The District of Columbia DMV Odometer Disclosure Statement is the document that records a vehicle’s mileage at the moment ownership changes hands, and it must be completed by the seller and signed by the buyer for any self-propelled vehicle that is model year 2011 or newer and weighs less than 16,000 pounds. In most private used-car sales in D.C., this disclosure happens right on the back of the DC Certificate of Title, in the title assignment section. For new cars or vehicles without title space, the seller uses a separate standalone Odometer Disclosure Statement form that follows the federal 49 CFR 580 template.
This form exists to stop odometer rollback fraud, and getting it wrong can void the title, delay the buyer’s registration, or expose the seller to federal fines and even prison. Carfax data estimates the D.C. metro area had roughly 32,000 vehicles on the road with fraudulent odometers in 2022, which shows how seriously the DMV and federal regulators treat this single line of mileage.
Here is what you will learn in this guide:
- 🚗 How to fill out every field on both the title-back disclosure and the standalone form, line by line.
- 📋 The exact documents and numbers to gather before you write a single digit.
- ✅ Three full real-world walkthroughs, including a rolled-over odometer and a “not actual mileage” discrepancy.
- ⚠️ The most common mistakes that void titles and stall registration, plus how to dodge them.
- 🏛️ Where, how, and to whom you submit the completed disclosure in the District of Columbia.
What the Form Is and Who Must File It
The DC DMV Odometer Disclosure Statement is a sworn mileage record required under the federal Truth in Mileage Act and its rules in 49 CFR Part 580. When you transfer ownership of a vehicle, federal law forces you, the seller, to tell the buyer exactly how many miles the vehicle has traveled. The DC Department of Motor Vehicles collects this disclosure as part of the title transfer so it can issue a clean title to the new owner.
The person who must complete the disclosure is the transferor, meaning the seller or current titled owner. The buyer, called the transferee, must also sign to confirm they received the mileage statement. A dealer selling a new car completes a dealer-issued statement, while a private seller of a used car completes the certification printed on the back of the title.
Not every vehicle needs this disclosure. The District of Columbia exempts any vehicle that is model year 2010 or older, any vehicle over 16,000 pounds, any non-motorized trailer-type vehicle, low-speed vehicles, scooters, and mopeds. This federal exemption framework means a 2009 sedan transferred today needs no odometer line, but a 2011 sedan still does, because the rule counts model years and weight, not the current calendar date.
The agency that receives the form is the DC DMV, the statute that requires it is the federal Truth in Mileage Act, the deadline is the moment of ownership transfer, and the penalty for a false statement is fines and possible imprisonment. These five pieces connect directly: the DMV cannot issue a title without the disclosure, and a missing or false disclosure stops the whole transfer and can trigger federal charges. Marcus, selling his 2018 Honda, must complete it; Lena, selling her 2008 pickup, does not.
Before You Start: Documents and Information You Need
Gather everything below before you fill in any field, because a single missing number can void the title or force a second trip to the service center. The disclosure must be completed in one clean pass with no erasures, so preparation matters more here than on almost any other DMV document.
- The vehicle’s Certificate of Title. This is where the disclosure usually goes for a used car, and without the physical title you cannot complete a private transfer.
- The current odometer reading. Read the dashboard and write down the whole-number miles with no tenths, because the disclosure ignores the decimal and a wrong reading is fraud.
- The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). The 17-character VIN ties the mileage to the exact vehicle, and a mismatch with the title VIN voids the disclosure.
- Vehicle make, model, year, and body type. Federal law requires the full vehicle identity, and leaving any part blank makes the statement incomplete.
- The seller’s full legal name and current address. These must match the title exactly, since the DMV cross-checks the name printed on the title against the signature.
- The buyer’s full legal name and current address. The buyer’s printed name and address are mandatory fields, and a blank here stalls the buyer’s registration.
- The agreed selling price. The title assignment section asks for the sale price, which the DMV also uses to calculate excise tax.
- The date of sale or transfer. This date sets the legal moment of transfer, and a wrong date can create gaps in liability and registration.
- A blue or black ink pen. D.C. accepts only blue or black ink, never pencil, because pencil can be altered and will void the title.
- Both owners’ availability, if applicable. If the title lists two owners joined by “AND,” both must sign, and one missing signature kills the transfer.
If any item is missing, the safest move is to pause. A blank field or a guessed odometer reading is treated as an incomplete or false disclosure, not a minor typo.
Where to Get the Form and How to Access It
For most private used-car sales, you do not download anything, because the disclosure is already printed on the back of your DC Certificate of Title in the “Title Assignment by Seller(s)” section. You simply use the title you already hold. You can review title transfer rules on the DC DMV vehicle titles page.
If your vehicle has no title space, or you are a dealer selling a new car, you use a separate standalone Odometer Disclosure Statement. The District of Columbia accepts the generic federal-format statement, and a fillable version is available through resources such as the Washington D.C. odometer statement form. DC DMV also lists transaction documents on its DMV Forms page.
You can complete the standalone PDF on a computer, phone, or tablet using Adobe Acrobat Reader, or print it and fill it out by hand. If you fill it by hand, use only blue or black ink. Even on a typed PDF, the signatures must be original ink signatures, because federal rules require the transferor and transferee to actually sign.
Before you start writing, confirm you have the current version of the form. The standalone statement tracks the federal 49 CFR 580 language, which was last amended in 2019 to allow electronic titles, so any form printed after that date carries the correct certification wording. To check whether you even need the form for your specific transaction, use the DC DMV Document Verification Guide.
Step-by-Step: How to Fill Out the DC Odometer Disclosure Line by Line
This is the heart of the process. The District of Columbia uses two paths, so this section walks through the title-back certification first, then the standalone federal form. Complete the fields in the order they appear, use blue or black ink, and never erase or write over a mistake.
Field 1: Buyer’s Printed Name (Transferee Name)
This field asks who is buying the vehicle. The seller prints the buyer’s full legal name in the title assignment section, using clear block letters. For example, Marcus Hill prints DANIELLE OKAFOR as the buyer’s name because Danielle is the person taking ownership.
Print the name exactly as it appears on the buyer’s government ID, and use capital letters so the DMV clerk can read it without guessing. A nickname or a misspelled last name can force the buyer to correct the title later, which the DMV may treat as an alteration that voids the document. A common mistake is the seller signing the buyer’s portion themselves to “save time,” and the direct consequence is a void disclosure, since federal law bars one person from signing as both transferor and transferee. People often believe the buyer fills in their own name here, but on the title-back format the seller usually writes the buyer’s printed name while the buyer supplies the signature.
Field 2: Buyer’s Address, City, State, and ZIP
This field records where the buyer lives. Enter the buyer’s full street address, city, state, and ZIP code on the lines provided. For instance, Danielle Okafor is listed at 1420 Otis Place NW, Washington, DC 20010.
Write the address the buyer will use for registration, because the DMV mails title and registration documents to this address. If the buyer uses a P.O. Box for mail, still write the physical residential address, since the DMV needs a real location for D.C. residency and excise tax purposes. A common mistake is leaving the ZIP code blank, and the consequence is a returned or delayed title packet. Some sellers think the address is optional because the buyer already knows where they live, but federal law lists the transferee’s current address as a required disclosure field.
Field 3: Selling Price
This field asks how much the buyer paid for the vehicle. Write the agreed sale price in dollars on the line provided. As an example, Marcus writes $14,500 for his 2018 Honda Civic.
Enter the true, full price, because the DMV uses it to calculate the buyer’s excise tax at registration. If the vehicle is a gift, you still note that fact rather than leaving the line empty, since “gift” and “$0” are treated very differently for tax. A common mistake is lowballing the price to reduce the buyer’s tax, and the consequence can be a fraud finding and tax penalties against both parties. People wrongly assume the price is private between buyer and seller, but on a D.C. title assignment it is an official, taxable disclosure.
Field 4: Date of Sale (Date of Transfer)
This field captures the exact day ownership changes. Write the date of sale in month, day, year format, such as 05/12/2026. Marcus enters the day he handed Danielle the keys.
Use the real transfer date, because this date sets the legal handoff of liability, including any tickets or tolls. If the sale and the DMV visit happen on different days, use the date the vehicle actually changed hands, not the DMV appointment date. A common mistake is backdating or postdating the sale, and the consequence is a liability gap where the wrong person is on the hook for the vehicle. Many sellers think the date is just paperwork, but it is the line that legally separates the old owner from the new one.
Field 5: Odometer Reading
This field records the vehicle’s mileage at transfer. Write the current odometer reading as a whole number, using only digits and no tenths of a mile. For example, Marcus reads 82,431.6 on the dash and writes 82431, dropping the tenth.
Read the odometer carefully and copy the number exactly, because this single number is the legal heart of the entire form. Do not round up or down; simply drop the decimal portion that follows the whole miles. A common mistake is transposing digits, such as writing 82431 as 84231, and the consequence is a mileage record that does not match the vehicle’s history and can flag as fraud. People often believe a small error can be fixed by writing over it, but any erasure or alteration on the title voids it entirely.
Field 6: Odometer Status Checkbox — Excess of Mechanical Limits
This box handles odometers that have rolled past their maximum. Check this first box only if the vehicle’s mileage has exceeded the odometer’s mechanical limit, meaning a 5-digit odometer rolled past 99,999 and started over. For example, Lena’s old van shows 012345 but has truly traveled 112,345 miles, so she writes 012345 and checks the “excess of mechanical limits” box.
Check this box when you know the displayed number has wrapped around to zero at least once. Leaving it unchecked when it applies tells the buyer the low number is the true mileage, which is a false statement. A common mistake is checking nothing and just writing the rolled-over number, and the consequence is an inaccurate record that can later be challenged as fraud. People assume modern digital odometers never roll over, but older 5-digit and some 6-digit mechanical units do, and this box exists for exactly that case.
Field 7: Odometer Status Checkbox — Not the Actual Mileage
This box handles broken, replaced, or tampered odometers. Check the second box if the odometer reading does not reflect the vehicle’s actual mileage, which triggers a “Warning — Odometer Discrepancy” notice to the buyer. For example, Priya replaced a dead instrument cluster, so the dash reads 3,200 while the car has real mileage of about 140,000, and she checks the “not actual mileage” box.
Check this box whenever the odometer was broken, replaced, or rolled back, and you cannot vouch for the displayed number. This warns the buyer in writing that the mileage is unreliable and should not be trusted. A common mistake is hiding a known discrepancy by leaving the box blank, and the consequence is federal odometer fraud exposure with fines and possible imprisonment. People think a replaced cluster is a private mechanical detail, but federal law requires this disclosure the moment you know the reading is not the true mileage.
Field 8: Seller’s Printed Name and Signature (Transferor)
This field identifies and binds the seller. Print the seller’s name exactly as it appears on the front of the title, then sign in ink directly beside or below it. For example, MARCUS HILL is printed in capitals, and Marcus signs his normal cursive signature.
Match the printed name to the title’s spelling letter for letter, because the DMV compares the two and rejects mismatches. If the title shows a middle initial, include it; if it shows two owners joined by “AND,” both must print and sign. A common mistake is signing with a name that differs from the title, such as a married name change, and the consequence is a rejected transfer until the name is reconciled. People believe a power of attorney can sign here for convenience, but odometer disclosures generally require the owner’s own signature.
Field 9: Buyer’s Printed Name and Signature (Transferee)
This field closes the loop by recording the buyer’s acceptance. The buyer prints their own name and signs in ink to confirm they received the mileage disclosure. For example, DANIELLE OKAFOR prints her name and signs beneath the seller’s certification.
The buyer must sign personally, because federal law requires the transferee to acknowledge the disclosure and keep a copy. The seller should then give the buyer a copy of the completed front and back of the title for their records. A common mistake is the buyer skipping their signature, and the consequence is an incomplete disclosure that the DMV will not accept for titling. People assume only the seller needs to sign because the seller owns the car, but the buyer’s signature is a mandatory federal requirement.
Standalone Federal Form: Section 1 — Vehicle and Mileage Details
On the separate federal-format statement, Section 1 captures the seller’s printed name and the full vehicle details. Print the seller’s name in capital letters, then enter the odometer reading, make, model, year, body type, and VIN. For example, a dealer prints CAPITAL CITY MOTORS and lists 2026 Toyota Camry, Sedan, VIN 4T1….
Fill in every vehicle detail, because federal law requires the complete vehicle identity alongside the mileage. If the mileage exceeds mechanical limits or is not actual, check the matching box in this section just as on the title. A common mistake is leaving the body type blank, and the consequence is an incomplete statement the DMV may reject. People think the VIN alone identifies the car, but the form still demands make, model, year, and body type.
Standalone Federal Form: Section 2 — Seller (Transferor) Information
Section 2 collects the seller’s signature, printed name, and address. Sign in ink, print the seller’s name in capital letters, and write the seller’s current full address. For example, the dealer’s agent signs, prints CAPITAL CITY MOTORS, and lists the dealership address.
Complete this section fully, because the seller’s certification is what makes the mileage legally binding. The printed name must match how the seller is identified elsewhere in the transaction. A common mistake is printing the name but forgetting the address, and the consequence is an incomplete disclosure. People assume the signature alone is enough, but the printed name and address are both required by federal rule.
Standalone Federal Form: Section 3 — Buyer (Transferee) Information
Section 3 collects the buyer’s signature, printed name, address, and the date of certification. The buyer signs in ink, prints their name in capital letters, writes their address, and dates the form. For example, DANIELLE OKAFOR signs, prints her name, lists her D.C. address, and dates it 05/12/2026.
Fill in all four items, because the buyer’s acknowledgment and date complete the transfer record. The date here should match the actual transfer date. A common mistake is leaving the date blank, and the consequence is a statement that cannot prove when the disclosure occurred. People think the buyer’s part is optional on a standalone form, but it carries the same weight as on the title.
Three Filled-Out Examples Using Real Scenarios
Below are three common D.C. scenarios that show how the disclosure looks from start to finish. Each follows one named person through the key fields.
Scenario 1: Marcus sells a normal 2018 used car privately. Marcus is selling his 2018 Honda Civic with honest, working mileage to Danielle.
| Form Section | What Marcus Enters |
|---|---|
| Buyer’s Printed Name | DANIELLE OKAFOR |
| Buyer’s Address | 1420 Otis Place NW, Washington, DC 20010 |
| Selling Price | $14,500 |
| Date of Sale | 05/12/2026 |
| Odometer Reading | 82431 (drops the .6) |
| Excess of Mechanical Limits Box | Left unchecked |
| Not Actual Mileage Box | Left unchecked |
| Seller’s Printed Name and Signature | MARCUS HILL + signature |
Scenario 2: Lena sells an older vehicle whose odometer rolled over. Lena’s 5-digit mechanical odometer has wrapped past 99,999, so the displayed number is far lower than the true mileage.
| Form Section | What Lena Enters |
|---|---|
| Buyer’s Printed Name | JAMAL REED |
| Buyer’s Address | 55 K Street SE, Washington, DC 20003 |
| Selling Price | $3,200 |
| Date of Sale | 05/20/2026 |
| Odometer Reading | 012345 (the displayed number) |
| Excess of Mechanical Limits Box | Checked |
| Not Actual Mileage Box | Left unchecked |
| Seller’s Printed Name and Signature | LENA FOSTER + signature |
Scenario 3: Priya sells a car with a replaced cluster and unknown true mileage. Priya replaced a dead instrument cluster, so the odometer reading is not the actual mileage.
| Form Section | What Priya Enters |
|---|---|
| Buyer’s Printed Name | OMAR HADDAD |
| Buyer’s Address | 3001 Georgia Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001 |
| Selling Price | $6,750 |
| Date of Sale | 05/28/2026 |
| Odometer Reading | 3200 (current dash reading) |
| Excess of Mechanical Limits Box | Left unchecked |
| Not Actual Mileage Box | Checked (Warning — Odometer Discrepancy) |
| Seller’s Printed Name and Signature | PRIYA NAIR + signature |
In all three cases the buyer also prints their name and signs to acknowledge the disclosure, and the seller hands over a copy of the completed title.
How to File the Completed Form
In the District of Columbia, the odometer disclosure is not filed by itself; it travels with the title transfer when the buyer titles and registers the vehicle. The most common channel is in person at a DC DMV service center, where the buyer brings the signed title with the completed odometer certification.
For the in-person channel, the buyer visits a DC DMV service center such as the location at 95 M Street SW, Washington, DC. The buyer brings the assigned title, proof of D.C. insurance, proof of identity and residency, and the odometer disclosure. Title fees and excise tax apply based on the vehicle’s value, and the DMV accepts cash, check, money order, and major credit or debit cards. Expect the new title to be processed and mailed within a few weeks, and keep your stamped paperwork as proof.
A new-car dealer typically handles the standalone odometer statement and submits the title paperwork on the buyer’s behalf, so a buyer purchasing from a dealer usually does not visit the DMV for the disclosure. Because D.C. requires original ink signatures and document verification, the odometer disclosure itself is not completed through an online portal for private sales. To confirm exactly which documents to bring and avoid a second trip, use the DC DMV Document Verification Guide.
Whichever channel applies, keep a full copy of the front and back of the signed title for at least five years. This copy is your proof of disclosure and protects you if the buyer later claims the mileage was misstated.
What Happens After You File
Once the buyer submits the title with the completed odometer disclosure, the DC DMV reviews the document for completeness and verifies that the names, VIN, and mileage are consistent. If everything matches, the DMV issues a new Certificate of Title in the buyer’s name, with the disclosed mileage carried forward into the vehicle’s record.
If the disclosure is incomplete, altered, or shows an erasure, the DMV can reject the transfer and require a corrected title or a separate statement. This is why a clean, error-free disclosure matters so much; a single scratched-out number can send the buyer back to square one. The buyer cannot register or legally drive the vehicle until the title clears.
The disclosed mileage becomes part of the national vehicle history, so it follows the car into future sales. A “not actual mileage” or “excess of mechanical limits” notation stays attached to the title forever, which can lower resale value but protects everyone from fraud claims. Danielle, after buying Marcus’s Civic, receives her new D.C. title with 82431 miles recorded as the actual mileage.
Mistakes to Avoid When Filling Out the Form
Each field on this form is its own chance to make an error, and most mistakes either void the title or stall the buyer’s registration. Watch for these.
- Using pencil or non-blue/black ink. The DMV treats it as alterable, which voids the title.
- Erasing or writing over a number. Any alteration on the title voids the entire document.
- Including tenths in the odometer reading. The reading must be whole miles, so a decimal entry is incorrect.
- Transposing odometer digits. A swapped number creates a false mileage record that can flag as fraud.
- Leaving the odometer status boxes blank when they apply. Failing to check “excess of limits” or “not actual mileage” is a false statement.
- Checking the wrong status box. Confusing rollover with a discrepancy misrepresents the vehicle’s true condition.
- Printing a seller name that differs from the title. A mismatch causes the DMV to reject the transfer.
- Only one owner signing when the title says “AND.” Both owners must sign, or the transfer fails.
- Forgetting the buyer’s signature. Without the transferee’s signature, the disclosure is incomplete.
- Backdating or postdating the sale. A wrong date creates a liability gap over tickets and tolls.
- Lowballing the selling price. An understated price is tax fraud and can penalize both parties.
- The seller signing the buyer’s portion. No one may sign as both transferor and transferee.
Do’s and Don’ts
These quick rules keep your disclosure clean and accepted on the first try.
Do:
- Use blue or black ink, because the DMV rejects pencil and other colors as alterable.
- Print names in capital letters, because clear block letters prevent clerk misreads and rejections.
- Drop the tenths from the odometer, because the form records whole miles only.
- Match the seller name to the title exactly, because the DMV cross-checks the spelling.
- Give the buyer a copy of the signed title, because both parties must keep proof for five years.
- Check a status box when mileage is rolled over or unreliable, because silence is a false statement.
Don’t:
- Don’t erase or write over mistakes, because any alteration voids the title.
- Don’t guess the odometer reading, because an inaccurate number can be charged as fraud.
- Don’t leave the buyer’s information blank, because it stalls the buyer’s registration.
- Don’t let one person sign both roles, because federal law forbids it.
- Don’t understate the price, because it triggers tax penalties.
- Don’t skip the disclosure on a 2011-or-newer vehicle, because federal law requires it.
Pros and Cons of Filing on Your Own vs. With Help
Most D.C. private sellers complete the disclosure themselves, but some use a dealer or title service. Here is how the two compare.
Pros of filing on your own:
- No service fees, because you do the paperwork yourself.
- Full control over accuracy, because you read your own odometer and write your own numbers.
- Faster for simple sales, because a clean used-car transfer is straightforward.
- Privacy, because you handle the sale details directly with the buyer.
- Learning the process, because you understand exactly what the buyer needs.
Cons of filing on your own:
- Higher error risk, because one altered number can void the title.
- No expert to catch rollover or discrepancy issues, because you judge the status boxes alone.
- Time at the DMV, because the buyer must visit a service center in person.
- Liability if you misstate mileage, because federal penalties fall on the seller.
- Confusion with two-owner titles, because signature rules are easy to get wrong.
FAQs
Do I need an odometer disclosure for a 2010 vehicle?
No. The District of Columbia exempts any vehicle model year 2010 or older from odometer disclosure, so a 2010 car transferred today needs no mileage statement on the title.
Do I write tenths of a mile in the odometer box?
No. You record only whole miles with no decimal, so a dash reading of 82,431.6 is written as 82431 on the disclosure.
Do both owners have to sign if the title lists two names?
Yes. Both owners must sign if the names are joined by “AND” or “AND/OR,” or if nothing is listed; only one must sign if the names are joined by “OR.”
Do I check a box if my odometer rolled past 99,999 miles?
Yes. You check the “excess of mechanical limits” box and write the displayed number, which tells the buyer the true mileage is higher than what the odometer shows.
Do I disclose a replaced or broken odometer?
Yes. You check the “not actual mileage” box, which adds a “Warning — Odometer Discrepancy” notice alerting the buyer that the reading cannot be trusted.
Do I write the buyer’s maiden name or current legal name?
No. You use the buyer’s current legal name exactly as it appears on their government ID, not a maiden name or nickname.
Do I have to fill out a separate form for a private used-car sale?
No. For most private used-car sales, you complete the certification printed on the back of the DC Certificate of Title rather than a separate form.
Do I use pencil if I think I might make a mistake?
No. You must use blue or black ink, because pencil is considered alterable and will void the title.
Do I have to report the real selling price?
Yes. You report the true sale price, because the DMV uses it to calculate the buyer’s excise tax, and understating it is tax fraud.
Do I file the odometer disclosure online in D.C.?
No. Private-sale disclosures are submitted in person with the title at a DC DMV service center, because original ink signatures and document verification are required.
Do I keep a copy after the sale?
Yes. You keep a copy of the front and back of the signed title for at least five years as proof of the mileage you disclosed.
Do federal penalties really apply to a false odometer statement?
Yes. Federal law states that failing to complete the disclosure or providing false information may result in fines and imprisonment, and D.C. law adds its own penalties.
Do I sign for the buyer if they cannot make it to the sale?
No. No person may sign as both the seller and the buyer, and odometer disclosures generally require each party’s own signature.
Do I report suspected odometer fraud to the DMV?
No. You report it to the D.C. Office of the Attorney General Consumer Protection division, which handles odometer fraud complaints by phone or online.
Related reading
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