Butler County Clerk of Courts: Special Circumstances

Change of Name or Address
Regardless of whether a vehicle owner's name or address changes, the name or address on his or her Certificate of Title cannot be changed. A new title will only be issued upon transfer of ownership.

Court Ordered Title in Absence of Evidence of Vehicle Ownership
If an applicant cannot provide proof of ownership or evidence sufficient for the Clerk of Courts office to issue a Certificate of Title, he or she may submit any evidence of ownership to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles. The applicant must contact the Title Division by letter and compose a sworn notarized statement of facts pertaining to the purchase of the vehicle. Next, obtain a completed out of state inspection form. Make a copy of all papers that you have on the vehicle from the seller and mail to the Ohio BMV, Title Division, P.O. Box 16520, Columbus, Ohio 43216-6520. If the Registrar decides the evidence is sufficient, then a decision may be made to issue the owner a Certificate of Title. To contact the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicle's Office of the Registrar, call (614) 752-7671.

If the Registrar is unable to authorize the issuance of a title, the applicant can file an action known as a “Friendly Suit” in the Common Pleas Court. In some instances, the services of an attorney may be needed.

Although each civil action has a unique set of circumstances, the following outline of documents and requirements are routinely associated with the filing of a “Friendly Suit” action for Certificate of Title in the Clerk of Courts Legal Division:

A complaint requesting the issuance of a Certificate of Title
A filing fee of $200.00, which can be paid by cash, check, Visa or Master Card
A notarized statement from the filing party that describes any evidence related to the identity of the vehicle, and stating that the filing party has attempted to contact the previous owner
A Waiver of Service of Summons upon the Clerk of Courts
A Journal Entry form to be signed by the judge that orders the clerk to issue a new certificate of title

Once the Judge has signed the official Judgment Entry, it will be filed in the Clerk of Courts Legal Division. A certified copy of this entry must be taken to the Title Division for title issuance.

Junked Vehicles
When a vehicle is dismantled or totaled and is not intended to be used again, the owner must surrender his or her Certificate of Title to any Clerk of Courts title office for cancellation. When you sell your vehicle to a junk dealer, you must assign the title to the dealer and have your signature notarized.

Lost or Stolen Titles
If a vehicle's original Certificate of Title has been lost, stolen or destroyed, the owner or lien holder may obtain a duplicate title. To obtain a duplicate title at the Clerks office, the owner will need to provide photo identification.

If the original title is recovered after the issuance of the duplicate, the vehicle owner must return the original to the Clerk of Courts for cancellation.

Rebuilt Salvage
Before a salvage title can be converted to a rebuilt salvage title, an inspection of the vehicle must be completed by the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

The purpose of this inspection is to verify the ownership of all parts and to review all required documentation. Anyone needing a vehicle inspection should proceed as follows:

Obtain an Application for Inspection from any Deputy Registrar for a cost of $53.50.
Schedule a vehicle inspection appointment with the Ohio State Highway Patrol Inspection Station at 9971 Cincinnati-Dayton Road, West Chester, Ohio 45069, phone (513) 777-5547.
Present all required documentation for salvage inspections:
Ohio Salvage Title in the name of the person applying for the title. Assigned titles cannot be accepted.
Original receipts for all replaced “major component parts”
The inspection office may require receipts or documentation for any part in question.
A receipt for the $53.50 inspection fee.

Finally, the vehicle owner must bring the Inspection Certificate and all receipts to any Clerk of Courts Title Office to obtain a new title. When the new title is issued, it will bear the words “Rebuilt Salvage.”

Self-Assembled Vehicles
Before a self-assembled or salvaged vehicle can be titled in Ohio, an inspection of the vehicle must be completed by the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

The purpose of this inspection is to verify the ownership of all parts and to review all required documentation. Anyone needing a vehicle inspection should proceed as follows:

Obtain an Application for Inspection from any Deputy Registrar for a cost of $53.50.
Schedule a vehicle inspection appointment with the Ohio State Highway Patrol Inspection Station at 9971 Cincinnati-Dayton Road, West Chester, Ohio 45069, phone (513) 777-5547.
Present all required documentation for salvage inspections:
Ohio Salvage Title in the name of the person applying for the title. Assigned titles cannot be accepted.
Original receipts for all replaced “major component parts”
The inspection office may require receipts or documentation for any part in question.
When "kits" are used, the manufacturer's certificate of origin must be presented
A receipt for the $53.50 inspection fee.
Inspection Procedures:

The vehicle must be completely rebuilt and ready for highway operation.
Documentation must be complete.
It may be necessary for the applicant to remove certain body parts to allow for inspection of the Vehicle Identification Number. It may also be necessary to leave the vehicle overnight.
Any vehicle or component part bearing a Vehicle Identification Number determined to be stolen or missing will be impounded and held as evidence and/or seized for forfeiture.

Finally, the vehicle owner must bring the Inspection Certificate and all receipts to any Clerk of Courts Title Office to obtain a new title. The year the vehicle was inspected becomes the year of the vehicle on the title. The title also identifies the vehicle as self assembled.

Recreational Vehicles
Titles for recreational vehicles such as travel trailers, motor homes and fold-down campers are transferred in the same manner as motor vehicle titles. When permanently installing a camping unit on a pickup truck, a body-change title is required. See “Body Type Changes” for complete details.

Salvage Titles
If the cost of repairing a damaged vehicle is greater than its value, the vehicle is considered to be totaled, and the owner's insurance company may require the issuance of a Salvage Title. In most cases, this means the vehicle will be repaired. However, since the vehicle's damage exceeds its value the law requires salvage “branding” of the title so future owners are aware that the vehicle was damaged.

To obtain a salvage title, the vehicle owner must bring proper identification and the vehicle's original title to any Clerk of Courts Title Office.

The Bureau of Motor Vehicles Deputy Registrar will not issue license plates for a vehicle evidenced by a Salvage Title. In order to get license plates, the owner will need to convert the salvage title to an original title.

Death of a Vehicle Owner
In your time of grief, the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles and the Butler County Clerk of Courts office want to assist you toward an easy and efficient transfer of ownership of vehicles owned by a deceased family member.

When there is an estate involved and a Will is probated through the courts, the appointed Executor is authorized to transfer ownership of the vehicle.

The Executor must present a copy of the court executed documents showing appointment as Executor and properly assign the title to the heir or buyer. The heir or buyer must take the title and a copy of the court executed documents to the Clerk of Courts office to obtain a new Certificate of Title.

When there is no Will, Certificate of Title issuance is governed by the following guidelines:

A surviving spouse must present the original title and a Surviving Spouse Affidavit stating that the vehicle is not otherwise disposed of by the Will. A Surviving Spouse can transfer up to two passenger vehicles, or one passenger vehicle and one 3/4 ton or smaller truck, and one boat and one outboard motor title with a combined value of $40,000 or less.
If there is no surviving spouse, an Entry Relieving Estate from Administration must be applied for through Probate Court. The applicant must bring the documentation issued by the probate court and the original Certificate of Title to any Clerk of Courts Title Office.
If a vehicle is titled to two individuals as joint tenants with rights of survivorship, and one of the parties dies, the surviving party must bring the Certificate of Title and a copy of the decedent's Death Certificate to any title office to transfer the title to the survivor's name.
If a beneficiary is designated on the Certificate of Title, the survivor must bring a certified copy of the Death Certificate and the original Certificate of Title to any Clerk of Courts Title Office. This type of transaction is used primarily when there is no surviving spouse. Any vehicle owner may obtain an Affidavit for Designation of Beneficiary from a Clerk of Courts Title Office to designate one or more beneficiaries for that vehicle. The vehicle owner will need to provide all beneficiaries' full legal names, social security numbers and dates of birth.

Unclaimed Motor Vehicle Title
An owner of a repair garage, storage facility, or towing company can obtain an unclaimed motor vehicle title in the event that someone has abandoned a vehicle at these places of business. The following steps are required:

You must complete an Unclaimed Motor Vehicle Affidavit and mail it, along with a $2.00 fee, to the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles. To obtain this form, contact our office at (513) 887-3090.
The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles will perform a title search to determine the last known owner and, if applicable, the lien holder on the title. They will complete the “Bureau Use Only” section of the form and return it to you.
You must notify the last known owner and lien holder, if applicable, by certified mail return receipt requested, of the repair/storage charges, where the vehicle is located and that it must be claimed within fifteen (15) days from receipt of the notice, or ownership will be forfeited and any mortgage or lien will be invalid.
After fifteen (15) days, sign the bottom portion of the Unclaimed Motor Vehicle Affidavit before a Notary Public, and bring it to any title office along with the signed certified mail receipt or notification from the post office that delivery was not possible and a new title will be issued in your business' name.

If there is an abandoned vehicle on your street, contact local law enforcement, and they will remove the vehicle.

Utility and Commercial Trailers
Utility and commercial trailers weighing less than 4,000 pounds do not require Certificates of Title. Owners of trailers weighing 4,000 pounds or more follow the normal procedure for obtaining a Certificate of Title.

Incorrect Vehicle Identification Number on Title
Contact a Highway Patrol inspection station and ask that a Vehicle Verification check be performed on the vehicle. Mail a copy of this form and a copy of the front of the title with a brief letter of explanation and your phone number to the Ohio BMV, Title Division, P.O. Box 16520, Columbus, Ohio 43216-6520. The BMV will mail a correction letter and you must take that letter along with your title to the Clerk of Courts Title office for correction.

Lost or Stolen Vehicle Identification Plate
If you have a lost or stolen vehicle identification plate you will need to contact the Ohio BMV Title Division at (614) 752-7671 and ask for a replacement VIN letter to be sent to your address. This letter will explain how to apply through the Highway Patrol office for either a Department of Public Safety VIN replacement plate or a replacement issued directly from the manufacturer. The time frame for a manufacturer's plate is 6 to 8 weeks. After receiving the replacement, you may have the title replaced at the Clerk of Courts title office.

Titling a Vehicle to a Minor
If you are under 18, your parent or legal guardian must complete a minor consent form and accompany you when you appear in front of the Clerk of Courts title office staff to have a vehicle titled in your name in Ohio. The Minor Consent form is available in the Clerk of Courts office.

Exporting-Importing Your Vehicle
Contact the Ohio BMV Title Division at (614) 752-7671 and ask to speak to the export-import assistant. Upon completion of the required paperwork, you will be issued an official Ohio Export document upon the surrender of your Ohio Title to the BMV.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES