Titled in another state?
we do the inspection here
A used vehicle coming into Ohio needs a physical VIN inspection. A licensed Ohio dealer can perform it — which saves you a trip.
- VIN inspection done here
- No deputy registrar trip
- Any state's title
- Licensed Ohio dealer
This comes up more than you'd think in a city with as much relocation as Columbus. You moved here and never got round to retitling. Or the car was bought in Michigan, or inherited from a relative in Florida, or you're out of state entirely and selling to us. In every version the vehicle is titled somewhere that isn't Ohio, and there's one extra step. We can do that step.
The extra step, and why a dealer matters here
A used vehicle coming into Ohio on an out-of-state title requires a physical VIN inspection before an Ohio title can be issued. Someone has to physically look at the vehicle identification number and certify it matches the paperwork.
That inspection can be performed at any Ohio deputy registrar agency — or by any licensed Ohio motor vehicle dealer. We're the second kind, which means the inspection happens where the car already is instead of you making a separate trip and queuing for it.
The form is BMV 3774, the Application for Certificate of Title, and a completed inspection on it is valid for 30 days. That validity window is worth knowing if you're planning around a move: don't get it done six weeks early.
New vehicles that have never been titled anywhere are exempt. If you're reading this page, yours almost certainly isn't one.
The situations this covers
All of these are routine and none of them is a problem, though a couple carry extra paperwork.
- You moved to Ohio and never retitled. The most common by a distance. Selling is often the moment people discover it's still a Michigan or Kentucky title.
- You bought the car out of state. Bought while living elsewhere, or bought across a state line for the price.
- You inherited it from out of state. The estate paperwork from the other state comes into it — tell us early and we'll tell you what's needed.
- You're out of state and selling to us. Free pickup covers Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The title stays whatever it is; we handle the Ohio side.
- Military, titled in your home of record. Extremely common around DSCC. A service member stationed here often holds a title from a state they haven't lived in for years, and that's fine.
What you need to bring
The same as any sale, plus one document that's easy to overlook.
- The out-of-state title itself. Whatever state issued it. If there's a lien, the lender has it and we deal with them.
- Your driver's license. It does not have to be an Ohio license. The name has to match the title.
- The vehicle, for the inspection. This is the part that can't be done on paper — someone has to look at the VIN.
- Both keys. A missing second key is a real deduction and cheap to cut beforehand.
- Lien details, if there is one. An out-of-state lender adds a little time; tell us at the first conversation.
Every state words its title differently
This is the part that causes the most avoidable confusion, and it's worth a paragraph.
Titles are state documents, so the layout, the terminology and the location of the seller's assignment vary. What Ohio calls the assignment section another state calls something else and puts somewhere else. Some states require notarization; several don't.
The practical consequence: don't sign anything before you're in front of the right person. A title signed in the wrong section can't be corrected — no crossing out, no white-out — and a duplicate has to come from the issuing state, which is considerably slower than getting one from an Ohio clerk.
Bring it unsigned. We'll show you where, and if your state requires notarization we'll handle that too.
Timing, if you're working to a date
Out-of-state transactions have one or two more moving parts than an Ohio-titled sale, and it's worth building in a little room.
The inspection itself takes minutes. What can add time is an out-of-state lienholder, an estate document from another state, or a duplicate title that has to be requested from the issuing state rather than an Ohio office.
If you're moving, deploying, or closing something out on a deadline, say so at the first conversation. We schedule around dates regularly and it's straightforward when we know about it in advance.
Two things still apply regardless of where the title came from: it has to be a clean title — no salvage, rebuilt or reconstructed — and the vehicle has to run and drive.
Common questions
Can you buy a car that's titled in another state?
Yes, routinely. As a licensed Ohio motor vehicle dealer we can accept a title from any state and complete the Ohio side ourselves. The one extra step is a physical VIN inspection, which we're licensed to perform here — you don't need to make a separate trip to a deputy registrar for it.
Do I need an Ohio driver's license to sell you the car?
No. Your license doesn't need to be an Ohio one. What matters is that the name on your identification matches the name on the title. Plenty of people we buy from are recent arrivals, service members titled in a home of record, or living out of state entirely.
What is the VIN inspection actually for?
It confirms the vehicle identification number on the car matches the number on the out-of-state paperwork, before Ohio issues a title against it. It takes minutes and it's done on Form BMV 3774. The completed inspection is valid for 30 days, so it shouldn't be done far in advance of the transfer.
Should I retitle the car in Ohio first and then sell it?
Generally no — that's paying to bring a vehicle into Ohio's system purely to hand it to someone else. You'd cover the title fee, the registration, and in many cases tax, then sell. Selling on the existing out-of-state title and letting us handle the transfer avoids all of it.
My title is from a state that requires notarization. Does that change anything?
We'll handle it. Requirements vary — some states require the seller's signature notarized, several don't, and the assignment section sits in a different place on almost every state's document. The important thing is to bring the title unsigned and let us show you where. A title signed in the wrong section can't be corrected, and a duplicate has to come from the issuing state, which is slow.
I'm out of state. Can you still buy it?
Yes, if you're within reach. Pickup is free anywhere in Ohio and across Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and it never comes out of your offer. Beyond those it becomes case by case — tell us where the vehicle is and we'll give you a straight answer.
Send us the details
Tell us the year, make, model, mileage and which state the title is from. We'll come back within 24 hours.
Or call (614) 321-1356 · 6780 Caine Rd, Columbus, OH 43235
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