Yes, a notary is required.
Yes. The seller completes the assignment of ownership on the back of the title and has the signature notarized.
In the official wording
"have their signature(s) notarized"
From the official pages listed below, checked November 2026.
What else the signing needs
- Buyer's signature
- Yes. The buyer's title application is sworn to before a notary or another officer who can give oaths (ORC 4505.06).
"shall be sworn to before a notary public or other officer empowered to administer oaths"
- Buyer's deadline
- The title transfer takes place within 30 days of the sale, at a Clerk of Courts title office, or a late fee applies.
"Title transfers must take place within 30 days of the date of sale, otherwise a late fee will be assessed."
- Title fee
- $18 at the county clerk of courts, or $23 where the county commissioners adopt a resolution (from January 1, 2026).
"Eighteen dollars, or twenty-three dollars if a board of county commissioners adopts a resolution."
Next step
The seller signs the paper title in front of a notary, usually with the buyer there too, so a local notary near both of you is simplest. We don't notarize titles by video.
Request a mobile notary in Ohio
In person, we look for a notary commissioned in Ohio near you; you approve the price first.
If a local notary in Ohio does it: Up to $5 for a notarial act that is not an online notarization, under the state's fee rules (Ohio notary fees).
Official sources
- Ohio BMV: Vehicle Titles, Used Motor Vehicle (checked November 2026)
- Ohio Revised Code 4505.06: Application for certificate of title (checked November 2026)
- Ohio Revised Code 4505.09: Certificate of title fees (checked November 2026)
We are not lawyers, and this is general information, not legal advice. Checked November 2026. Rules change, and whoever receives the document decides what it accepts; we can't guarantee acceptance.
Common questions
Is notarization required to sign over a Ohio car title?
Yes, a notary is required. The seller completes the assignment of ownership on the back of the title and has the signature notarized.
Does the buyer's signature need a notary in Ohio?
Yes. The buyer's title application is sworn to before a notary or another officer who can give oaths (ORC 4505.06).
How long does the buyer have to title the car in Ohio?
The title transfer takes place within 30 days of the sale, at a Clerk of Courts title office, or a late fee applies.
Can a Ohio car title be notarized online?
We don't offer that for titles. The seller usually signs the paper title with a local notary, often with the buyer there. Outside New Jersey, our mobile notary request page can look for a notary commissioned in Ohio.
What does a notary charge in Ohio?
Up to $5 for a notarial act that is not an online notarization, under the state's fee rules. A mobile notary may add a travel fee; ask for the total first.
Keep going
- Seller's checklist
- Car title rules in every state
- A power of attorney in Ohio
- A will in Ohio
- A small estate affidavit in Ohio
A car title in another state: North Carolina · Oklahoma · every state