Michigan Odometer Statement Requirements for Title Transfer

Michigan odometer statement requirements are set by MCL 257.233a: before a vehicle changes hands, the seller must give the buyer a written mileage disclosure that identifies the vehicle, records the exact odometer reading at the time of sale, certifies whether that reading is accurate, and carries the handwritten ink signatures of both parties. The disclosure normally appears in the designated space on the back of the Michigan certificate of title. When the title has no space for it, or the vehicle was never titled, the seller uses the state’s Odometer Mileage Statement, Form BDVR-108.¹

What the Statement Must Contain

The disclosure has to tie one mileage reading to one specific vehicle and one specific transaction. Under MCL 257.233a, it must include the vehicle’s make, model, body type, year, and full vehicle identification number.²

The seller then writes down the exact number showing on the odometer at the moment of sale and checks one of three boxes:

Actual mileage. The odometer reflects the true distance the vehicle has traveled.
Exceeds mechanical limits. The odometer has rolled past its maximum display, typical of older five-digit gauges, so the true mileage is higher than the number shown.
Not actual mileage. The reading is unreliable for any reason, such as a broken odometer or a replaced gauge cluster, and should not be used to judge the vehicle.

The certification is the part sellers get wrong. If the odometer was replaced and the seller still checks “actual mileage,” that is fraud on a signed document.² A “not actual mileage” or “exceeds mechanical limits” certification also becomes a permanent brand that follows the vehicle onto every future Michigan title.

Signatures in Ink

Both buyer and seller must print their full legal names and sign the disclosure. The signatures have to be handwritten in ink. Typed or computer-generated signatures do not satisfy the rule. Printed names, by contrast, may be handwritten, typed, or computer-generated.³

No Cross-Outs, No White-Out

Every field has to be legible and match the dashboard reading. The Secretary of State will reject a disclosure with cross-outs or correction fluid. If you enter the wrong number or check the wrong box, start over on a fresh form rather than trying to fix the original. A title that has already been signed incorrectly may require applying for a corrected title at a Secretary of State office, which costs $15.

Which Vehicles Do Not Need a Statement

Not every transfer triggers the requirement. Michigan uses an age-based exemption tied to model year. Vehicles from the 2011 model year or later become exempt once they reach 20 years of age, measured from January 1 of the calendar year matching the model year. Vehicles from the 2010 model year or earlier become exempt after 10 years.²

Two other categories are exempt regardless of age:

Vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating above 16,000 pounds.
Non-motorized vehicles, including trailers and campers.

Lease Returns

The statement is not only a private-sale document. When a lease ends, both federal law and Michigan law require the lessee to give the lessor a written mileage disclosure before ownership transfers back. The lessee certifies mileage using the same three options and signs the statement.² Skipping this step or entering false mileage on a lease return carries the same penalties as fraud in a private sale.

When the Odometer Has Been Replaced

Michigan law allows a mechanic to replace an odometer or gauge cluster, but only under set conditions. If the replacement can be set to display the same mileage the vehicle had before the repair, it must be. If that is not possible, the replacement must be reset to zero, and the owner or their agent has to attach a written notice to the left door frame stating the mileage before the repair and the date of the work.² Federal law imposes the same rule.⁴ Removing, defacing, or altering that doorframe notice is itself a violation.

The practical effect for the statement: if a vehicle you are selling has one of these stickers, the true mileage on the vehicle is not the number on the dashboard, and the disclosure has to reflect that. When you are buying, glance at the left door frame before signing. A sticker showing 120,000 miles before repair and a dashboard reading 30,000 means the vehicle has traveled at least 120,000 miles plus whatever the new odometer has logged.

What Happens if the Statement Is Wrong

Michigan treats odometer tampering as a felony. Rolling back an odometer, disconnecting it, or installing any device that causes it to register false mileage falls under MCL 257.233a(6). A conviction carries one to five years in prison, a fine between $500 and $5,000, or both.⁵ For licensed dealers, an improper odometer disclosure is treated as prima facie fraud and can lead to license sanctions on top of criminal penalties. Dealers must retain every odometer statement they issue or receive for at least five years.³

A defrauded buyer has civil remedies too. Under MCL 257.233a(15), the buyer can sue for three times actual damages or $1,500, whichever is greater, plus costs and reasonable attorney fees.² The federal statute, 49 USC 32710, allows three times actual damages or $10,000, whichever is greater, plus fees and costs, and the two-year clock runs from when the buyer discovered or should have discovered the fraud.⁶

Both sides should keep a copy of the signed disclosure. If a dispute surfaces later about what the odometer read at the time of sale, that signed statement is the strongest piece of evidence either party can produce.

1
Michigan Department of State. Michigan Odometer Mileage Statement
2
Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 257.233a – Transfer of Title or Interest in Vehicle; Disclosure of Odometer Mileage
3
Michigan Department of State. Michigan Dealer Manual Chapter 4 – Odometer Mileage Disclosure Requirements
4
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 32704 – Service, Repair, and Replacement
5
Michigan Courts. Michigan Judicial Institute – Odometer Tampering
6
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 32710 – Civil Actions by Private Persons