able to repossess the vehicle. If you have paperwork from the dealership, or any other documentation that you do not owe anything toward the lien, then you can take that to the dmv to have him removed from the title altogher.