How to Transfer a Car Title in Ohio: Forms, Fees, and Deadline

To transfer a car title in Ohio, the seller signs the assignment on the back of the original Certificate of Title in front of a notary or a deputy clerk, and the buyer files that title at any County Clerk of Courts Title Office within 30 days of the sale. The buyer pays an $18 title fee (or $23 in some counties) plus sales tax on the purchase price and walks out with a new title printed on the spot.¹²

Titles are handled by the Clerk of Courts, not the BMV. The BMV issues registrations and license plates, but only a Clerk of Courts Title Office can issue or transfer a title.¹ You can use any county’s office in Ohio, not just the one you live in.

What Each Party Needs to Bring

The seller brings the original Certificate of Title and a valid photo ID for the notarization. Photocopies are not accepted.¹ If the title is electronic, the seller instead brings the paper memorandum title along with Form BMV 3770.

The buyer brings:

A government-issued driver license or ID card.
Social Security numbers for every person who will appear on the new title.¹
Payment for the title fee and sales tax.

Completing the Title Assignment

On the back of the title, the seller fills in the Assignment of Ownership section: the buyer’s full legal name and address, the date of sale, the purchase price, and the exact odometer reading.¹ No white-out, no cross-outs, no writing over mistakes. Alterations can void the title and force the seller to apply for a replacement before the sale can go forward.

The seller must sign in front of a notary public or a deputy clerk at the Clerk of Courts Title Office.³ A signature added at home with no witness invalidates the transfer. Ohio caps in-person notary fees at $5 per notarial act.⁴

The cleanest approach is for both parties to go to the Clerk of Courts Title Office together. A deputy clerk witnesses the signatures and issues the new title in the same visit, no separate notary trip required.

If the Title Is Electronic

Ohio issues many titles electronically, so there may be no paper title in the seller’s possession. If the vehicle was financed, the seller likely holds only a paper memorandum title, which by itself cannot transfer ownership.³

For a private sale of a vehicle with an electronic title, both parties use Form BMV 3770, the Ownership Assignment and Title Application for Casual Sale. The seller completes and notarizes page one; the buyer completes and notarizes page two.¹ The buyer then takes the completed BMV 3770 and the memorandum title to a Clerk of Courts Title Office. This form is only for casual sales between private individuals; dealers cannot use it.⁵

Filing With the Clerk of Courts and the 30-Day Deadline

The buyer brings the notarized title (or the BMV 3770 and memorandum title), photo ID, Social Security numbers for all parties, and payment. The clerk verifies the paperwork, calculates sales tax using the buyer’s county rate, collects payment, and prints the new title.

The buyer has 30 days from the date of sale to file. Miss that window and the Clerk of Courts adds a $5 late filing fee.³

Fees and Sales Tax

A new Certificate of Title costs $18. Some counties add a local surcharge that brings the total to $23.² Adding a lien to the new title triggers an additional lien notation fee.

Sales tax is calculated on the purchase price. The state rate is 5.75%, and each county adds its own rate between 0.50% and 2.00%, so the combined rate falls between 6.25% and 7.75% depending on where the buyer lives.⁶ On a $10,000 car, that is $625 to $775 in tax at the title office.

Vehicles With an Active Lien

You cannot transfer ownership while a lien is on the vehicle. The lender holds the title, physically or electronically, until the loan is paid off. Once satisfied, the lien is released in one of two ways:⁷

Electronic release, if the lender participates in Ohio’s Electronic Lien and Title Program. The owner then applies for a paper title at the Clerk of Courts.
Manual release, where the lender marks the paper title as discharged and mails it to the owner, who takes it to any Clerk of Courts to remove the lien from BMV records.

The seller needs a clean paper title in hand before signing an assignment to a buyer, and lien releases can take a few weeks, especially by mail. Plan for that lead time.

If the Title Is Lost

The seller must obtain a duplicate before any transfer can happen. Bring a valid photo ID and the title fee to any Clerk of Courts Title Office; the replacement prints on the spot.¹ A duplicate can also be requested by mail using Form BMV 3774 with “Duplicate Certificate of Title” marked, a notarized signature, the fee, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. If a prior lien was paid off but never formally released, a lien release letter from the lender is required too.

Gifting a Vehicle

Gifting works the same way as a sale, except the seller writes “$0” or “Gift” in the purchase price field. The recipient can claim a sales tax exemption, but only if the vehicle is a gift to an Ohio resident with no payment or trade involved.⁸

To claim the exemption, submit Form STEC MV (Certificate of Exemption Regarding Sale of a Motor Vehicle) with a bill of sale or assignment showing no consideration was paid. Without that paperwork, the clerk will charge sales tax based on the vehicle’s fair market value.

Registration Comes Next

A new title does not put a car on the road. To register the vehicle and get plates, the buyer goes to a deputy registrar license agency with the new title (or memorandum title), an Ohio driver license or ID, and payment for registration fees.⁹ Some counties also require an E-Check emissions certificate. Ohio requires active auto insurance meeting minimum liability limits before registration. If the buyer needs to drive before the title is ready, a temporary tag is available from any deputy registrar or online at OPLATES.com.¹⁰

Odometer Accuracy and Title Jumping

Federal and Ohio law require an accurate odometer reading on every transfer. The seller records the mileage in the assignment; the buyer confirms it by signing. Providing a false reading is a fourth-degree felony in Ohio, and a third-degree felony for repeat offenders.¹¹ If the dashboard reading does not match what is written on the title, ask questions before signing.

Also check that the name on the title matches the seller’s ID. Reselling a vehicle without putting the title in your own name first (title jumping) is a crime in Ohio. Transferring a vehicle without delivering a properly assigned certificate of title can bring a fine of up to $5,000 and jail time of six months to five years.¹² A mismatched name is the sign that the person selling to you may not be the legal owner, and the Clerk of Courts will not process that transfer.

1
Ohio BMV. Vehicle Titles – How to Title
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Ohio BMV. Documents and Fees
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Butler County Clerk of Courts. Ohio Transactions
4
Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 147.08
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Ohio BMV. Vehicle Titles – Electronic Titles
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Ohio Department of Taxation. Total State and Local Sales Tax Rates by County
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Ohio BMV. Lien Release and Title
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Ohio Department of Taxation. Sales Tax for Motor Vehicles, Watercraft, and Aircraft
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Ohio BMV. New Ohio Residents
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Ohio BMV. Vehicle Registration
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Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 4549.46 – Written Odometer Disclosure Statement
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Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 4505.19 – Prohibited Acts Involving Certificates of Title