Section 4505.12. Duplicate certificate of title - memorandum certificate

In the event of a lost or destroyed certificate of title, application shall be made to a clerk of a court of common pleas by the owner of the motor vehicle or the holder of a lien on it for a duplicate certificate of title upon a form and accompanied by the fee prescribed by section 4505.09 of the Revised Code. The application shall be signed and sworn to by the person making the application. The clerk then shall issue a duplicate certificate of title to the person entitled to receive it under this chapter. The duplicate copy shall be plainly marked across its face with the word "duplicate," and any subsequent purchaser of the motor vehicle in the chain of title originating through the duplicate certificate of title acquires only such rights in the motor vehicle as the original holder of the duplicate certificate of title had. Any purchaser of the motor vehicle, at the time of purchase, may require the seller to indemnify the purchaser and all subsequent purchasers of the motor vehicle against any loss that the purchaser or they may suffer by reason of any claim presented upon the original certificate. In the event of the recovery of the original certificate of title by the owner, the owner immediately shall surrender it to the clerk for cancellation.

The holder of a certificate of title for a motor vehicle upon which is noted an existing lien, encumbrance, or mortgage at any time may make application to a clerk for a memorandum certificate, which application shall be made in the form prescribed by the registrar of motor vehicles and signed and sworn to by the applicant. Upon receipt of the application, if it appears to be complete and in order, together with the fee prescribed by section 4505.09 of the Revised Code, the clerk shall issue to the applicant a memorandum certificate for the motor vehicle. If the memorandum certificate is lost or destroyed, the holder of it may obtain another memorandum certificate upon the filing of an application with a clerk on a form prescribed by the registrar, accompanied by the fee prescribed in section 4505.09 of the Revised Code. The memorandum certificate shall be effective only for the purpose of obtaining a certificate of registration, is not assignable, and constitutes no evidence of title or of right to transfer or encumber the motor vehicle described in it.

Effective Date: 10-31-2001