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Ohio’s Inspection Law for Salvage and Self-Assembled Vehicles
Ohio has a vehicle inspection requirement for all vehicles that
are self-assembled or salvaged. It’s important to be aware
of this law, especially if you’re obtaining a vehicle after
it has been considered a “total” loss by an insurance
company. Before owners can obtain a vehicle title, an inspection
must be completed by the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
The purpose of this inspection is to verify the ownership of all
the vehicle parts and to review all required documentation. It is
not intended to certify the vehicle’s safety, road worthiness
or the quality of workmanship. The cost is currently $50 per inspection.
Inspection process
- Obtain an inspection application from any Ohio State
Highway Patrol post
- Complete and return the application, with appropriate
fees, to:
Investigative Services
1970 W. Broad Street
Columbus, OH 43223
The only acceptable forms of payment are a certified check or
money order, payable to Treasurer, State of Ohio.
- Contact the nearest area Ohio State Highway Patrol Salvage
Inspection Location to arrange for an appointment (Click
here for a list of locations.)
- Provide all required documentation for the salvage inspection
at the scheduled appointment (see documentation list below).
Documentation
Required at Vehicle Inspections
For salvage and
self-assembled vehicles |
| Item/Documentation |
Salvage vehicle
|
Self-assembled
|
Ohio
salvage title in the name of the person applying for the title.
Note: Assigned and out-of-state salvage titles cannot be
accepted. |
x |
|
Titles,
receipts and documentation for all replaced “major component
parts”* including the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
of the source vehicle.
Note: Receipts obtained from a casual sale by an individual
must be notarized. Photocopies of receipts cannot be accepted.
|
x |
x |
| Inspection
officer may require receipts or documentation of any part of
questionable origin. |
x |
x |
| A
receipt of the $50 inspection fee. |
x |
x |
| When
“kits” are used, the manufacturer’s certificate
of origin must be presented. |
|
x |
* Major component parts listed
below
Source: Ohio State Highway Patrol
Inspection procedures
- Vehicle must be completely rebuilt and ready for highway
operation
- Before either a salvage or self-assembled inspection is conducted,
all receipts and documents will be examined. Inspection will not
be conducted if any items are missing, incorrect or incomplete.
- Individual presenting the vehicle for inspection will
be permitted in the inspection area only when authorized by the
inspecting officer.
- Applicant may be instructed to remove certain vehicle body
parts before arriving for the inspection. During inspection,
it may be necessary to remove certain parts to allow examination
of Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN). Also, it may be necessary
to leave the vehicle overnight.
- Any vehicle or component part bearing a VIN or VIN derivative
determined to be stolen/missing or altered will result in
the vehicle being impounded and held as evidence and/or seized
for forfeiture.
Failure to meet all these requirements necessitates a rescheduling
of the inspection.
Check the history of a vehicle
The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles offers free online vehicle title
searches through their Web site at www.ohiobmv.com.
Titles can be searched by VIN for vehicles from March 1993 to present.
Or, take the VIN to your county’s title bureau. For $2 you
can obtain info regarding the mileage, whether the vehicle was a
“lemon” or was crashed and written as a salvaged vehicle.
If the county doesn’t have information about a specific vehicle,
contact the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (614-752-7671).
Another option would be to contact CarFax Inc. (www.carfax.com),
a company that collects info from all 50 states. A one-time Internet
search costs $14.99, while $19.99 will buy you an unlimited search
for a 60-day period.
Source: Ohio State Highway Patrol
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More than 21 million vehicles were
recalled for safety reasons in 2000, a record. Recalls have
risen each year since 1982, according to the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration.
(The NY Times, 12/29/00)
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