Title Issues Buying Car in Fl and Taking to Ohio

Here's what I did for The Challenge Minivan. It was listed by private party on CL Jacksonville. It just happened to be 10 minutes from Jeremy. He went and looked at it as well as did the on-site negotiations to drive the asking price from $1.8k to $1.2k purchase price.
I bought it with a bad odo LCD screen. When the truck dropped it off at my house, I then took the FL title down to Ohio BMV for temp tag. It was not titled yet in my name but $17 got me a 45 day tag. (No Vin check or odo check yet) I did not drive the van to the BMV.

Within that 45 days, I fixed the bad LCD for the odo, revealing the van's true milage. So, when it was time for the 45 days to run out, I drove the van to The Title Office where they checked the odo and vin. This got me a title with a true odo reading rather than odo unknown.

eastsidemav wrote: In reply to Knurled: My plan is to see if I can keep his rig for a bit, and tow it to the BMW on a Monday to be inspected, but I'm also wondering if I just don't fill out the date on the title until I get the thing running, I can just nab a paper tag for it, and drive it there for an inspection.

I don't think there is a late fee for titles, or if there is, it's like $5.

This is also exactly how I did the black RX-7. Got temp tags after maybe six months after getting the car home (part of buying the car was selling off some of the aftermarket bits on it), found out there was a title snafu (the dealership I got it from filled the title out with the wrong name) and drove it around on the temp tag for a while. The dealership faxed the corrected title paperwork directly to the title office and, well, that was back in 2007 or 2008 or something...

More curious is that they gave me a temp tag for a signed-over title that was not signed over to me.

There is a late fee for transferring the title over 30 days from the date it was signed. I think you are right about it being around $5.

It's definitely not enough to worry about.

EvanB wrote: There is a late fee for transferring the title over 30 days from the date it was signed. I think you are right about it being around $5. It's definitely not enough to worry about.

Okay, I've paid the late fee on something before, but had paid it just after the time limit, so I didn't know if it went up with more time or not. If it's $5 regardless, then, big whoop.

In reply to eastsidemav:

I think the thing lurking in my garage is 4 or 5 years late for the title transfer.

OP ... just get the FL title signed over to you and notorized (that is HUGE) at a bank when you purchase the vehicle. When back in OH, go to a Title Bureau (not to tbe BMV) with the vehicle and the signed over title. They will do a physical verification that the VIN's match there, as well as issue you a new OH title to replace the out of state one, and also charge you sales tax (which is infuriating, but I digress).

After that go to the BMV to get plates. They will ask you there if you have insurance on it, but sounds like you have that covered.

For whatever reason, OH has these two related functions in separate places ... no clue why.

As pointed out above, FL titles don't have to be notarized.

It doesn't have to be notarized; if you want to make an extra stop to have it notarized that's cool but it isn't needed. If you are selling a car OUT of Ohio then it would need to be notarized since the new owners state follows the old owners state laws; not the other way around. Also; the state of Ohio is really cracking down on "under sold" cars. I have received SIX of the tax department letters asking what a car was really bought or sold for vs what was written on the title this year. I know I buy lots of cheap cars but That's a really high percentage.

chandlerGTi wrote: It doesn't have to be notarized; if you want to make an extra stop to have it notarized that's cool but it isn't needed. If you are selling a car OUT of Ohio then it would need to be notarized since the new owners state follows the old owners state laws; not the other way around. Also; the state of Ohio is really cracking down on "under sold" cars. I have received SIX of the tax department letters asking what a car was really bought or sold for vs what was written on the title this year. I know I buy lots of cheap cars but That's a really high percentage.

Bought a 2003 S10 this week .... two "observations".

1) When doing the title transfer, OH agent commented that it was good that I had the title notorized. This was an in state transfer, so not completely sure if that comment would also apply if I bought the vehicle out of state or not, but to be safe, I'd get the title signed over to me in front of a notary to eliminate a possible problem When you get back to OH.

2) The title agent looked up the NADA vehicle value to compare to what was written by the seller on the title he gave me. I have not seen that done before, but goes slong with the valuation claim crackdown noted above. I guess the tax man is getting serious about getting his cut.