Vehicle Titles

Liens on a Title

When you pay off a vehicle loan, the lender will either release the lien:

• Manually by marking that the lien was discharged on the front of the title and then sending you the title showing the lien as satisfied

  OR

• Electronically if your lender participates in Ohio’s Electronic Lien and Title Program.

For a Lien Released Electronically

If your lender participates in Ohio’s Electronic Lien and Title Program, it will electronically release the lien and BMV records will no longer show a lien on the vehicle.

• You will need to apply for a paper title with the County Clerk of Courts Title Office and pay for title fees. Please see How to Title – Replacement for instructions.
• When all requirements are satisfied, you will be issued a new (paper) title

For a Lien Released Manually

If your lender does not participate in Ohio’s Electronic Lien and Title Program, the lender will mark that the lien was discharged and mail the paper title to you. To remove the lien from BMV records:

• Take the title to any County Clerk of Courts Title Office

Request for Vehicle Title Corrections

If the incorrect mileage, vehicle identification number (VIN), or brand (exceeded, salvage, non-actual, buyback) was due to a county error, please contact the County Clerk of Courts Title Office where the title was issued.

If the incorrect mileage, VIN, or brand (exceeded, salvage, non-actual, buyback) was due to a customer or dealer error, please contact the BMV Title Support Section for assistance at 614-752-7671.

Mileage/Brand Correction (exceeds mechanical limits, non-actual miles)

• Request for correction(s) will be reviewed and verified.
• Failure to submit all required documents my result in the request being denied.
• If approved, a letter will be issued asking the County Clerk of Courts Title Office to issue a replacement title correcting the mileage, VIN, or brand.
• Please note: a request for a correction does not guarantee approval of the correction.

Prior to completing a title transfer, the transferor and transferee must verify the accuracy of the odometer listing and all other information on the certificate of title. Both seller and buyer are responsible for accurately verifying the odometer listing and all other information on the certificate of title at the time of title transfer.

What Do I Need to Submit to the BMV Title Support Section?

1. Notarized Statement(s) of Fact (which MUST include ALL of the following):
   • Contact name, address, phone number, and current date (business statements must be on letterhead)
   • Vehicle year, make, model, and serial number/VIN
   • A detailed explanation, including when, how, and why the error occurred
   • The incorrect information along with how it needs to be corrected
   • Proper notary language (“Subscribed and sworn...”), including the county and state information. Notary must be on the same page as the statement of fact(s).
2. Current, dated Federal Odometer Statement or Applicant Affidavit.
   • Odometer Disclosure Statement (form BMV 3724)

   Applicant Affidavits are acceptable for:

   • Vehicles sold or purchased through repossession
   • Self-assembled vehicles
   • Unclaimed affidavits
   • Out-of-state title conversions
   • Operations of law (such as bankruptcy or death of a spouse)

   *Mileage will need to be stated as it was as the time of the error rather than the current reading.

3. Provide a clear photo of the current odometer reading
4. Additional information may be requested

Vehicle Serial Number/VIN Correction

If there are 3 or less errors in the VIN printed on your title then we may be able to assist with a title correction.

• Request for correction(s) will be reviewed and verified.
• Failure to submit all required documents my result in the request being denied.
• If approved, a letter will be issued asking the County Clerk of Courts Title Office to issue a replacement title correcting the mileage, VIN, or brand.
• Please note: a request for a correction does not guarantee approval of the correction.

What Do I Need to Submit to the BMV Title Support Section?

1. Notarized Statement(s) of Fact from the Titled Owner (which MUST include ALL of the following):
   • Contact name, address, phone number, and current date (business statements must be on letterhead)
   • Vehicle year, make, model, and serial number/VIN
   • A detailed explanation, including when, how, and why the error occurred
   • The incorrect information along with how it needs to be corrected
   • Proper notary language (“Subscribed and sworn...”), including the county and state information. Notary must be on the same page as the statement of fact(s)
2. Clear photo of VIN plate in the dash of the vehicle. Unconventional vehicles will need to show a photo of the VIN plate that is stamped on the frame of the vehicle.
3. VIN verification completed by BMV Investigations or law enforcement
4. Photo copy of title, front and back
5. Additional documentation may be required

Where Do I Send My Documents?

Please email to asktitles@dps.ohio.gov or fax to 614-752-8929

• Electronic Title Cancellation Request
• Mileage Correction Request
• Brand Correction Request
• VIN Corrections Request

Please mail all Physical Title Cancellation Requests to:

Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles
Title Support Section
PO Box 16520
Columbus, OH 43216-6520

Ohio Revised Code: 4505.06 4505.10 2921.13

Court Order Titles

The applicant may petition the Court of Common Pleas for a court order instructing a County Clerk of Courts Title Office to issue a certificate of title.

What Do I Need to Do?

Contact your local County Clerk of Courts Title Office to obtain court order instructions.

• Some County Clerk of Courts Title Offices may not have court order instructions
• There is no guarantee a court order will be granted

Ohio Revised Code: 4505.10

Exporting a Vehicle from Ohio

Exporting means shipping or transporting a motor vehicle from inside the United States to a destination outside the United States.

A vehicle owner who is exporting a motor vehicle titled in Ohio must comply with Ohio vehicle exporting procedures.

• A motor vehicle dealer must apply for a non-resident title in the name of the purchaser
• Ensure the title is properly in the name(s) of the owner(s) of the motor vehicle and any assignment is to the purchaser, as applicable
• Make copies of the certificate of title for your records

The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) Title Support Section will enter an inactive status and retain the title submitted as evidence.

You will be supplied two documents that show ownership for proof of export:

1. Certified receipt of title surrender
2. Two certified copies of the surrendered title

What Do I Need to Send to the Ohio BMV?

• The vehicle title
• Export Application for a Motor Vehicle (form BMV 3717)

Mail required documents to:

Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles
Title Support Section
PO Box 16520
Columbus, OH 43216-6520

If you need additional information, please contact U.S. Customs and Border Protection, (800) 227-5511.

Ohio Revised Code: 4505.21

Title an Imported Vehicle in Ohio

A County Clerk of Courts Title Officewill only issue a certificate of title for an imported vehicle when an individual submits proof the vehicle complies with federal motor vehicle safety requirements and satisfies all requirements listed below.

Prior to completing the title transfer, the transferor and transferee must verify the accuracy of the odometer listing and all other information on the certificate of title.

When importing a vehicle, you will need:

• Bill of sale
• Foreign title or registration
• U.S. Customs Entry Form 7501, stamped and signed, verifying that Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) document 3520-1 or 3520-21 and the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Form HS-7 have been viewed and approved
• When the military ships a vehicle for military personnel, the military personnel may have the CBP Form 3461 Entry/Immediate delivery in place of the Form 7501
• USDOT Form HS-7
• If box #3 has been checked, a copy of a Bond Release Letter from the USDOT National Highway Traffic (NHTSA), verifying compliance with USDOT safety standards, must generally be presented.
• Evidence that a timely certification of compliance was submitted to NHTSA (i.e., 120 calendar days from the vehicle’s date of entry into the country) may be used if NHTSA did not issue a Bond Release Letter or otherwise respond to the certification of compliance within 30 days of NHTSA’s receipt of such certification, provided all other requirements are met.
• An out-of-state vehicle identification number (VIN) inspection.  Inspections can be obtained at the following:
• Ohio deputy registrar license agency
• Participating Clerk of Courts Title Office
• Participating Ohio licensed motor vehicle dealership
• English translations of all documents written in a foreign language; translations must be done by an accredited institution and submitted on that institution's letterhead
• Payment for title fees and sales tax on the purchase price if applicable (see sales tax rates by county)

Ohio Revised Code: 2921.13(5)

Unclaimed Motor Vehicles

Please contact any County Clerk of Courts Title Office in Ohio for assistance with required documents.

To obtain a certificate of title for an unclaimed motor vehicle, the following conditions must be met:

Ohio Revised Code: 4505.101, 4505.14, 4513.601, 4505.104, 4513.602, 4513.603