If you don’t know the exact procedures, selling your can really be a tough task. Ohio has around 4.65 million private and commercial automobiles registered. Laws for selling the vehicle in Ohio is different from the other states. Although, they are simple and straightforward as compared to the other states. Hence, it is important to know all the laws, so that the selling process does not get harmed.
Here is a quick guide on how to sell a car in Ohio. Check them out and make your selling process more efficient.
6 Steps of selling your car in Ohio
Gather all the documents
It is really important to gather all the documents before selling your car. Let’s see what you all need to carry in this selling procedure.
Certificate Of Title
It is important for a buyer to know that the vehicle that he is buying is not stolen or totaled. Hence, vehicle title is necessary when selling the car as it shows the ownership. In case you have financed the car, getting rid of the lien is important. Get the lienholder to remove the lien so that you can sell the car.
The certificate must include:
Buyer name and address
Selling price
Date of sale
Buyer’s signature
Your signature
Bill of sale
A bill of sale doesn’t show legitimate ownership, but it is still helpful if the problems arise when the new owner visits their local BMV to transfer the title or register the vehicle in their own name.
It is recommended to notarize the bill of sale.
Vehicle history report
Vehicle history report is really useful, especially if:
There are reported accounts
You took your car in for services when they were due
Arrange a test drive
No buyer wants a bad purchase, so you have to allow them to test drive the car. Some buyers will arrive with their mechanic or even an inspection agency to check if the vehicle is in good condition.
The seller or whoever is test driving your vehicle in Ohio must present their driver’s license. Be careful because someone may be able to forge a fake driver’s license.
Prepare the car
To catch the buyer’s eye and to impress him, you need to prepare your car first. You can begin with amending minor and major damages, calling a car washer for cleaning the car, getting rid of dents (if any), etc.
Disclose the odometer
Disclosing your car’s mileage is necessary, when transferring the ownership. You can request an Odometer Disclosure statement from BMV 3724 from the Ohio BMV.
As per NHTA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), From 2031, vehicles less than 20 model years old must present odometer disclosure. The NHTSA previously required disclosure for only the first 10 years. In Ohio, a vehicle older than 2010 is exempt from odometer disclosure.
Don’t forget to remove your license plates
As per the rules and regulations of Ohio, Buyer does not keep your license plates. If you do not transfer the license plates to another car registered in your name, you have to cancel the plates with Ohio BMV using Customer Request to Cancel Vehicle Registration (Form BMV 4311). When you cancel your license plates, you are no longer liable to them.
Transfer the title
This step is really necessary and you can’t afford to skip this. The car title needs to be notarized and transferred when selling a car in Ohio. If your title gets stolen, lost or damaged , you can request a replacement title at your local BMV.
If the owner of the vehicle passed away, you can still transfer the title but you have to contact the BMV to file special forms to transfer the title, including the death certificate.
FAQ’s
Q1. Who pays sales tax when selling a car privately in Ohio?
You will have to pay the 5.75% sales tax on private car sales to the Ohio DMV. As an example, if you pay $20,000 for a car in a private sale, then the sales tax would be $1,150.
Q2. How much is a notary charge in Ohio?
Per notary laws in Ohio, you're not permitted to charge more than the legal amount for notarizing a document ($5.00 for a traditional notarization and $25.00 for a remote online notarization).
Q3. Does notary make document legal?
Notarized documents assure legal authenticity of a person's identity and signature whereas, without registering a sale agreement of a property a person cannot claim ownership of that particular property.
