An Ohio Bill of Sale is a document used to help an Ohio resident sell a piece of their personal property to another individual. Bills of Sale allow people to sell their old cars and other vehicles (likes boats and airplanes), as well as other goods like guns and horses.
On a Bill of Sale in Ohio, the person interested in selling their property is referred to as the “seller” in the document, and the one receiving that property is called the “buyer”. Following the sale, the bill of sale functions as a legal record of the transaction in case a dispute arises between the buyer and seller in the future.
Table of Contents
1. Ohio Vehicle Bill of Sale
Bills of sale are not required in Ohio, but it’s still a good idea to create one to commemorate the sale of a vehicle, vessel, or firearm. It provides a record of the transaction for both the seller and the buyer that can be used for future purposes.
Language Requirements
Many BMV and DNR forms are available in Spanish, though not all, and those speaking other languages must bring along an interpreter.
Since the bill of sale is optional, and no official form exists, you may draft it in any language, as long as both parties can understand the document, or appropriate translations are made available.
Number of Copies
You may make as many copies as you wish to distribute to the pertinent parties, but you do not need an additional form to submit to the state, since it is not legally required.
For Vehicles
Although there is no official form provided on the official Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) website, but you can create your own vehicle bill of sale for car or other motor vehicle. A proper form does not require notarization, but should contain the following information:
- The names, contact information, and signatures of the buyer and seller
- A vehicle description
- The vehicle identification number, or VIN
- The year, make, and model
- The purchase price
- The sales date
- Warranty information, if applicable
- The county where the vehicle was sold
After Purchasing a Vehicle
In addition to the car bill of sale, there are many other documents that will need to be filled out and submitted in order to register your vehicle or vessel in Ohio. Here is a step-by-step breakdown of what is required:
Dealership Sales
For buyers:
- Even if you purchase a vehicle from a dealership, Ohio, unlike other states, requires all buyers to complete their own vehicle registration process, though the dealer can aid in the process.
- As such, dealerships in Ohio are required to provide you with a vehicle’s title within 30 days of purchase.
Private Sales
For sellers:
You may be required to have a VIN inspection conducted in order to prove legal ownership of the vehicle. If the vehicle is new to the state, this will be necessary.
There are also certain areas, meaning particular counties or urban areas, where a VIN inspection must be conducted in order to complete registration. The inspectors will verify the vehicle’s VIN, serial number, make, model, year, and body style to ensure that the vehicle has not been stolen. This check can be conducted at any deputy registrar agency.
You’ll have to complete the applicable sections of the title relevant to the transfer and give it to the buyer at the time of purchase. Everything must be correctly documented so the sale is considered legal.
For buyers:
Depending upon the county in which you will be registering the vehicle, an emissions test, or “E-check,” may be required. Counties that enforce pollution controls include: Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, and Summit.
Take the Certificate of Title, or Memorandum Certificate of Title, which must be notarized and contain the Ohio Clerk of Court seal, along with your Ohio driver’s license, and proof of your Social Security number to the local deputy registrar’s agency to register your vehicle.
If your vehicle required a VIN inspection or emissions test, you will need to submit those as well. If the vehicle is being leased, you will need to provide a completed Power of Attorney for Ohio Vehicle Registration, or Form BMV 5736.
Proof of insurance is not a prerequisite to registering your vehicle; however, you may be randomly selected to provide such proof before you can continue with the registration process.
You’ll also have to pay the applicable fees, which include:
- the plate or registration transfer fee of $4.50 or the plate replace or exchange fee of $10.50
- the 45-day temporary registration fee of $18.50
- the mailing fee for your permanent plates
- county taxes as determined by the deputy registrar agency
- permissive taxes, which vary by district
All Ohio registrants must complete a Financial Responsibility Statement, or SR-22 Form, indicating that they have obtained sufficient insurance coverage as required by law. This will be provided by the deputy registrar’s agency and cannot be found online.
You will have to go to the county clerk’s office and apply for a new Ohio vehicle title.
If you are a new resident to the state, you will need to obtain an Ohio driver’s license and title and register your car in the state within 30 days of establishing residency. If you are an active service member from out-of-state, yet stationed in Ohio, an Ohio registration is not required. If you are an Ohio resident and are active military stationed out-of-state, you can complete the registration process by mail.
Your license plates will be mailed to you, though you do not have to replace license plates that are in good condition, and transfer fees will apply.
2. Ohio Boat Bill of Sale
You will find that there is no official bill of sale form available from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (DNR); however, you may create your own boat bill of sale. A boat bill of sale can be used to prove ownership of a vessel in some circumstances (see below). As such, it is important that bills of sale contain all of the following:
- The names, addresses, driver’s license numbers, and signatures of the buyer and seller
- The make, model, and year
- The length of the vessel
- The hull identification number, or HIN
- Indication if there is an outboard motor
- The purchase price
- The sales date
- A general boat description
While some BMV and DNR forms contain an official penalty of perjury statement, the majority of them do not. Since there are no official bill of sale forms, you have the option to add a statement if you so wish, but it is not required. However, the state does take perjury seriously, as indicated by ORC Section 2921.11 (A), which states, “(n)o person, in any official proceeding, shall knowingly make a false statement under oath or affirmation, or knowingly swear or affirm the truth of a false statement previously made, when either statement is material.”
For sellers:
- You must provide the buyer with sufficient proof of ownership. This can include the manufacturer’s certificate of origin, a bill of sale (see requirements above), a notarized receipt, or a previous registration form.
For buyers:
- All sailboats and recreational boats, including inflatable boats and paddle crafts, will need to be registered through the Ohio Department of Natural Resource’s Division of Watercraft (DNR). However, any vessel owned by a non-resident using it in the state for less than 60 days will be exempt, as are commercial crafts.
- Fill out an application for a new vessel registration, or Form DNR 8460R. Submit it to the DNR for registration along with a legally-recognized proof of ownership, and proof of the HIN, provided by the seller. You can register the boat either in person, through a registration agent, or by mail. An Ohio vessel registration lasts for 3 years.
- Vessel registration fees are completely dependent on boat length and propulsion type.
- Motorized canoes or boats less than 16 feet long – $33
- Boats less than 16 feet propelled by sail – $38
- Boats at least 16 feet, but less than 26 feet long if motorized – $48
- Boats at least 16 feet, but less than 26 feet long if propelled by sail – $53
- Boats at least 26 feet, but less than 40 feet long if motorized – $63
- Boats at least 26 feet, but less than 40 feet long if propelled by sail – $68
- Boats at least 40 feet, but less than 65 feet long if motorized – $78
- Boats at least 40 feet, but less than 65 feet long if propelled by sail – $83
- Boats 65 feet or longer if motorized – $93
- Boats 65 feet or longer if propelled by sail – $98
- If you are the owner of a hand-propelled vessel, such as a canoe or rowboat, you may opt for an Alternative Registration, which means you will only require a single registration decal instead of one for each side. The fee is $20.
3. Ohio Gun Bill of Sale
There is no official bill of sale form for firearms in Ohio, but you can create a firearm bill of sale. Since there is no firearm registration in the state, and permits are not necessary, the form is not a legal requirement, but it can be given by the seller as a courtesy to the buyer. A thorough bill of sale should include:
- The make, model, and caliber of the firearm
- The buyer’s and seller’s name, contact information, and signatures
- The purchase price
- The sales date