How to Get a Copy of Car Title Online

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• Upon the death of a married person, the surviving spouse may transfer an unlimited amount of vehicles totaling a value of $65,000
• The death certificate must show you were legally married to the deceased at the time of death in order to apply for the Certificate of Title as a surviving spouse
• Ohio requires new registration and license plates when transferring to an heir or beneficiary, but a surviving spouse may keep the license plates that are already on the vehicle
• Recreational vehicles and mobile homes are not considered "automobiles" and cannot simply be titled to a surviving spouse

Getting your affairs in order after the passing of your husband or wife is tough. After dealing with a huge, life altering event like this, the last thing you want to do is worry about paperwork. Nevertheless you need to take care of these types of things. No worries, there are a few ways to make this whole process a bit less stressful. You can enlist the help of companies like eTags who process vehicle paperwork online.

Use eTags^© to Quickly Complete Your DMV Service. Renewals, Title Transfers and More, All Online!

While you need to visit the local Clerk of Courts Title Office, aka title bureau, in person to transfer the title, you can save time by skipping the next trip to the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) when you're ready to register the vehicle online.

Instead of waiting in another line or for another appointment, let eTags complete your Ohio vehicle registration online. eTags provides awesome customer service who will guide you through the process. They allow you to submit/upload your documents for registration online for digital approval, so you never have to leave your couch! eTags requires only one Ohio BMV form for vehicle registration, the BMV-5736 ,and they'll pre-populate all of the details so all you add is a signature. They make it super convenient and very little work on your end!

During the summer of 2021, Ohio had over 221,000 vehicle registrations that needed to be renewed due to previous Covid extensions

Ultimately, staying organized and gathering information will help you get your Ohio vehicles transferred without a hiccup!

You need a few basic documents to begin
A few bits of paperwork that you need to gather before heading to your local BMV office include the original title, the certified copy of the death certificate, and your photo ID or driver's license. Those are the easy ones. You must also provide the BMV 3773 or Surviving Spouse Affidavit.

All you need is a few standard details you can find on your car registration. Info like VIN, make, model, year, title number, and approximate value. You can always check out the Kelly Blue Book value of your car online. This form along with the Application for Certificate of Title to a Motor Vehicle needs to be notarized, so be sure not to sign until you're in front of a notary agent. Luckily, this service is available at BMV offices.

Be prepared to pay for your title transfer in Ohio
The BMV fees might vary depending on the county you live in, but a title transfer fee of $15-$17 always applies. Generally, the clerk of courts accepts multiple forms of payment like cash, credit and debit cards, certified check, or money order made payable to your county.

To transfer the OH title, you need the original title of the vehicle, the certified copy of the death certificate, a surviving spouse affidavit and your driver's license as the surviving spouse

You have two tags cycles to renew
There are a few other good things to know that may or may not apply to your situation. If the title has not been transferred to the surviving spouse's name yet, the registration can legally be renewed for up to two registration cycles in the deceased name. This could be helpful when there's a will involved or if there are court proceedings that'll delay the transfer. After two renewal cycles, the vehicle must be titled in Ohio in the new owner's name.
SEE ALSO: OHIO VEHICLE REGISTRATION, HOW TO RENEW YOUR OH TAGS

Also, in some cases there's a lien present. If the deceased was still making payments on the car, nothing will change with the lien. If one exists, it'll simply be carried over to the new owner. Usually, a "memorandum title" will be issued if a lien is present. This is used to get a new license plate if necessary.

Speaking of license plates, when transferring ownership as the surviving spouse you're able to keep the license plates that are already on the car or other type of vehicle like SUV, pickup truck or motorcycle. If you're just about anyone but the spouse, you must apply for a new Ohio license plate.

Check online before you go
Depending on your Ohio county, you may need an appointment at the title bureau. After you have your documents together, get online and check if you need an appointment first. This is a good time to check that your ID meets BMV requirements as well. A list of acceptable ID options based on your county can be found online.

If there was a lien on the vehicle being transferred, it'll be carried over to surviving spouse

Once you've made a plan and you have all your documents together, all there's left to do is to do it. Losing your spouse is one of the toughest things to go through. In the aftermath, you have so much to deal with, from insurance policies to social security survivor benefits, to property deeds and more. Hopefully, you've found some valuable information here on how to take transferring your vehicle off your plate.

How to Get a Copy of Car Title Online

Source: https://www.etags.com/blog/ohio-title-transfer-to-a-surviving-spouse-after-death/

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