Business licensed for the purpose of wholesale auctioning of motor vehicles. Any person engaged wholly or in part in the business of auctioning of motor vehicles.

General Information & Requirements

Auction Owner Forms Packet (Word)

Auction Owner Forms Packet (PDF)

The PDF reader may be downloaded, free-of-charge, from the Adobe Systems Incorporated Internet site. Click HERE to download the PDF Reader.

Business

Must have an established place of business that is permanently and physically separated from a home, or personal residence, a motor vehicle dealership or pool, or a salvage motor vehicle auction.

• At least one area, under permanent roof, large enough that motor vehicles may be moved through, and where such motor vehicles may be offered at auction.
• The office and auction shall be clearly identified, easily accessible, and open for business a minimum of 20 hours per week, at least 10 of which shall occur Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It shall be open to the general public ONLY when a public auction of repossessed motor vehicles is being conducted.
• An office area that is permanent in nature. The office shall be neat and orderly and must include a landline telephone number (not a cellular phone) in service at all times that is used at the auction facility's office, is listed in the local telephone directory, and answered in the name of the motor vehicle auction owner, electric lighting, and heating.

Sign

Must have a permanent sign in the exact name of the business as it appears on the application, with letters of at least six inches high. The business sign shall be prominently displayed, properly maintained and permanent.

Records

Must maintain records of all motor vehicles purchased, leased, and sold. Refer to Ohio Revised Code section 4501:1-3-04 for the list of the required records.

Application

Photos: Photographs of the business location's lot, office, (inside and outside), and business sign.

Send as attachments in JPG format only, e-mailed to dealerphotos@dps.state.oh.us. Please include your business name and county name or county number in the subject of your email.

Electronic Fingerprinting: Ohio residents who are owners, all partners, president, all members, owning 10% or more, and all trustees MUST be electronically fingerprinted and have the results forwarded to the Dealer Licensing Section, P.O. Box 16521, Columbus, Ohio 43216-6521. Visit the following link on Ohio Attorney General Web site (Webcheck locations) for a complete list of electronic fingerprinting locations in Ohio.

*Out-of-state residents may submit a fingerprint card and processing fee, BMV 4452. Do not send the fingerprint card directly to B.C.I. & I. Acceptable fingerprint card(s) may be obtained only by contacting the Dealer Licensing Section at (614) 752-7636.

If B.C.I. & I. reports that the person has ever been arrested, for any reason, has criminal record, or is a multi-state offender, the applicant should expect significant delays. The person being fingerprinted can reduce the possibility of having the application delayed by explaining their circumstances fully and completely on a separate sheet, provide a copy of the court's journal entry showing the final disposition of your arrest and/or conviction, and the charge your were convicted of, if any and submit it with the application.

NOTE: Electronic Fingerprinting prices vary and payable to the company taking the print.

License
Eligibility

Any felony conviction or any misdemeanor conviction related to dealing in motor vehicles is reason for the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to DENY the application.

Plate
Eligibility

Relevant Code
Sections

Inspections

An on-site inspection of the premises will be conducted by a BMV investigator to determine if the location meets all physical requirements. Once a license is issued, the dealership is subject to random inspections, including pertinent records, to confirm that compliance is being maintained.

Fees