Ohio Car Title Notarization: What Sellers Must Do
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Yes. In Ohio, the seller's signature on the title assignment must be notarized, by a notary public or a deputy clerk at a county title office.
Key facts
- Complete the sale before notarizing. Fill in the buyer's name, price and odometer. Ohio notaries are warned not to notarize incomplete ("open") titles (Ohio notary cautionary documents).
- Clerk notarization fee: Franklin County Clerk of Courts title offices charge $1 per notarization (Franklin County Clerk, Auto Title). Other counties may differ.
- Electronic titles: If there's no paper title, Ohio uses form BMV 3770 for the assignment (Ohio BMV Titles).
- Buyer deadline: The buyer must transfer the title within 30 days.
- Signing for someone else requires BMV 3771, Power of Attorney for Certificate of Title (same source).
In person vs online
| Deputy clerk / in-person notary | Online notary | |
|---|---|---|
| Accepted by Ohio title offices | Yes | Ask your county title office before relying on it |
| Cost | $1 at Franklin County clerk | Platform pricing |
In-person is the safe default for Ohio titles. Use online only after the county title office confirms it: Notarize · NotaryLive.