Section 1. That sections 505.871, 4501.25, 4505.061, 4505.11, | 7 |
4738.01, 4738.02, 4738.03, 4738.17, and 4738.99 be amended and | 8 |
sections 4738.021, 4738.022, and 4738.031 of the Revised Code be | 9 |
enacted to read as follows: | 10 |
(3) The board shall serve the notice under this division by | 36 |
sending it by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the | 37 |
owner of the land, if the owner resides in the unincorporated | 38 |
territory of the township or if the owner resides outside the | 39 |
unincorporated territory of the township and the owner's address | 40 |
is known or ascertainable through an exercise of reasonable | 41 |
diligence. The board also shall send notice in such manner to any | 42 |
holders of liens of record on the land. If a notice sent by | 43 |
certified mail is refused or unclaimed, or if an owner's address | 44 |
is unknown and cannot reasonably be ascertained by an exercise of | 45 |
reasonable diligence, the board shall publish the notice once in a | 46 |
newspaper of general circulation in the township before the | 47 |
removal of the vehicle, and, if the land contains any structures, | 48 |
the board also shall post the notice on the principal structure on | 49 |
the land. | 50 |
(D) The board of township trustees may cause the removal or | 56 |
may employ the labor, materials, and equipment necessary to remove | 57 |
a junk motor vehicle under this section. All expenses incurred in | 58 |
removing or causing the removal of a junk motor vehicle, when | 59 |
approved by the board, shall be paid out of the township general | 60 |
fund from moneys not otherwise appropriated, except that if the | 61 |
expenses exceed five hundred dollars, the board may borrow moneys | 62 |
from a financial institution to pay the expenses in whole or in | 63 |
part. | 64 |
(E) The board of township trustees may utilize any lawful | 65 |
means to collect the expenses incurred in removing or causing the | 66 |
removal of a junk motor vehicle under this section, including any | 67 |
fees or interest paid to borrow moneys under division (D) of this | 68 |
section. The board may direct the township fiscal officer to | 69 |
certify the expenses and a description of the land to the county | 70 |
auditor, who shall place the expenses upon the tax duplicate as a | 71 |
lien upon the land to be collected as other taxes and returned to | 72 |
the township general fund. | 73 |
(2) Notwithstanding section 4513.63 of the Revised Code, if a | 79 |
junk motor vehicle is removed and disposed of in accordance with | 80 |
this section, the clerk of courts of the county shall issue a | 81 |
salvage certificate of title for that junk motor vehicle to a | 82 |
motor vehicle salvage dealer licensed pursuant to Chapter 4738. of | 83 |
the Revised Code or a scrap metal processing facility licensed | 84 |
pursuant to sections 4737.05 to 4737.12 of the Revised Code if all | 85 |
of the following conditions are satisfied: | 86 |
Sec. 4501.25. There is hereby created in the state treasury | 121 |
the state bureau of motor vehicles fund. The fund shall consist of | 122 |
all money collected by the registrar of motor vehicles, including | 123 |
taxes, fees, and fines levied, charged, or referred to in Chapters | 124 |
4501., 4503., 4505., 4506., 4507., 4509., 4510., 4511., 4517., | 125 |
4519., and 4521., and sections 3123.59, 2935.27, 2937.221, | 126 |
3123.59, 4738.06, and 4738.13, and 4738.18 of the Revised Code | 127 |
unless otherwise designated by law. The fund shall be used to pay | 128 |
the expenses of administering the law relative to the powers and | 129 |
duties of the registrar of motor vehicles. All investment earnings | 130 |
of the fund shall be retained by the fund. | 131 |
Sec. 4505.061. If the application for a certificate of title | 132 |
refers to a motor vehicle last previously registered in another | 133 |
state, the application shall be accompanied by a physical | 134 |
inspection certificate issued by the department of public safety | 135 |
verifying the make, body type, model, and manufacturer's vehicle | 136 |
identification number of the motor vehicle for which the | 137 |
certificate of title is desired. The physical inspection | 138 |
certificate shall be in such form as is designated by the | 139 |
registrar of motor vehicles. The physical inspection of the motor | 140 |
vehicle shall be made at a deputy registrar's office, or at an | 141 |
established place of business operated by a licensed motor vehicle | 142 |
dealer. Additionally, the physical inspection of a salvage vehicle | 143 |
owned by an insurance company may be made at an established place | 144 |
of business operated by a salvage motor vehicle salvage dealer, | 145 |
salvage motor vehicle auction, or salvage motor vehicle pool | 146 |
licensed under Chapter 4738. of the Revised Code. The deputy | 147 |
registrar, the motor vehicle dealer, or the salvage motor vehicle | 148 |
salvage dealer, salvage motor vehicle auction, or salvage motor | 149 |
vehicle pool may charge a maximum fee of
two dollars and | 150 |
seventy-five cents commencing on July 1, 2001, three dollars and | 151 |
twenty-five cents commencing on January 1, 2003, and three dollars | 152 |
and fifty cents commencing on January 1, 2004, for conducting the | 153 |
physical inspection. | 154 |
The clerk of the court of common pleas shall charge a fee of | 155 |
one dollar and fifty cents for the processing of each physical | 156 |
inspection certificate. The clerk shall retain fifty cents of the | 157 |
one dollar and fifty cents so charged and shall pay the remaining | 158 |
one dollar to the registrar by monthly returns, which shall be | 159 |
forwarded to the registrar not later than the fifth day of the | 160 |
month next succeeding that in which the certificate is received by | 161 |
the clerk. The registrar shall pay such remaining sums into the | 162 |
state bureau of motor vehicles fund established by section 4501.25 | 163 |
of the Revised Code. | 164 |
(A) Each owner of a motor vehicle and each person mentioned | 168 |
as owner in the last certificate of title, when the motor vehicle | 169 |
is dismantled, destroyed, or changed in such manner that it loses | 170 |
its character as a motor vehicle, or changed in such manner that | 171 |
it is not the motor vehicle described in the certificate of title, | 172 |
shall surrender the certificate of title to that motor vehicle to | 173 |
a clerk of a court of common pleas, and the clerk, with the | 174 |
consent of any holders of any liens noted on the certificate of | 175 |
title, then shall enter a cancellation upon the clerk's records | 176 |
and shall notify the registrar of motor vehicles of the | 177 |
cancellation. | 178 |
(B)(1) If an Ohio certificate of title or salvage certificate | 183 |
of title to a motor vehicle is assigned to a salvage dealer, the | 184 |
dealer is not required to obtain an Ohio certificate of title or a | 185 |
salvage certificate of title to the motor vehicle in the dealer's | 186 |
own name if the dealer dismantles or destroys the motor vehicle, | 187 |
indicates the number of the dealer's motor vehicle salvage | 188 |
dealer's license on it, marks "FOR DESTRUCTION" across the face of | 189 |
the certificate of title or salvage certificate of title, and | 190 |
surrenders the certificate of title or salvage certificate of | 191 |
title to a clerk of a court of common pleas as provided in | 192 |
division (A) of this section. If the salvage dealer retains the | 193 |
motor vehicle for resale, the dealer shall make application for a | 194 |
salvage certificate of title to the motor vehicle in the dealer's | 195 |
own name as provided in division (C)(1) of this section. | 196 |
(b) If an insurance company obtains possession of the motor | 211 |
vehicle but is unable to obtain the properly endorsed certificate | 212 |
of title for the motor vehicle within thirty business days | 213 |
following the vehicle's owner or lienholder's acceptance of the | 214 |
insurance company's payment for the vehicle, the insurance company | 215 |
may apply to the clerk of a court of common pleas for a salvage | 216 |
certificate of title without delivering the certificate of title | 217 |
for the motor vehicle. The application shall be accompanied by | 218 |
evidence that the insurance company has paid a total loss claim on | 219 |
the vehicle, a copy of the written request for the certificate of | 220 |
title on the insurance company's letterhead, and the original | 221 |
certified mail, return receipt notice, addressed to the last known | 222 |
owner of the vehicle and any known lienholder, to obtain the | 223 |
certificate of title. | 224 |
(c) Upon receipt of a properly completed application for a | 225 |
salvage certificate of title as described in division (C)(1)(a) or | 226 |
(b) or (C)(2) of this section, the clerk shall issue the salvage | 227 |
certificate of title on a form, prescribed by the registrar, that | 228 |
shall be easily distinguishable from the original certificate of | 229 |
title and shall bear the same information as the original | 230 |
certificate of title except that it may bear a different number | 231 |
than that of the original certificate of title. ExceptThe salvage | 232 |
certificate of title shall include the following notice in bold | 233 |
lettering: | 234 |
Except as provided in division (C)(3) of this section, the | 236 |
salvage certificate of title shall be assigned by the insurance | 237 |
company to a salvage dealer or any other person for use as | 238 |
evidence of ownership upon the sale or other disposition of the | 239 |
motor vehicle, and the salvage certificate of title shall be | 240 |
transferrable to any other person. The clerk shall charge a fee of | 241 |
four dollars for the cost of processing each salvage certificate | 242 |
of title. | 243 |
(2) If an insurance company requests that a salvage motor | 244 |
vehicle auction take possession of a motor vehicle that is the | 245 |
subject of an insurance claim, and subsequently the insurance | 246 |
company denies coverage with respect to the motor vehicle or does | 247 |
not otherwise take ownership of the motor vehicle, the salvage | 248 |
motor vehicle auction may proceed as follows. After the salvage | 249 |
motor vehicle auction has possession of the motor vehicle for | 250 |
forty-five days, it may apply to the clerk of a court of common | 251 |
pleas for a salvage certificate of title without delivering the | 252 |
certificate of title for the motor vehicle. The application shall | 253 |
be accompanied by a copy of the written request that the vehicle | 254 |
be removed from the facility on the salvage motor vehicle | 255 |
auction's letterhead, and the original certified mail, return | 256 |
receipt notice, addressed to the last known owner of the vehicle | 257 |
and any known lienholder, requesting that the vehicle be removed | 258 |
from the facility of the salvage motor vehicle auction. Upon | 259 |
receipt of a properly completed application, the clerk shall | 260 |
follow the process as described in division (C)(1)(c) of this | 261 |
section. The salvage certificate of title so issued shall be free | 262 |
and clear of all liens. | 263 |
(3) If an insurance company considers a motor vehicle as | 264 |
described in division (C)(1)(a) or (b) of this section to be | 265 |
impossible to restore for highway operation, the insurance company | 266 |
may assign the certificate of title to the motor vehicle to a | 267 |
salvage dealer or scrap metal processing facility and send the | 268 |
assigned certificate of title to the clerk of the court of common | 269 |
pleas of any county. The insurance company shall mark the face of | 270 |
the certificate of title "FOR DESTRUCTION" and shall deliver a | 271 |
photocopy of the certificate of title to the salvage dealer or | 272 |
scrap metal processing facility for its records. | 273 |
(4) If an insurance company declares it economically | 274 |
impractical to repair a motor vehicle, agrees to pay to the | 275 |
insured or claimant owner an amount in settlement of a claim | 276 |
against a policy of motor vehicle insurance covering the motor | 277 |
vehicle, and agrees to permit the insured or claimant owner to | 278 |
retain possession of the motor vehicle, the insurance company | 279 |
shall not pay the insured or claimant owner any amount in | 280 |
settlement of the insurance claim until the owner obtains a | 281 |
salvage certificate of title to the vehicle and furnishes a copy | 282 |
of the salvage certificate of title to the insurance company. | 283 |
(D) When a self-insured organization, rental or leasing | 284 |
company, or secured creditor becomes the owner of a motor vehicle | 285 |
that is burned, damaged, or dismantled and is determined to be | 286 |
economically impractical to repair, the self-insured organization, | 287 |
rental or leasing company, or secured creditor shall do one of the | 288 |
following: | 289 |
(1) Mark the face of the certificate of title to the motor | 290 |
vehicle "FOR DESTRUCTION" and surrender the certificate of title | 291 |
to a clerk of a court of common pleas for cancellation as | 292 |
described in division (A) of this section. The self-insured | 293 |
organization, rental or leasing company, or secured creditor then | 294 |
shall deliver the motor vehicle, together with a photocopy of the | 295 |
certificate of title, to a salvage dealer or scrap metal | 296 |
processing facility and shall cause the motor vehicle to be | 297 |
dismantled, flattened, crushed, or destroyed. | 298 |
(2) Obtain a salvage certificate of title to the motor | 299 |
vehicle in the name of the self-insured organization, rental or | 300 |
leasing company, or secured creditor, as provided in division | 301 |
(C)(1) of this section, and then sell or otherwise dispose of the | 302 |
motor vehicle. If the motor vehicle is sold, the self-insured | 303 |
organization, rental or leasing company, or secured creditor shall | 304 |
obtain a salvage certificate of title to the motor vehicle in the | 305 |
name of the purchaser from a clerk of a court of common pleas. | 306 |
(E) If a motor vehicle titled with a salvage certificate of | 307 |
title is restored for operation upon the highways, application | 308 |
shall be made to a clerk of a court of common pleas for a | 309 |
certificate of title. Upon inspection by the state highway patrol, | 310 |
which shall include establishing proof of ownership and an | 311 |
inspection of the motor number and vehicle identification number | 312 |
of the motor vehicle and of documentation or receipts for the | 313 |
materials used in restoration by the owner of the motor vehicle | 314 |
being inspected, which documentation or receipts shall be | 315 |
presented at the time of inspection, the clerk, upon surrender of | 316 |
the salvage certificate of title, shall issue a certificate of | 317 |
title for a fee prescribed by the registrar. The certificate of | 318 |
title shall be in the same form as the original certificate of | 319 |
title and shall bear the words "REBUILT SALVAGE" in black boldface | 320 |
letters on its face. Every subsequent certificate of title, | 321 |
memorandum certificate of title, or duplicate certificate of title | 322 |
issued for the motor vehicle also shall bear the words "REBUILT | 323 |
SALVAGE" in black boldface letters on its face. The exact location | 324 |
on the face of the certificate of title of the words "REBUILT | 325 |
SALVAGE" shall be determined by the registrar, who shall develop | 326 |
an automated procedure within the automated title processing | 327 |
system to comply with this division. The clerk shall use | 328 |
reasonable care in performing the duties imposed on the clerk by | 329 |
this division in issuing a certificate of title pursuant to this | 330 |
division, but the clerk is not liable for any of the clerk's | 331 |
errors or omissions or those of the clerk's deputies, or the | 332 |
automated title processing system in the performance of those | 333 |
duties. A fee of fifty dollars shall be assessed by the state | 334 |
highway patrol for each inspection made pursuant to this division | 335 |
and shall be deposited into the state highway safety fund | 336 |
established by section 4501.06 of the Revised Code. | 337 |
(H)(1) Except as otherwise provided in this division, an | 346 |
owner of a manufactured or mobile home that will be taxed as real | 347 |
property pursuant to division (B) of section 4503.06 of the | 348 |
Revised Code shall surrender the certificate of title to the | 349 |
auditor of the county containing the taxing district in which the | 350 |
home is located. An owner whose home qualifies for real property | 351 |
taxation under divisions (B)(1)(a) and (b) of section 4503.06 of | 352 |
the Revised Code shall surrender the certificate within fifteen | 353 |
days after the home meets the conditions specified in those | 354 |
divisions. The auditor shall deliver the certificate of title to | 355 |
the clerk of the court of common pleas who issued it. | 356 |
(2) If the certificate of title for a manufactured or mobile | 357 |
home that is to be taxed as real property is held by a lienholder, | 358 |
the lienholder shall surrender the certificate of title to the | 359 |
auditor of the county containing the taxing district in which the | 360 |
home is located, and the auditor shall deliver the certificate of | 361 |
title to the clerk of the court of common pleas who issued it. The | 362 |
lienholder shall surrender the certificate within thirty days | 363 |
after both of the following have occurred: | 364 |
(4) Upon application by the owner of a manufactured or mobile | 378 |
home that is taxed as real property pursuant to division (B) of | 379 |
section 4503.06 of the Revised Code and that no longer satisfies | 380 |
divisions (B)(1)(a) and (b) or divisions (B)(2)(a) and (b) of that | 381 |
section, the clerk shall reactivate the record of the certificate | 382 |
of title that was inactivated under division (H)(3) of this | 383 |
section and shall issue a new certificate of title, but only if | 384 |
the application contains or has attached to it all of the | 385 |
following: | 386 |
(E) "Engaging in business" means commencing, conducting, or | 421 |
continuing in business, or liquidating a business when the | 422 |
liquidator thereof holds himselfthe liquidator out to be | 423 |
conducting such business; making a casual sale or otherwise making | 424 |
transfers in the ordinary course of business when the transfers | 425 |
are made in connection with the disposition of all or | 426 |
substantially all of the transferor's assets is not engaging in | 427 |
business. | 428 |
(1) The person is a motor vehicle salvage dealer who is | 441 |
licensed pursuant to this chapter; a junk yard that is licensed | 442 |
pursuant to section 4737.07 of the Revised Code; a scrap metal | 443 |
processing facility that is licensed pursuant to section 4737.07 | 444 |
of the Revised Code; a used motor vehicle dealer who is licensed | 445 |
pursuant to section 4517.02 of the Revised Code; a salvage | 446 |
dismantler or automotive recycler; or a salvage dealer, junk yard, | 447 |
scrap metal processing facility, used motor vehicle dealer, | 448 |
salvage dismantler, or automotive recycler business authorized to | 449 |
purchase salvage motor vehicles by another state, country, or | 450 |
jurisdiction. | 451 |
(B)(1) Except as provided in divisions (B)(1) and (C)(1) of | 471 |
section 4738.03 of the Revised Codeand (E) of this section, no | 472 |
person shall engage in the business of selling at retail salvage | 473 |
motor vehicles nor, other than as a lessor, provide a location or | 474 |
a space for the sale of salvage motor vehicles without first | 475 |
obtaining a motor vehicle salvage dealer's license, a salvage | 476 |
motor vehicle auction license, or a salvage motor vehicle pool | 477 |
license pursuant to this chapter. | 478 |
(D)(E) In case of the dissolution of a partnership by death, | 498 |
the surviving partner may operate under any license obtained by | 499 |
the partnership pursuant to this chapter for a period of sixty | 500 |
days and the heirs or representatives of deceased persons and | 501 |
receivers or trustees in bankruptcy appointed by any competent | 502 |
authority may operate under the license of the person succeeded in | 503 |
possession by the heir, representative, receiver, or trustee in | 504 |
bankruptcy. | 505 |
(3) Obtain from any person who is an authorized purchaser as | 519 |
defined in division (G)(1) of section 4738.01 of the Revised Code | 520 |
documented proof of any required license or other authorization to | 521 |
do business pursuant to this chapter or, for any person residing | 522 |
in a state, jurisdiction, or country that does not issue a motor | 523 |
vehicle salvage dealer, junk yard, scrap metal processing | 524 |
facility, used motor vehicle dealer, salvage dismantler, or | 525 |
automotive recycler license, a declaration under penalty of | 526 |
perjury that the authorized purchaser is authorized to purchase | 527 |
salvage vehicles in that person's state, jurisdiction, or country. | 528 |
The declaration may be submitted by the authorized purchaser in | 529 |
electronic or written format. Every salvage motor vehicle auction | 530 |
and salvage motor vehicle pool shall maintain a copy of this | 531 |
documentation for a period of two years. | 532 |
(4) Obtain from any person who is an authorized purchaser as | 533 |
defined in division (G)(2) of section 4738.01 of the Revised Code | 534 |
a declaration under penalty of perjury that the authorized | 535 |
purchaser is not making a purchase in excess of the applicable | 536 |
limit identified in that division. The salvage motor vehicle | 537 |
auction or salvage motor vehicle pool shall maintain that | 538 |
declaration for a period of two years. The declaration may be | 539 |
submitted by the authorized purchaser in electronic or written | 540 |
format.
| 541 |
(C)(1) Within twelve months after the effective date of this | 557 |
section, the registrar shall contract with an entity approved as a | 558 |
third party data consolidator to the national motor vehicle title | 559 |
information system for the development of a statewide database for | 560 |
the submission of the information collected pursuant to division | 561 |
(A)(1) of this section. The system shall be used to maintain an | 562 |
accurate record of all sales conducted by a salvage motor vehicle | 563 |
auction or salvage motor vehicle pool. All expenses of this | 564 |
contract shall be paid from the state bureau of motor vehicles | 565 |
fund created in section 4501.25 of the Revised Code. | 566 |
Sec. 4738.03. (A) No person licensed as a motor vehicle | 577 |
salvage dealer under this chapter shall engage in the business of | 578 |
selling at retail salvage motor vehicle parts or salvage motor | 579 |
vehicles, unless the business is operated primarily for the | 580 |
purpose of selling at retail salvage motor vehicle parts. Any | 581 |
person operating such a business primarily for the purpose of | 582 |
selling at retail salvage motor vehicle parts may secondarily sell | 583 |
at retail salvage motor vehicles or manufacture a product of | 584 |
gradable scrap metal for sale to scrap metal processors or any | 585 |
other consumer. | 586 |