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Gifting a Car in Ohio: What It Really Costs

Giving a vehicle away in Ohio is cheap because the state's sales tax exemption isn't limited to close relatives - it applies whenever no money or other consideration changes hands. Write "GIFT" in the price field on the title application (not $0.00), and the county Clerk of Courts should process the transfer with no sales tax owed at all. What you still owe: the $18 title fee (up to $23 in counties with the local surcharge), plus registration if you're putting new plates on it.

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Your numbers

$

Ohio taxes a vehicle at the rate where the BUYER lives, not where the dealer is - 5.75% state plus a 0.75%–2.25% county permissive tax.

Official fees

Ohio gift a car fee chart

Sales tax on a genuine gift

$0.00

no money or trade changes hands

Certificate of title

$18.00

up to $23 by county

Notation of lien (if any)

$15.00

New registration/plates (if needed)

≈ $44–$74/yr

state fee + service fee + county permissive tax

Non-gift 'sale' at a token price

Taxed on price or fair market value

county can question a suspiciously low price

Figures verified July 2026 against official sources (listed below). Always confirm the final amount with your county deputy registrar (Ohio BMV) - counties can add small local fees.

Official Ohio forms you'll need

  • BMV 3774Application(s) for Certificate of Title to a Motor Vehicle

    'gift' is written as the purchase price on the title assignment and no sales tax is due when there is no consideration. (Third-party sites citing 'BMV 3724 Affidavit of Gift' are incorrect - BMV 3724 is the Odometer Disclosure Statement.).

Get the current version of each form from your county deputy registrar (Ohio BMV) before you file - agencies revise forms, and offices reject outdated ones.

Step by step

How to gift a car in Ohio

  1. 1

    Confirm no money, services, or trade is changing hands - that's what makes it a gift, not a sale.

  2. 2

    Sign the title over to the recipient; in the sale-price field write "GIFT," never $0.00.

  3. 3

    Both parties bring the signed title and ID to the county Clerk of Courts title office.

  4. 4

    If asked, sign a statement affirming no consideration was paid (some counties use Ohio's STEC MV exemption certificate).

  5. 5

    Pay the $18–$23 title fee - no sales tax - then take the title to a deputy registrar for new plates if needed.

Sales tax on a gift
$0
Title fee
$18–$23
Eligible
Anyone, no consideration
On the application
"GIFT," not $0
New plates
≈ $44–$74/yr extra

Overview

Court-ordered transfers - divorce settlements, estate distributions - get the same no-consideration treatment. The catch: because Ohio's exemption isn't a strict family-only rule like some states use, clerks can be more careful about anything that doesn't look like an obvious family gift, and may ask you to sign a statement or provide Ohio's STEC MV exemption certificate confirming no payment was involved.

Same state, other costs

More Ohio vehicle costs

Common questions

Ohio gift a car FAQ

Does gifting a car in Ohio require the recipient to be family?
No - Ohio's exemption is for transfers with no consideration exchanged, not a family-only rule. A genuine gift to a friend should qualify the same as one to a spouse or child, though clerks may look more closely at non-family transfers and could ask for a signed statement.
What should I write for the sale price on a gifted car's title?
"GIFT." Never write $0.00 - some clerks read a stated $0 price as a red flag requiring more documentation, while "GIFT" clearly states the nature of the transfer and is the standard practice statewide.
Can I just sell the car for $1 to my kid instead of calling it a gift?
It doesn't save anything and can backfire - a token $1 'sale' can prompt the county to check fair market value and tax you on that instead. Calling it what it is (a gift, with the GIFT notation) is simpler and cleaner.
Do I still pay the title and registration fees on a gifted car?
Yes. The exemption only covers sales tax - the recipient still pays the standard $18–$23 title fee, any lien recording fee, and full registration fees (state fee, deputy registrar fee, county permissive tax, EV/hybrid surcharge if applicable) just like any other transfer.
What about a car gifted through a divorce or an estate?
Court-ordered transfers with no consideration - dividing marital property in a divorce, or distributing a vehicle from an estate - get the same sales-tax exemption as any other gift. Bring the court order or estate paperwork to the Clerk of Courts along with the title.
Does the recipient owe any other tax on a gifted vehicle?
No state income tax applies to a gift, and Ohio has no separate gift tax. A federal gift-tax question could theoretically arise for the giver on a very high-value vehicle, but that's an IRS filing matter, not something the county collects.

Receipts

Official sources

Every number on this page comes from these documents - check them yourself.

Everywhere else

Gifting a Car: Taxes & Fees by state

Fees and rules are different in every state. Pick yours for exact numbers.

each state hand-verified against its DMV before it goes live

Disclaimer

DMVCosts provides fee estimates for general informational purposes only - it is not legal, tax, or financial advice, and no calculator can account for every county surcharge, exemption, or mid-year rate change. Figures are verified against official sources on the date shown, but fees change over time.

The final, binding amount is always the one quoted by your county deputy registrar (Ohio BMV). Confirm with them before making payment decisions. To the fullest extent permitted by law, DMVCosts disclaims all liability for decisions made based on these estimates.