Is transferring the title the same as registering the car in Ohio?

No – transferring the title is not the same as registering the car, and in Ohio these are two different processes (though they are related). A vehicle title is the document that shows who legally owns the car. Registration is what allows the car to be driven on public roads (it’s how you get your license plates, validation stickers, and registration card).

When you buy a car (or otherwise acquire a vehicle), the first step is to get the title transferred into your name. This involves the seller signing over the title to you and you obtaining a new title from the Ohio title office listing you as the owner. This establishes legal ownership.

However, having your name on the title alone doesn’t give you plates or the right to drive the car on the road. For that, you must register the vehicle with the Ohio BMV. Registration typically happens after (or concurrently with) the title process. To register, you’ll need proof of ownership (your new title or memorandum of title), proof of insurance, and you’ll pay registration fees for license plates or transfer existing plates to the vehicle.

In practical terms: You usually go to the Clerk of Courts Title Office first to handle the title. Once you have the title (or at least the paperwork showing you will receive the title), you then go to a BMV deputy registrar to handle the registration and plates. In many Ohio counties, the title office and the registration office might be in the same building or nearby, but they are separate counters and separate transactions. Some title offices will even give you instructions or a checklist to go register the car after titling it.

So remember, after you complete the title transfer into your name, you’re not quite done if you intend to drive the car – you’ll need to ensure the car is properly registered and insured before taking it on the road. The title makes you the owner; the registration (with tags) makes it legal to drive.

If you have just done a title transfer with our assistance, we’ll be sure to remind you of the steps to get it registered. And if you have any confusion about the difference between title and registration, we’re happy to clarify those details so you stay compliant with Ohio law.