Effective: June 30, 2021
Latest Legislation: House Bill 74 - 134th General Assembly
This section shall also apply to all-purpose vehicles and off-highway motorcycles as defined in section 4519.01 of the Revised Code.
(A) Each owner of a motor vehicle and each person mentioned as owner in the last certificate of title, when the motor vehicle is dismantled, destroyed, or changed in such manner that it loses its character as a motor vehicle, or changed in such manner that it is not the motor vehicle described in the certificate of title, shall surrender the certificate of title to that motor vehicle to a clerk of a court of common pleas, and the clerk, with the consent of any holders of any liens noted on the certificate of title, then shall enter a cancellation upon the clerk's records and shall notify the registrar of motor vehicles of the cancellation.
Upon the cancellation of a certificate of title in the manner prescribed by this section, any clerk and the registrar of motor vehicles may cancel and destroy all certificates and all memorandum certificates in that chain of title.
(B)(1) If an Ohio certificate of title, salvage certificate of title, or assignment form as prescribed by the registrar for a motor vehicle is assigned to a salvage dealer, the dealer is not required to obtain an Ohio certificate of title or a salvage certificate of title to the motor vehicle in the dealer's own name if the dealer dismantles or destroys the motor vehicle, indicates the number of the dealer's motor vehicle salvage dealer's license on it, marks "FOR DESTRUCTION" across the face of the certificate of title, salvage certificate of title, or assignment form and surrenders the certificate of title, salvage certificate of title, or assignment form to a clerk of a court of common pleas as provided in division (A) of this section. If the salvage dealer retains the motor vehicle for resale, the dealer shall make application for a salvage certificate of title to the motor vehicle in the dealer's own name as provided in division (C)(1) of this section.
(2) At the time any salvage motor vehicle is sold at auction or through a pool, the salvage motor vehicle auction or salvage motor vehicle pool shall give a copy of the salvage certificate of title, certificate of title, or assignment form marked "FOR DESTRUCTION" to the purchaser.
(C)(1) When an insurance company declares it economically impractical to repair such a motor vehicle and has paid an agreed price for the purchase of the motor vehicle to any insured or claimant owner, the insurance company shall proceed as follows:
(a) If an insurance company receives the certificate of title and the motor vehicle, within thirty business days, the insurance company shall deliver the certificate of title to a clerk of a court of common pleas and shall make application for a salvage certificate of title. This certificate of title, any supporting power of attorney, or application for a salvage certificate of title shall be exempt from the requirements of notarization and verification as described in this chapter and in section 1337.25 of the Revised Code, and may be signed electronically.
(b) If an insurance company obtains possession of the motor vehicle and a physical certificate of title was issued for the vehicle but the insurance company is unable to obtain the properly endorsed certificate of title for the motor vehicle within thirty business days following the vehicle's owner or lienholder's acceptance of the insurance company's payment for the vehicle, the insurance company may apply to the clerk of a court of common pleas for a salvage certificate of title without delivering the certificate of title for the motor vehicle. The application, which may be signed electronically, shall be accompanied by evidence that the insurance company has paid a total loss claim on the vehicle, a copy of the written request for the certificate of title from the insurance company or its designee, and proof that the request was delivered by a nationally recognized courier service to the last known address of the owner of the vehicle and any known lienholder, to obtain the certificate of title.
(c) If an insurance company obtains possession of the motor vehicle and a physical certificate of title was not issued for the vehicle, the insurance company may apply to the clerk of a court of common pleas for a salvage certificate of title without delivering a certificate of title for the motor vehicle. The application shall be accompanied by the electronic certificate of title control number and a properly executed power of attorney, or other appropriate document, from the owner of the motor vehicle authorizing the insurance company to apply for a salvage certificate of title. The application for a salvage certificate of title, any supporting power of attorney, and any other appropriate document shall be exempt from the requirements of notarization and verification as described in this chapter and in section 1337.25 of the Revised Code, and may be signed electronically.
(d) Upon receipt of a properly completed application for a salvage certificate of title as described in division (C)(1)(a), (b), or (c) or (C)(2) of this section, the clerk shall issue the salvage certificate of title on a form, prescribed by the registrar, that shall be easily distinguishable from the original certificate of title and shall bear the same information as the original certificate of title except that it may bear a different number than that of the original certificate of title. The salvage certificate of title shall include the following notice in bold lettering:
"SALVAGE MOTOR VEHICLE - PURSUANT TO R.C. 4738.01."
Except as provided in division (C)(3) of this section, the salvage certificate of title shall be assigned by the insurance company to a salvage dealer or any other person for use as evidence of ownership upon the sale or other disposition of the motor vehicle, and the salvage certificate of title shall be transferable to any other person. The clerk shall charge a fee of four dollars for the cost of processing each salvage certificate of title.
(2) If an insurance company requests that a salvage motor vehicle auction take possession of a motor vehicle that is the subject of an insurance claim, and subsequently the insurance company denies coverage with respect to the motor vehicle or does not otherwise take ownership of the motor vehicle, the salvage motor vehicle auction may proceed as follows. After the salvage motor vehicle auction has possession of the motor vehicle for forty-five days, it may apply to the clerk of a court of common pleas for a salvage certificate of title without delivering the certificate of title for the motor vehicle. The application shall be accompanied by a copy of the written request that the vehicle be removed from the facility on the salvage motor vehicle auction's letterhead, and proof that the request was delivered by a nationally recognized courier service to the last known address of the owner of the vehicle and any known lienholder, requesting that the vehicle be removed from the facility of the salvage motor vehicle auction. Upon receipt of a properly completed application, the clerk shall follow the process as described in division (C)(1)(d) of this section. The salvage certificate of title so issued shall be free and clear of all liens.
(3) If an insurance company considers a motor vehicle as described in division (C)(1)(a), (b), or (c) of this section to be impossible to restore for highway operation, the insurance company may assign the certificate of title to the motor vehicle to a salvage dealer or scrap metal processing facility and send the assigned certificate of title to the clerk of the court of common pleas of any county. The insurance company shall mark the face of the certificate of title "FOR DESTRUCTION" and shall deliver a photocopy of the certificate of title to the salvage dealer or scrap metal processing facility for its records.
(4) If an insurance company declares it economically impractical to repair a motor vehicle, agrees to pay to the insured or claimant owner an amount in settlement of a claim against a policy of motor vehicle insurance covering the motor vehicle, and agrees to permit the insured or claimant owner to retain possession of the motor vehicle, the insurance company shall not pay the insured or claimant owner any amount in settlement of the insurance claim until the owner obtains a salvage certificate of title to the vehicle and furnishes a copy of the salvage certificate of title to the insurance company.
(D) When a self-insured organization, rental or leasing company, or secured creditor becomes the owner of a motor vehicle that is burned, damaged, or dismantled and is determined to be economically impractical to repair, the self-insured organization, rental or leasing company, or secured creditor shall do one of the following:
(1) Mark the face of the certificate of title to the motor vehicle, or assignment form as prescribed by the registrar, "FOR DESTRUCTION" and surrender the certificate of title or assignment form to a clerk of a court of common pleas for cancellation as described in division (A) of this section. The self-insured organization, rental or leasing company, or secured creditor then shall deliver the motor vehicle, together with a photocopy of the certificate of title or assignment form, to a salvage dealer or scrap metal processing facility and shall cause the motor vehicle to be dismantled, flattened, crushed, or destroyed.
(2) Obtain a salvage certificate of title to the motor vehicle in the name of the self-insured organization, rental or leasing company, or secured creditor, as provided in division (C)(1) of this section, and then sell or otherwise dispose of the motor vehicle. If the motor vehicle is sold, the self-insured organization, rental or leasing company, or secured creditor shall obtain a salvage certificate of title to the motor vehicle in the name of the purchaser from a clerk of a court of common pleas.
(E) If a motor vehicle titled with a salvage certificate of title is restored for operation upon the highways, application shall be made to a clerk of a court of common pleas for a certificate of title. Upon inspection by the state highway patrol, which shall include establishing proof of ownership and an inspection of the motor number and vehicle identification number of the motor vehicle and of documentation or receipts for the materials used in restoration by the owner of the motor vehicle being inspected, which documentation or receipts shall be presented at the time of inspection, the clerk, upon surrender of the salvage certificate of title, shall issue a certificate of title for a fee prescribed by the registrar. The certificate of title shall be in the same form as the original certificate of title and shall bear the words "REBUILT SALVAGE" in black boldface letters on its face. Every subsequent certificate of title, memorandum certificate of title, or duplicate certificate of title issued for the motor vehicle also shall bear the words "REBUILT SALVAGE" in black boldface letters on its face. The exact location on the face of the certificate of title of the words "REBUILT SALVAGE" shall be determined by the registrar, who shall develop an automated procedure within the automated title processing system to comply with this division. The clerk shall use reasonable care in performing the duties imposed on the clerk by this division in issuing a certificate of title pursuant to this division, but the clerk is not liable for any of the clerk's errors or omissions or those of the clerk's deputies, or the automated title processing system in the performance of those duties. A fee of fifty dollars shall be assessed by the state highway patrol for each inspection made pursuant to this division and shall be deposited into the public safety - highway purposes fund established by section 4501.06 of the Revised Code.
(F) No person shall operate upon the highways in this state a motor vehicle, title to which is evidenced by a salvage certificate of title, except to deliver the motor vehicle pursuant to an appointment for an inspection under this section.
(G) No motor vehicle the certificate of title or assignment form to which has been marked "FOR DESTRUCTION" and surrendered to a clerk of a court of common pleas shall be used for anything except parts and scrap metal.
(H)(1) Except as otherwise provided in this division, an owner of a manufactured or mobile home that will be taxed as real property pursuant to division (B) of section 4503.06 of the Revised Code shall surrender the certificate of title to the auditor of the county containing the taxing district in which the home is located. An owner whose home qualifies for real property taxation under divisions (B)(1)(a) and (b) of section 4503.06 of the Revised Code shall surrender the certificate within fifteen days after the home meets the conditions specified in those divisions. The auditor shall deliver the certificate of title to the clerk of the court of common pleas who issued it.
(2) If the certificate of title for a manufactured or mobile home that is to be taxed as real property is held by a lienholder, the lienholder shall surrender the certificate of title to the auditor of the county containing the taxing district in which the home is located, and the auditor shall deliver the certificate of title to the clerk of the court of common pleas who issued it. The lienholder shall surrender the certificate within thirty days after both of the following have occurred:
(a) The homeowner has provided written notice to the lienholder requesting that the certificate of title be surrendered to the auditor of the county containing the taxing district in which the home is located.
(b) The homeowner has either paid the lienholder the remaining balance owed to the lienholder, or, with the lienholder's consent, executed and delivered to the lienholder a mortgage on the home and land on which the home is sited in the amount of the remaining balance owed to the lienholder.
(3) Upon the delivery of a certificate of title by the county auditor to the clerk, the clerk shall inactivate it and maintain it in the automated title processing system for a period of thirty years.
(4) Upon application by the owner of a manufactured or mobile home that is taxed as real property pursuant to division (B) of section 4503.06 of the Revised Code and that no longer satisfies divisions (B)(1)(a) and (b) or divisions (B)(2)(a) and (b) of that section, the clerk shall reactivate the record of the certificate of title that was inactivated under division (H)(3) of this section and shall issue a new certificate of title, but only if the application contains or has attached to it all of the following:
(a) An endorsement of the county treasurer that all real property taxes charged against the home under Title LVII of the Revised Code and division (B) of section 4503.06 of the Revised Code for all preceding tax years have been paid;
(b) An endorsement of the county auditor that the home will be removed from the real property tax list;
(c) Proof that there are no outstanding mortgages or other liens on the home or, if there are such mortgages or other liens, that the mortgagee or lienholder has consented to the reactivation of the certificate of title.
(I)(1) Whoever violates division (F) of this section shall be fined not more than two thousand dollars, imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
(2) Whoever violates division (G) of this section shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars, imprisoned not more than six months, or both.
Last updated April 14, 2021 at 7:26 AM