Oregon Odometer Disclosure Statement: Form, Filing, and Penalties

An Oregon odometer disclosure statement is the written mileage record a seller gives a buyer when transferring a qualifying vehicle, usually filled in on the back of the Oregon certificate of title and submitted to the DMV with the title transfer application within 30 days of the sale. The disclosure needs the mileage reading, the vehicle’s identifying information, both parties’ signatures, and the seller’s certification that the reading is accurate.

Which Vehicles Need a Disclosure

Under ORS 803.102, a disclosure is required whenever an ownership interest in a motor vehicle is transferred.¹ In practice, the duty only reaches vehicles that are model year 2011 or newer and less than 20 years old. The 20-year window comes from federal rules and follows the vehicle for two decades after its model year.² Model year 2010 and older vehicles are exempt because the earlier 10-year rule they fell under has long since expired for them.

Some vehicles are exempt regardless of age. Under 49 CFR Part 580, no disclosure is required for vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating over 16,000 pounds, non-self-propelled vehicles such as trailers, or vehicles sold directly by a manufacturer to a U.S. government agency under contract.³ Oregon adds snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles to the exempt list under OAR 735-028-0010.⁴

Where to Record the Mileage

The default place is the dedicated section on the back of the Oregon certificate of title.⁵ If the title has no space for the disclosure or does not conform to current requirements, the parties use a separate Secure Odometer Disclosure form (Form 403) from the DMV.⁶ Form 403 also handles dealer reassignments when the vehicle passes through more than one owner before reaching the final buyer. If a nonconforming or out-of-state title is involved, the disclosure may be made on forms issued by the Oregon DMV or by the equivalent agency in the other state.⁷

What the Disclosure Must Contain

Every written odometer disclosure in Oregon must include the following:⁸

The odometer reading at the time of transfer, excluding tenths of a mile.
The vehicle identification number, year, make, and model.
The seller’s printed name, current address, and signature.
The buyer’s printed name, current address, and signature acknowledging the disclosure.
The seller’s certification of mileage status.

The buyer must also return a copy of the signed disclosure to the seller.

The Three Mileage Status Choices

The seller has to pick one of three designations. Actual mileage means the odometer reading matches the true distance the vehicle has traveled. Exceeds mechanical limits applies when the odometer has rolled past its maximum capacity and cycled back, so the displayed number understates total mileage. Not actual mileage covers an odometer that is broken, has been replaced, or is otherwise unreliable, and it puts the buyer on notice that the dash reading cannot be trusted.⁶

Keeping the Form Clean

Fill the disclosure out in permanent ink. Visible alterations or correction fluid will likely cause the DMV to reject the document, and a single wrong digit in the VIN or mileage can delay the title transfer by weeks. Check every figure before signing.

If a name is entered incorrectly during the transfer, Oregon DMV accepts Form 735-502 (Statement of Error or Erasure of a Name) for the fix. You draw a single line through the error, write the correct name, and the person who made the mistake signs the form.⁹ That form only handles name errors. A mistake in the mileage entry generally means obtaining a new form.

Returning a Leased Vehicle

Leased vehicles use the same disclosure, but the roles can feel backwards. When a lease ends and the car goes back to the leasing company, the lessee (the driver) acts as the transferor and records the odometer reading. The lessor (the leasing company) acts as the transferee and receives the disclosure, and the lessor is responsible for notifying the lessee that the disclosure is required.¹ The date entered on the statement is the date it is completed, not the date the lease began.

Filing It With the Title Transfer

The disclosure is not filed by itself. It goes in with the application for title and registration.¹⁰ You can take the packet to a local DMV office or mail it to DMV Services, 1905 Lana Ave NE, Salem, OR 97314.

Oregon gives buyers 30 days from the date of sale to submit the title application. File between day 31 and day 60 and a $25 late fee applies; after that it is $50.¹¹ There is no separate charge for the odometer disclosure, but the standard title transfer fee applies, based on the vehicle’s fuel efficiency:¹²

0–19 MPG: $101
20–39 MPG: $106
40+ MPG: $116
All electric: $192

Once the DMV processes the packet, the mileage is recorded in the state’s vehicle database and prints on the new title. Current processing time runs about two to three weeks.¹⁰

If the Odometer Is Repaired or Replaced

Oregon has a separate set of rules for mechanics. Under ORS 815.415, anyone who services, repairs, or replaces an odometer has to preserve the existing mileage reading when possible. If the repair makes that impossible, the person doing the work must:¹³

Reset the odometer to zero.
Attach a permanent written notice to the vehicle’s left door frame (or near the VIN if there is no door frame) showing the mileage before the repair and the date of the work.
Submit an odometer disclosure to the DMV within 10 days of completing the work.

The door frame notice must identify the person or business that did the work, carry their signature, state the prior mileage and the date, and warn that removing the notice is a Class C misdemeanor.¹⁴ Skipping any of these steps is the offense of unlawful repair of an odometer and carries a fine of up to $1,250.¹⁵

What Happens if a Seller Lies

Odometer tampering is a Class C felony in Oregon under ORS 815.410, punishable by up to five years in prison.¹⁶¹⁷ The statute reaches rolling back or resetting an odometer to show lower mileage, driving on public roads with a knowingly disconnected odometer as part of a fraud, and selling or installing devices built to alter odometer readings.

A buyer or later purchaser who gets defrauded can also sue. The civil remedy is $1,500 or three times actual damages, whichever is greater, and the court may award attorney fees to the prevailing party.¹⁶ Keep your copy of the signed disclosure. If the mileage turns out to be wrong, that signed form is the document that makes a claim possible.

1
Oregon Public Law. Oregon Code 803.102 – Odometer Disclosure Statement Upon Transfer of Interest
2
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Consumer Alert: Changes to Odometer Disclosure Requirements
3
eCFR. 49 CFR Part 580 – Odometer Disclosure Requirements – Section: 580.17
4
Oregon Public Law. OAR 735-028-0010 – Vehicles Exempt from Odometer Disclosure
5
Oregon Department of Transportation. Odometer Disclosure
6
Oregon Department of Transportation. Oregon DMV Title and Registration Handbook – Chapter H Odometer Disclosure Requirements
7
Oregon Public Law. OAR 735-028-0050 – Odometer Disclosure Requirements Upon Transfer of Interest
8
Oregon Secretary of State. Oregon Administrative Rule 735-028-0050 – Odometer Disclosure Requirements Upon Transfer of Interest
9
Oregon DMV. Statement of Error or Erasure of a Name
10
Oregon Driver & Motor Vehicle Services. Titling and Registering Your Vehicle
11
Oregon Public Law. ORS 803.090 – Fees for Certificate of Title
12
Oregon Driver & Motor Vehicle Services. Vehicle Title, Registration and Permit Fees
13
Oregon Public Law. ORS 815.415 – Unlawful Repair of Odometer; Rules; Civil Action; Penalty
14
Oregon Department of Transportation (DMV). Odometer Repair or Replacement Certification
15
Oregon Public Law. ORS 161.635 – Fines for Misdemeanors
16
Oregon Public Law. ORS 815.410 – Illegal Odometer Tampering
17
Oregon Public Law. ORS 161.605 – Maximum Terms of Imprisonment for Felonies