How do you "close" a HELOC without paying it off?

I think what your asking is "how to eliminate future draws..", and for this you can.. You just notify the lender and they will suspend any future draws... but the repayment terms will stay in effect.. Your refinance lender is asking you to do this so they can properly determine your Debt to income ratios... if you have a $100K HELOC but you owe $20K, then your DTI is based on what is owed.. But some lenders will look to see if you would still qualify if the HELOC was tapped into at 100%. in the above scenario, if the projected payment if you owed 100K on this heloc puts your DTI too high, they will ask you to have the heloc lender suspend future withdrawals. I'm a Broker here in Scottsdale AZ and I only lend in Arizona. If you or someone you know is looking for financing options, feel free to contact me or pass along my information. 480-287-5714 WilliamAcres.com

You can't - it must be paid off prior to closing it.