On this page
A memorandum title in Ohio, often called a memo title, is a special certificate that lets you register and plate a vehicle when your lender holds the original title. It is not an ownership document and cannot be used to sell or transfer the vehicle; its only job is to let you get license plates while the lienholder keeps the actual title. Like all Ohio titles, a memorandum title is issued by the County Clerk of Courts (in our area, the Summit County Clerk of Courts), not the BMV. Once you have it, the Akron BMV (Northeast Ohio Automobile Dealers Association, Ohio Deputy Registrar Agency 7731) issues your registration and plates. Here’s what it is, when you need one, and how to get it.
What a memorandum title is
When you finance a vehicle in Ohio, the lienholder (your bank or finance company) holds the original Certificate of Title until the loan is paid off. But you still need to register and plate the car so you can legally drive it. The memorandum title solves that gap: it’s a certificate the Clerk of Courts issues that you present to the BMV for the sole purpose of obtaining license plates while the original title stays with the lender.
Key characteristics:
- It is issued only to obtain registration/plates when the original title is held by a lienholder.
- It cannot transfer ownership, you cannot sell or gift the vehicle using a memorandum title.
- The original (full) title is released to you only after the lien is satisfied and cancelled.
- A memorandum title can be applied for in any county under Ohio’s cross-county titling.
For how this fits the broader title-vs-registration split, see BMV vs. Clerk of Courts in Ohio.
Who issues it, Clerk of Courts, not the BMV
This trips people up, so to be clear: the memorandum title is a Clerk of Courts document. You request it from the Summit County Clerk of Courts title office. The Akron BMV then uses that memo title to issue your registration and plates. The BMV does not print titles of any kind.
In many financed purchases, the dealer or lender arranges the memorandum title as part of closing your loan, so you may receive it without a separate trip. If you need to obtain one yourself, the steps below apply.
When you need a memorandum title
- You financed a vehicle and the lender holds the title, but you need to register and plate it now. This is by far the most common case.
- You’re renewing or obtaining plates on a vehicle that still has an active lien and you don’t physically hold the title.
- Commercial and apportioned (IRP) registration. Operators registering certain commercial or apportioned vehicles, including many vehicles operated under a CDL, are commonly required to present a title or memorandum title as proof of ownership when the lender holds the original.
A practical tip straight from the title office: if you apply for a loan using your car as collateral, always ask for a memorandum title so you can obtain license plates.
What to bring (checklist)
Requirements vary by situation, so call the title office first, but generally:
- Valid photo ID (Ohio driver license or state ID)
- Vehicle and lien information, the lienholder’s name and the title/VIN details
- Application for Certificate of Title to a Motor Vehicle (form BMV 3774), if applying directly
- Payment for the $5.00 memorandum title fee
- If someone is acting on your behalf, an original Power of Attorney (form BMV 3771)
Then, to register and plate at the Akron BMV:
- The memorandum title
- Proof of Ohio insurance
- Payment for registration and plate fees
Step by step
- Confirm the lender holds the title and gather the loan/lien details (lienholder name, account, VIN).
- Request the memorandum title, many buyers receive it automatically at loan closing through the dealer or lender. If not, apply at a Summit County Clerk of Courts title office with form BMV 3774 and the $5 fee.
- Receive the memo title. When issued directly by the title office, it may print on the spot; when processed through a lien/electronic title workflow, allow a short turnaround.
- Register and plate at the Akron BMV. Bring the memorandum title and proof of insurance to 688 Wolf Ledges Parkway to get your Ohio plates and registration.
- Keep it safe. Store the memo title securely. When your loan is paid off and the lien is cancelled (no charge), you can obtain the full Ohio title.
Fees
| Charge | Where you pay it | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Memorandum Certificate of Title | Clerk of Courts | $5.00 |
| Notation of Lien | Clerk of Courts | $18.00 |
| Cancellation of Lien | Clerk of Courts | No charge |
| Boat Memorandum | Clerk of Courts | $5.00 |
| Registration + plates | Akron BMV | Varies by vehicle type |
Fees and figures change. Verify current amounts on bmv.ohio.gov before your visit.
Fees change. Verify current amounts on bmv.ohio.gov and with the Summit County Clerk of Courts before your visit.
Common scenarios
- You just financed a car. The dealer or lender typically generates the memorandum title at closing so you can plate the vehicle right away.
- Your loan is paid off. Once the lienholder releases the lien (cancellation of lien is free), apply for the full Ohio title; the memo title is no longer needed.
- You want to sell a financed car. You cannot use a memo title to transfer ownership. The lien must be satisfied and the full title obtained (or the payoff handled through the title office and buyer’s lender) before a title transfer.
- You financed a boat. Watercraft have their own boat memorandum ($5.00) for the same purpose.
- Commercial vehicle/CDL operation. If you operate under a CDL or register an apportioned vehicle, confirm whether a memorandum title must be presented at registration, see the note above.
Questions people ask at the counter
What is a memorandum title in Ohio? A memo title is a certificate the County Clerk of Courts issues so you can register and plate a vehicle while the lienholder holds the original title. It is not proof of ownership and cannot be used to sell the vehicle.
Can I sell my car with a memorandum title? No. A memorandum title cannot transfer ownership. You need the full Ohio title, which the lender releases after the loan is paid off.
Does the Akron BMV issue memorandum titles? No. Like all Ohio titles, the memorandum title is issued by the County Clerk of Courts. The Akron BMV uses it to issue your plates and registration.
How much does a memorandum title cost? $5.00 at the Clerk of Courts in Summit County. A separate notation of lien fee ($18.00) may also apply depending on your transaction.
Do I have to get the memo title myself? Often not, when you finance through a dealer, the dealer or lender arranges it at closing. If you need one separately, apply at any Clerk of Courts title office.
What happens to the memo title when I pay off the loan? The lienholder releases the lien (cancellation is free), and you can then obtain the full Ohio Certificate of Title in your name.
Can I get a memorandum title in any county? Yes. Ohio’s cross-county titling lets you apply at any Clerk of Courts title office statewide.
Helpful next pages
Before you come in
Have your memorandum title in hand? Get in Line Online at the Akron BMV to register and plate your financed vehicle. Not sure what to bring? Start with our what-to-bring checklist.
Akron BMV, Northeast Ohio Automobile Dealers Association, Ohio Deputy Registrar Agency 7731. 688 Wolf Ledges Parkway, Akron, OH 44311. Phone: (330) 434-3134. Hours: Monday-Friday 8 AM-5 PM; Saturday 8 AM-1 PM; Sunday closed. Nearest title office: Summit County Clerk of Courts, 1030 E. Tallmadge Ave., Akron, OH 44310, (330) 630-7200.
Where this information comes from
- Ohio BMV, Vehicle Titles: https://www.bmv.ohio.gov/titles-new.aspx
- Ohio BMV, Documents & Fees: https://www.bmv.ohio.gov/doc-fees.aspx
- Summit County Clerk of Courts, Title Forms & Fees (Memorandum Title $5.00): https://clerkweb.summitoh.net/title-forms-fees
- Summit County Clerk of Courts, Title FAQs (memorandum certificate, mortgage/plates): https://clerkweb.summitoh.net/title-faqs
- Summit County Clerk of Courts, Releasing Liens: https://clerkweb.summitoh.net/releasing-liens