Free Ohio Vehicle Transfer on Death

Free Ohio vehicle transfer on death form. Name a beneficiary to inherit your vehicle without probate. Notarization required. PDF download.

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Owner Information

Enter your information as the registered owner. If the vehicle is jointly owned, you can add the second owner below.

How is the vehicle titled?*

Choose "Jointly owned" if two people are on the title. Joint owners must hold title with right of survivorship to jointly designate.

I am the sole ownerJointly owned with one other person

First Name*

Middle Name

Last Name*

Driver License / ID Number

Most state titling forms ask for the owner’s driver license or ID number.

Street Address*

City*

State*

ZIP Code*

State Where the Vehicle Is Titled*

County Where You Live

Ohio files vehicle titles at a county office rather than a central DMV.

Email Address*

Phone Number*

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In Ohio the beneficiary is added with Transfer on Death Beneficiary Designation / Removal Affidavit (Form BMV 3811), a separate designation form. The title then shows it this way: The words "transfer-on-death" or the abbreviation "TOD" appear after the owner's name and before the beneficiary name(s) on the certificate of title.

Yes. The designation must be notarized. Applications for a certificate of title must be sworn to before a notary public (R.C. 4505.06(A)(1)). No notarization is required on any title document when a licensed Ohio motor vehicle dealer (R.C. Chapter 4517) is a party to the transfer (R.C. 4505.063).

In Ohio the designation is filed at your county title office; the County Clerk of Courts Title Office (Ohio BMV oversees motor vehicle records) issues the title. The current title is surrendered and reissued in beneficiary form. The standard certificate-of-title fee applies to issue the replacement title in beneficiary form; there is no separate TOD designation fee. The statutory title fee is $18, or $23 in counties whose board of county commissioners has adopted a resolution authorizing the increased fee.

Yes. Ohio lets joint owners name a beneficiary together. Joint owners must hold title with right of survivorship to jointly designate. Owners holding as tenants in common cannot.

Ohio puts the vehicle in the probate estate when no beneficiary survives the owner. If no designated beneficiary survives the owner, the motor vehicle, watercraft, or outboard motor is included in the owner's probate estate. The designation covers the vehicle alone; a revocable trust set up with SimplyTrust carries the rest of the estate.

Ohio Vehicle Transfer on Death

Ohio allows a transfer-on-death beneficiary designation on a vehicle title. It names someone to receive the vehicle directly at the owner's death, without probate. The owner keeps full ownership and control during life and can sell the vehicle, or change or cancel the designation, at any time.

In Ohio, the designation is made through the County Clerk of Courts Title Office (Ohio BMV oversees motor vehicle records) using Transfer on Death Beneficiary Designation / Removal Affidavit (Form BMV 3811). It is notarized before it is submitted. A new certificate of title is issued showing the beneficiary.

Ohio extends the designation beyond cars to these title classes: motor vehicle, watercraft, outboard motor, all-purpose vehicle, and off-highway motorcycle.

A vehicle TOD designation covers only the vehicle on the title, not a home, accounts or other property. A revocable living trust covers every asset it holds in one document and avoids probate for all of it; the trust vs. will comparison sets the two side by side.

SimplyTrust Editorial·Updated August 25, 2026

Legal Sources

Ohio Rev. Code 2131.13

Data sourced from Ohio statutes and official state code. How we research.

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Ohio Vehicle Transfer on Death

Ohio extends the designation beyond cars to these title classes: motor vehicle, watercraft, outboard motor, all-purpose vehicle, and off-highway motorcycle.

SimplyTrust Editorial·Updated August 25, 2026

Legal Sources

Ohio Rev. Code 2131.13

Data sourced from Ohio statutes and official state code. How we research.

Free Ohio Vehicle Transfer on Death

Owner Information

Is this your situation?

Retirement

New Home

Moving to a New State

Forms for Planning Your Estate in Ohio

Healthcare Power of Attorney

Financial Power of Attorney

Transfer on Death Deed

Living Will

Last Will and Testament

Tools for Planning Your Estate in Ohio

Do I Need a TOD Deed?

Do I Need a Vehicle TOD?

What Does Estate Planning Actually Cost?

How Much Life Insurance Do I Need?

Are My Beneficiary Designations Protected?

How Do I Sign Estate Documents?

Will My Estate Documents Transfer?

How Much Does Probate Cost?

When you're ready, we're here.

Ohio Estate Planning Resources

Free Ohio Vehicle Transfer on Death

Owner Information