Indiana’s Dealer Reassignment Form 20070: Fields, Filing, and Rejections

Indiana’s Dealer Reassignment Form 20070 is the document a licensed Indiana dealer uses to record a vehicle transfer when the reassignment spaces on the back of a paper title are full, or when an out-of-state title lacks the fields Indiana requires. It must be completed in ink, signed by both parties, and submitted together with the original title and an Application for Certificate of Title (Form 44049). The form is available under “Dealer Service Forms” on the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles website, and it never functions as proof of ownership on its own.1Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Title Forms

When the Form Is Required

Indiana caps paper titles at three dealer reassignments. Once those three spaces on the back of the title are used, the next purchaser has to apply for a new certificate of title, and Form 20070 is what records each additional dealer reassignment leading up to that application.2Legal Information Institute. 140 IAC 6-1-14 – Dealers Title Assignment and Reassignment It is also used when a vehicle arrives from another state on a title that does not carry the reassignment fields Indiana expects.

Only licensed Indiana dealers use this form. A private seller transferring a vehicle to another individual uses the assignment section on the title itself, not Form 20070.

How to Complete Each Field

Indiana regulation 140 IAC 6-1-14 sets out what the form must include. Fill it out in ink. No erasures, no white-out, no cross-outs — a corrected form will be rejected at the BMV counter, so if you make a mistake, start over on a fresh copy.2Legal Information Institute. 140 IAC 6-1-14 – Dealers Title Assignment and Reassignment

  • Vehicle identification. Enter the full VIN, model year, and make. Verify every character of the VIN against the original title; a single transposed digit will stop the transfer.
  • Dealer information. Print the dealership’s legal name, street address, and Indiana dealer number. The person signing on the dealer’s behalf writes their position at the dealership next to the signature.
  • Sale details. Record the date of sale or reassignment and the selling price.
  • Purchaser information. Print the buyer’s full legal name and current address. If the buyer is another dealer, include that dealer’s number as well.
  • Lienholder information. If a lien exists, provide the lienholder’s name, address, and electronic lien and title (ELT) identification number.
  • Odometer disclosure. Required for most vehicles; see the next section for details.
  • Signatures. The dealer or authorized representative and the purchaser both sign the affirmation statement certifying that the information is accurate.

Odometer Disclosure

Federal and Indiana law both require an accurate odometer reading at the time of sale. On Form 20070, the seller records the current mileage and indicates whether that reading reflects the vehicle’s actual distance traveled. If the odometer has rolled past its mechanical limit or has been replaced, the seller must note that the displayed mileage is not the true total.3Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-17-2-6 – Odometer Reading False Information

Several categories of vehicle are exempt from the disclosure. Indiana exempts vehicles that are 20 model years old or older.4Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Odometer Disclosure Statement Also exempt: vehicles registered at a declared gross weight over 16,000 pounds, manufactured homes, off-road vehicles, and watercraft.3Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-17-2-6 – Odometer Reading False Information

A knowingly false odometer reading is a Class B infraction under Indiana law. On the federal side, odometer tampering carries civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation and criminal penalties up to $250,000 and three years in federal prison.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC Chapter 327 – Odometers

Rebuilt and Salvage Vehicles

If the vehicle carries a salvage or rebuilt brand, the dealer has a separate written disclosure obligation outside of Form 20070 itself. Under IC 9-32-13-6, a dealer who knows or should reasonably know a vehicle is a rebuilt motor vehicle must disclose that fact in writing to the buyer before the sale is completed. A rebuilt vehicle in this context is one previously declared a total loss or economically impractical to repair and since restored to operable condition. Skipping the disclosure is treated as an unfair business practice and can draw enforcement action.

What to Submit and Where

Send the completed Form 20070 together with the original certificate of title and Form 44049, Indiana’s Application for Certificate of Title for a Vehicle.1Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Title Forms The title application fee is $15.00.6Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Fee Chart

You can file in person at any BMV branch or mail the package to the central BMV office in Indianapolis.7Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Duplicate Title Application In-person filing is generally faster; mailed applications add transit time both directions, and the new title arrives by mail either way. Speed title processing is available for an added fee if you need the document sooner; current pricing is on the BMV fee chart. Once the BMV verifies the chain of ownership, it issues the new certificate in the buyer’s name and keeps the original title and Form 20070 for its records.

Electronic Titles Work Differently

If the title is already electronic, the three-reassignment cap does not apply. Authorized dealers working through a Partial Service Provider (PSP) can transfer an electronic title an unlimited number of times without handling paper.2Legal Information Institute. 140 IAC 6-1-14 – Dealers Title Assignment and Reassignment8Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Electronic Titles Overview Form 20070 still documents the transaction between the parties even when the title transfer itself happens through the PSP platform.9Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Dealer Guide Electronic Titling The initial transfer of an electronic title from a vehicle owner to a dealer uses a different document, State Form 57738 (Electronic Title Transfer), and only when the purchasing dealer is affiliated with a PSP.

If Someone Cannot Sign in Person

When an owner or purchaser cannot appear to sign, Indiana allows a limited power of attorney on State Form 1940, which authorizes the named attorney-in-fact to complete title and registration transactions on that person’s behalf.10Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Limited Power of Attorney Vehicle and Watercraft Transactions The form has to be completed in blue or black ink, each grantor fills out their own section, and it is not valid until notarized. If more than one owner needs to sign the title, each owner needs a separately completed and notarized section.

Mistakes That Get the Form Rejected

Most rejections come down to a short list of avoidable problems. VIN mismatches are the biggest one; if a single character on the form differs from the original title, the whole package comes back. Other common issues: using white-out or crossing out text instead of starting over, leaving the dealer number blank, missing a signature from either party, and odometer errors on vehicles that are not exempt, whether that means checking the wrong box or leaving the mileage field empty. A careful review before you submit avoids weeks of delay.