The top part of the title is the Assignment of Ownership section. It contains the date of transaction, the odometerreading, name/address of both buyer and seller, and the actual sales price.This section must be completely filled out - there can be no blank spaces. All owners shown on the front of the title document must personally appear, be identified, sworn in, and sign the Assignment of Ownershipin the presence of a notary. Any erasures, scratch-outs, or alterations to the form will void it, necessitating the issuance of a duplicate title; so it’s a good idea to ensure the seller has a firm deal in place before this section is completed.
The buyer may, but does not have to be, present for the seller to complete the Assignment of Ownership; but the sellerMUST have the buyer’s name and address in order to complete this section and have the seller’s signature notarized. The buyer can then execute the Application for a Certificate of Title section at a later time, also in the presence of a notary public. Note there is no such thing as an “open” title, where the buyer’s name is added later; as stated above, the buyer’s name and address must appear on the Assignment of Ownership for notarization to occur. No blank spaces!
Both of these title sections are sworn statements by the signers. The notary is requiredto administer an oath/affirmation to all signers of the document attesting to the truthfulness of the information they have submitted for the title transfer. It is REQUIRED that the actualsales price of the vehicle appear on the title transfer. Providing false information under oath about any title transfer information is punishable under state law.
There are severe penalties under Ohio law for a notary failing to administer the oath/affirmation when required, including loss of commission. Always put the signers under oath!!
If a title shows a different name on the title, such as a maiden name (Jill Smith) for a now-married woman (Jill Jones), the owner could sign in three ways: 1) Jill Smith NKA (now known as) Jill Jones; 2) Jill Jones FKA (formerly known as) Jill Smith; 3) Jill Smith AKA (also known as) Jill Jones. Her ID must show the current name. Your notary certificate will show both names as how she is signing them.
For two individuals who are “trading” their vehicles, they must each declare a dollar value for their vehicle on the sales price line, which they will be taxed on by the BMV when applying for a new title.
The notary may collect a fee not exceeding $1.50 for each of the two notarizations on the title. A travel fee, agreed upon in advance, may also be charged. Overcharging may result in loss of notary commission.
**IMPORTANT!! The seller can NEVER simply sign the Assignment of Ownership over to the buyer, who intends to have the signature notarized later. The sellerMUSTpersonally appear, ensure all sections are completed, show ID, be sworn, and sign the title in the presence of a notary public. A seller who cannot appear may complete a BMV Power of Attorney form, authorizing another party to sign on their behalf before the notary.
If presented with a title that has already been signed by the seller, and the seller is not present, you cannot proceed. You have no way of knowing that the seller’s signature was not forged, and the title perhaps stolen. The buyer must be told to return to the seller, and have him/her appear before a notary.
If the title has been already signed, but the seller is present, you may ID him/her, administer the oath/affirmation, and then have them sign the document again before you, in a different colored ink near the their other signature. DO NOT cross out the first signature, as this will void the document!
If you are presented with an out-of-state title, note only the following states require notarized titles: AZ, KY, LA, MT, NC, OH, OK, PA, WA, WY
Ohio Society of Notaries – www.ohionotaries.org or 614-336-7878
