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BMV Investigations
BMV Investigations investigates fraudulent activity related to BMV-issued items and supporting other law enforcement and criminal justice investigations.
BMV Investigations also performs inspections of motor vehicle dealers and special use plate holders, providing facts and findings to the Ohio Motor Vehicle Dealer Board, and when criminal activity is discovered, to the court system.
614-752-4885
To register a vehicle and obtain license plates in Ohio, an out-of-state title must be converted to an Ohio title. An out-of-state VIN inspection can be obtained at any Ohio deputy registrar license agency or any licensed Ohio motor vehicle dealership (call ahead for fee).
If the vehicle is immobile and cannot be towed for inspection, you may request an OSI performed by BMV Investigations.
- Inspections may take 2-3 weeks for completion.
- If the vehicle is not in a safe/accessible location, the inspections may not be completed.
Email your request to BMVInvestigationsOSI@dps.ohio.gov with the following information:
- Your name and contact information
- Year, make, model of the vehicle to be inspected and if the car is operable
- Specific address where the vehicle is located
- Does it have a registration? Do you have a title for the vehicle?
- Do you know where the VIN is located on the vehicle?
BMV Investigators routinely provide free continuing education training to law enforcement and criminal justice partners. Subject matter includes fraudulent identity, document recognition, and registration and title enforcement. To request training, email us at BMVInvestigationsTraingReq@dps.ohio.gov.