-Take Dealer Course
-Find
Location with Display Area
-Mount Sign on Building
-Register with Secretary of State
-Obtain Vendor and
Employment Number
-Get Dealer Surety Bond from
Insurance Agent
-Submit Fingerprints
-Enter Dealer
Auctions and Make $$$$$$$
12 Steps to an Ohio Dealers License
1.
Take Dealer Education Course
Any person applying for
an Ohio used motor vehicle dealer’s license that has not
held a dealer license in the past 2 years is required to
take a 6 hour dealer educational course. You may take your
dealer license training course online or in a classroom environment.
You must take the licensing training within the 6 months prior to your
application. You will receive a Certificate of Completion at
the end of the course. Be sure to enclose the certificate in
your dealer application packet. The Dealer Educational
Classes are held online and in Cleveland, Cincinnati,
Columbus, Dayton, Toledo, and Akron-Canton. If you have
questions about the dealer class call us at 800-369-2467 or,
view the
Dealer Class Schedule or Sign Up
For Your Ohio Dealer License Class Now!
Very, very helpful. Very glad I had to take the course. Jim
Gerrick Brooklyn, Ohio.
2. Register Business Name with Ohio Secretary of
State
Any entity planning to
transact business in Ohio must register with the Ohio
Secretary of State’s office. Sole Proprietors & Partnerships
are excluded. The
Ohio Secretary of State wants to have a
record of every business that is operating the in the state
including the dealership you are about to open. Registering
your business with the Secretary of State is covered in
greater detail in the dealer class. For additional
information on registering your business you may contact the
Ohio Secretary of State at 614-466-2655.
Course was very informative and fast paced. I am very
confident in the steps to take in order to receive my
dealership license. Thank you. Appollonia Cleaves Lakewood,
Ohio
3. Apply for Ohio Vendor
Number
Before you apply for your
dealer’s license you must have an Ohio Vendors number. This
number will be necessary for you to report the sales tax you
collect on the vehicles you sell. We will show you how to
apply for an Ohio Vendor Number in your dealer training
course. We will take you through the entire vendor number
application process.
I highly recommend this
class. Very informative if you are interested in starting
your own business selling cars. Alison Cassano
Grove
City, Ohio
4. Electronic Fingerprinting
Before you receive your dealer license from the registrar of
motor vehicles you must be electronically fingerprinted. For
a complete list of fingerprinting locations in Ohio visit
the Ohio Attorney General’s Office at
www.ohioattorneygeneral.com to find an electronic
fingerprinting location near you. Some locations allow you
to walk in but others required an appointment. The price
varies depending on the location that conducts your
fingerprinting. If you do not live in Ohio you must call the
Dealer Licensing Section at 614-752-7636 to obtain your
fingerprint card. Be sure to include a copy of each owners
fingerprint card in your dealer application packet.
I recommend this class to anyone opening a used car
lot or that has been in the car lot business for a long
time. Osama Iwas
Cleveland, Ohio
5. Federal Employee
Identification Number (FEIN)
Before
mailing your dealer license application packet you must
create a Federal Employee Identification Number which is
also known as a Federal Tax ID Number or FEIN. This is a
very easy step that should only take a few minutes. This
number is used to identify the new business you are starting
and will be needed for tax purposes. You can easily apply at
http://www.irs.gov
and have your new Federal Employee Number in a matter of
moments. After you have been assigned your FEIN be sure to
include it on your dealer license application which we will
complete in class.
Great class. 6 hours
flew by. Very knowledgeable and well spoken. Trisha
Stefanitsis Pickerington, Ohio
6. I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification
The Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 is a
U.S. Citizenship Immigration Services form. It is used by an
employer to verify an employee's identity and to establish
that the worker is eligible to accept employment in the
United States. You can find the form at
www.uscis.gov You
must complete this form and store a copy of the form at the
dealership location. Sole proprietors are exempt.
Great high speed dealer training that’s very
understandable. Feel very confident about starting my first
business venture. Thank you! Jeremy Reeder Cleveland, Ohio
7. Business Building
You must have a place of business to be used solely
for the purpose of selling motor vehicles. It must be
physically separated from any other business or residence
with a permanent barrier which cannot be moved. You must
have a permanent office in the building that has at least
180 square feet. Your office must include, at minimum, a
desk and three chairs. You must also have at least one
filing cabinet. The office must have permanent lighting and
heating. You must also have a working telephone that is
answered in the dealership name. Be sure to check your local
zoning ordinances to ensure an automotive business is
allowed at the location you have chosen for your dealership.
We will discuss building requirements extensively in class.
Very professional speaker, good information,
exactly what we need to get a dealership started. Austin A
Wojey Georgetown, Ohio
8. Display Lot
You must have a display lot with at least 3500
square feet. The display lot can be located on the exterior
of your building, or the interior of your building, or a
combination of square footage located inside and outside the
building. The display lot, like
your building, must be separated from any other business,
repair shop, or residence with a permanent physical barrier.
This is required to deter any vehicles from a neighboring
business or residence from parking on the dealership display
lot. You are allowed to have an additional display in
addition to your main display lot which is referred to as an
expanded display lot. Your expanded lot must be have at
least 2000 square feet of space. The expanded display lot
must be within 200 feet of your dealership right of way. All
paperwork regarding the sale of any vehicle must take place
at the dealership building and not at the expanded display
lot. We will cover expanded display lots in detail in your
class.
I was always thinking the dealer
course was a waste of time. But today after taking this
class, I found out that I didn’t know anything about cars
and I needed this class. Thank you very much. Mohammad
Althalidi Cincinnati, Ohio
9. Business
Sign and Photographs
You will need a
permanent business sign. The dealership name must be
displayed in letters on the sign that are at least 6 inches
high or larger. The sign can be mounted on the exterior of
the business building or erected on the display area and
must be prominently displayed. Your sign must have the exact
name of your dealership as it is listed on your dealer’s
application. Most printing companies can produce a permanent
business sign at minimal costs. Be sure the letters in the
dealership name are at least 6 inches high. You must send
photographs of your business. The photographs must include
your display lot, both inside & outside of your office, your
business sign, posted business hours, posted business
telephone, and expanded display lot if applicable. You can
email the photographs to
dealerphotos@dps.ohio.gov in JPG format or enclose
the photographs in your dealer application packet. Business
hours must be prominently displayed near the entrance to the
office. You may post your business hours on the front of the
building, on a window, or on the business sign. You must
maintain records on all vehicles purchased, leased, and
sold. Records must be stored either via paper or
electronically at the dealership location. Documents for
electronic titles must be kept at least 5 years. You will
review an entire section on exactly what records to keep in
your dealer training class.
Fantastic
course. Highly recommended to anyone interested in obtaining
a dealers license. Bryce Devore Pickerington, Ohio
10. Net Worth and $25,000
Dealer Surety Bond
You must have a net worth of at least $75,000
in order to apply for an Ohio dealer license. You must also
obtain a $25,000 dealer surety bond. A surety bond is based
on your credit score. If you have good credit, a $25,000
dealer surety bond should cost about $200 to $250 a year. If
you have a couple of blemishes on your credit score, the
price of you dealer surety bond could go up substantially. It is very
easy to estimate your net worth, just add up all of your
assets then subtract your liabilities. In other words, take
the value of everything you own and subtract your total debt
to find out your net worth. The State of Ohio
wants to ensure each dealer is financially secure before
being issued a dealer’s license. After you receive your Ohio
Used Dealer License you should have no problem maintaining a
net worth of at least $75,000.
Amazing class
to take for anyone looking to get into the business. Daniel
Musa Hudson, Ohio
11. Submit Dealer Application
You must submit your
Ohio Used Motor Vehicle Dealer Application to the Ohio
Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV). The dealer license
application must be submitted online. The BMV no longer
accepts mailed in dealer license applications. The
application must be completed correctly and in its entirety.
Mistakes on your dealer application can cause significant
delays in your licensing process. We will complete an online Used
Motor Vehicle Dealer Application in your dealer course to
ensure it is completed correctly.
Very in
depth with all points of what is need to get a dealership
started, would highly recommend. Janelle Durham Jackson, OH
12. Physical Lot
Inspection
After you receive your
Ohio used dealer license, BMV investigation personnel will
conduct a lot inspection. The BMV wants to make sure that
you have met all of the physical requirements which includes
the office building located on the display lot, desk,
chairs, filing cabinet, lighting & heating, display lot,
displayed telephone number and office hours, etc. All
requirements must be met before applying for your Ohio used
dealer’s license.
Then Submit Your Dealer
Application &
License Fees Online.
Dealer Training Podcast
Congratulations, we will see you soon in your
Ohio Used
Dealer License Class.
Good Luck in Obtaining Your Ohio Dealer License!
We are here to help you start your Ohio Used Motor Vehicle Dealership!
Delus Johnson-Lead Instructor
Automobile Dealer
Training Association