How to Fill Out the Delaware DMV Odometer Disclosure Statement + FAQs

The Delaware Odometer Disclosure Statement is the written record where the seller of a vehicle tells the buyer how many miles are on the car at the moment ownership changes hands, and Delaware law requires it for almost every used-car sale. You complete it either in the odometer block printed on the back of the Delaware Certificate of Title or, when there is no room on the title, on a separate standalone Odometer Disclosure Statement form. Both the seller and the buyer must sign it.

This single section is one of the most-checked parts of any title transfer, and getting it wrong is costly. The Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will reject a title where the new mileage reads lower than the prior mileage unless the right box is checked, and federal odometer fraud can bring fines and even prison time under 49 U.S.C. § 32709. The good news is that the form itself is short, and once you understand each line, you can finish it in a few minutes.

Here is what you will learn in this guide:

📋 What the Delaware Odometer Disclosure Statement is and exactly who must sign it
🖊️ How to fill out every line, box, and brand, in the order it appears
🚗 Three full walkthroughs for the most common real-world sales
⚠️ The field-level mistakes that get titles rejected and how to dodge them
❓ Twelve plain-answer FAQs covering the questions sellers and buyers ask most

What the Form Is and Who Must File It

The Delaware Odometer Disclosure Statement is a sworn, signed statement of a vehicle’s mileage given by the seller (the transferor) to the buyer (the transferee) at the time of sale. It exists to fight odometer fraud and to give buyers an honest mileage record that protects a car’s resale value. The disclosure is required by Delaware law under 21 Del. C. § 6407 and by federal law under the Truth in Mileage Act, both of which Delaware’s DMV enforces during title transfers.

In Delaware, the disclosure normally lives in the odometer block on the back of the Certificate of Title. When the title has no space, is a salvage reassignment, or the vehicle was never titled, the law allows a separate document instead, as stated in § 6407(g). The Delaware DMV records the disclosed mileage and prints an odometer “brand” on the next title.

Almost every private seller and every licensed dealer must complete it. The seller signs and prints their name to certify the reading, and the buyer signs to acknowledge it. Some transfers are exempt, which the next sections explain in detail. A failure to complete the disclosure, or a false reading, is not a paperwork slip; § 6407(d) requires the form to warn that it may bring a fine or imprisonment.

Think of the form as a handshake put in writing. James Carter selling his 2018 Honda to Priya Nair is the most common case, but the same rules cover a dealer wholesaling fifty cars a month. The law treats both the same way.

Before You Start: Documents and Information You Need

Gather everything before you write a single number, because a blank or guessed field is the fastest way to a rejected title. The odometer block is unforgiving: it must match the title, the bill of sale, and the DMV’s prior records. Pulling these items together first turns a stressful errand into a five-minute task.

Here is the pre-filing checklist:

The Certificate of Title. This is the form itself in most sales; without it you cannot make the disclosure or transfer ownership, and a lost title means filing for a duplicate title first.
The current odometer reading. Walk to the car and read the number now; a stale or estimated figure can read lower than DMV records and trigger an automatic rejection.
The vehicle identification number (VIN). The 17-character VIN ties the disclosure to the exact car, and a single wrong digit can void the statement.
The vehicle’s make, model, year, and body style. These confirm the car’s identity on the standalone form and must match the title exactly.
The seller’s full legal name and current address. The name must match the name on the title, or the DMV cannot process the reassignment.
The buyer’s full legal name and current address. A missing buyer block leaves the disclosure unsigned on one side and incomplete under § 6407(f).
The date of sale. The disclosure date must line up with the bill of sale, since a mismatch raises a fraud flag.
The last license plate state and number. The standalone form asks for this to trace the vehicle’s history.
A black or blue pen. Pencil or erasable ink invites tampering claims and is not accepted.
A notary, if needed. When buyer and seller cannot sign together in front of a DMV clerk, a notarized signature keeps the transfer valid.

If any single item is missing, stop and find it. Marcus Lee, a dealer in Newark, keeps a clipboard with all of these ready, which is why his transfers rarely bounce.

Where to Get the Form and How to Access It

For most sellers, the form is already in your hand, because the odometer disclosure is pre-printed on the back of your Delaware Certificate of Title. You do not download or buy anything; you fill in the block that is already there. This is the version the DMV prefers, since it keeps the mileage and the ownership transfer on one document.

When the title has no usable odometer space, is a reassignment document, or the car was never titled, you use the standalone Odometer Disclosure Statement. Delaware also publishes related odometer forms, such as the MV809 Affidavit to Correct an Odometer Disclosure, on its Forms and Manuals page. Always pull the form from the DMV’s own site so you have the current revision.

You can also pick up forms in person at any of Delaware’s four DMV locations in Dover, Wilmington, Georgetown, and New Castle. Counter staff hand out the standalone statement on request. If you are unsure which version applies, the DMV clerk will tell you when you arrive for the transfer.

A quick word on revision dates: confirm the form you use shows the most recent Delaware DMV printing before you sign it. Using an outdated standalone sheet that omits the federal warning language can lead the DMV to reject it under § 6407(d).

Step-by-Step: How to Fill Out the Delaware Odometer Disclosure Statement Line by Line

The disclosure has two layouts that share the same content: the block on the back of the title and the standalone statement. The walkthrough below covers every field on the standalone Odometer Disclosure Statement, and each field maps directly to the same box on the title. Fill them in the order they appear, top to bottom, in ink.

Field 1: Seller’s Name (Print)

The first blank reads “I, ______ (SELLER’S NAME, PRINT).” This is simply who is selling the car and swearing to the mileage.

Print your full legal name in capital letters exactly as it appears on the title. James Carter writes JAMES R. CARTER. Do not use a nickname or initials only.

If the title lists two owners, § 6407(c) allows only one transferor to sign and print, so co-owner Linda Carter does not need to add her name unless the title shows an “and” requiring both. A P.O. Box is fine for the address later, but the printed name must be your real legal name, not a business alias unless the car is titled to the business.

The most common mistake here is printing a name that does not match the title, which forces the DMV to reject the reassignment because the names do not line up. Many sellers wrongly believe a signature alone is enough; the law specifically requires both the printed name and the signature.

Field 2: Odometer Reading (No Tenths)

This blank reads “state that the odometer now reads ______ miles (NO TENTHS).” It is the heart of the form: the exact number on the dash right now.

Read the odometer and write the whole-number mileage with no tenths and no decimal point. If the odometer shows 118,666.6, you write 118,666. Drop the tenths every time, because both Delaware and federal rules forbid them.

If your odometer has rolled past its mechanical limit, you still write the number physically showing, then handle the brand in Field 3. Sofia Reyes sees 5,634.6 on a rolled-over five-digit odometer and writes 5,634, then checks Box 1 below.

The classic error is including the tenth, such as writing 118,666.6, which the DMV may kick back. People often think they should write the “true” mileage they estimate the car has driven; you never estimate, you copy what the odometer shows at this moment.

Field 3: The Brand Boxes (Statements 1 and 2)

Below the reading sit two checkboxes. Box 1 certifies “the odometer reading reflects the amount of mileage in excess of its mechanical limits.” Box 2 certifies “the odometer reading is not the actual mileage. WARNING – ODOMETER DISCREPANCY.”

Leave both boxes blank if the odometer shows the true mileage and the car has under 100,000 miles or a six-digit odometer that has not rolled over; the form then defaults to “actual mileage.” Check Box 1 only if a five-digit odometer rolled past 99,999. Check Box 2 only if the odometer is broken, was replaced, or otherwise does not show real miles.

Daniel Okafor bought a car whose odometer was swapped at 50,000 miles and reset to 0; he writes the new odometer’s reading and checks Box 2. Never check both boxes, since they contradict each other and void the disclosure.

The biggest field-level mistake is checking nothing when the new reading is lower than the prior title reading, which makes the DMV reject the title outright. A widespread misconception is that checking Box 1 or Box 2 admits wrongdoing; it does not, and it actually protects you from a fraud claim by disclosing the truth.

Field 4: Make

This blank asks for the vehicle’s manufacturer, labeled MAKE. It identifies who built the car.

Write the make exactly as shown on the title, such as TOYOTA or FORD. Use the standard manufacturer name, not a model or a trim.

For badge-engineered or rebadged cars, Aisha Bello copies whatever the Delaware title shows rather than what the trunk lid says. A wrong make breaks the link between the disclosure and the title record, which can stall processing. Some sellers confuse make with model and write Camry here; the make is Toyota, and the model goes in Field 6.

Field 5: Body Style

Labeled BODY STYLE, this field asks what kind of vehicle it is, such as a sedan, coupe, SUV, or pickup.

Enter the body style listed on the title, abbreviated the same way, for example 4D for a four-door sedan. Match the title’s wording so the records agree.

James Carter writes 4D SEDAN for his Honda. If the title uses a code you do not recognize, copy it exactly rather than guessing. Entering a body style that conflicts with the title can trigger a manual review. People often skip this box thinking it is optional; § 6407(c)(5) lists body type as required information.

Field 6: Year

The YEAR field is the vehicle’s model year, not the year you bought it.

Write the four-digit model year from the title, such as 2018. Never use the purchase year or the manufacture date.

Priya Nair writes 2018 for the Honda she is buying. The model year matters now more than ever because of the 20-year exemption explained below, so an error here can wrongly flag a car as exempt or non-exempt. A common myth is that the year is the year the car was first registered; it is the manufacturer’s model year shown on the title.

Field 7: Model

The MODEL field is the specific product name, such as Accord, F-150, or Civic.

Copy the model exactly from the title. Include the model line but not the trim package unless the title shows it.

James Carter writes ACCORD. If your title lists only a model code, use that code. A mismatched model can cause the DMV to question whether the VIN, make, and model describe the same car. Sellers sometimes write the trim, like EX-L, instead of the model; the DMV wants the base model name.

Field 8: VIN

The VIN field is the vehicle identification number, the unique 17-character code that names this exact car.

Write all 17 characters exactly, in capital letters, with no spaces or dashes. Double-check each character against the title, since the VIN ties every other field together.

Sofia Reyes copies 1HGCV1F30JA123456 straight from the title. The letters I, O, and Q never appear in a modern VIN, so if you think you see one, it is really a 1, 0, or the like. One wrong character voids the statement and can look like fraud, which is why this is the field to copy most carefully. A frequent misconception is that the VIN on the dash and the title can differ; they must match, and a mismatch is a red flag for a stolen or cloned car.

Field 9: Last Plate State and Last Plate Number

These two blanks ask for the LAST PLATE STATE and LAST PLATE NUMBER the vehicle carried. They help trace the car’s recent history.

Enter the two-letter state code and the plate number from the most recent registration, such as DE and PC 12345. If the car was last plated out of state, use that state’s code.

Marcus Lee writes DE and the dealer-issued plate for a car he is wholesaling. If the plate was surrendered or unknown, write NONE rather than leaving it blank. Leaving these empty on the standalone form can slow tracing, though they are not always fatal. Some sellers think the current plate must transfer with the car; in Delaware, plates generally stay with the seller, so list the plate that was on the car, not the buyer’s future plate.

Field 10: Seller’s Signature

The SELLER’S SIGNATURE line is where you sign under penalty of perjury, as required by § 6407(c).

James Carter signs his usual signature next to his printed name. If the title has two owners joined by “or,” one signature is enough; if joined by “and,” both must sign. An unsigned seller line means there is no valid disclosure, and the transfer cannot proceed. Many sellers believe a typed or printed name counts as a signature; it does not, you must physically sign.

Field 11: Seller’s Name, Address, City, State, Zip

These lines repeat the seller’s printed name and ask for the full mailing address: SELLER’S ADDRESS, CITY, STATE, and ZIP CODE.

Print your current address where you can receive mail. A P.O. Box is acceptable for the mailing fields.

Aisha Bello lists her Wilmington street address and 19801 zip. The address must be current, since § 6407(c)(3) requires the transferor’s current address. An old address can break the paper trail if the DMV needs to reach you. People sometimes leave the address blank thinking the name is enough; the statute lists the address as mandatory.

Field 12: Buyer’s Signature and Buyer’s Name

The BUYER’S SIGNATURE and BUYER’S NAME lines, under “ACKNOWLEDGING MILEAGE READING AS CERTIFIED,” are where the buyer accepts the disclosed mileage.

The buyer signs in ink and prints their full legal name. This acknowledgment is required by § 6407(f), which says the transferee must sign and a copy goes back to the seller.

Priya Nair signs and prints PRIYA NAIR. The buyer should read the odometer and brand boxes before signing, since signing accepts the stated mileage. A missing buyer signature leaves the disclosure incomplete and the title unprocessable. Buyers often assume only the seller needs to sign; the law clearly requires both.

Field 13: Buyer’s Address, City, State, Zip

These lines collect the buyer’s ADDRESS, CITY, STATE, and ZIP CODE.

The buyer prints their current mailing address. This is where the new title and registration will be sent.

Priya Nair writes her Dover address and zip. A wrong address can send the new title to the wrong place and delay the buyer’s registration. Some buyers list a future address they plan to move to; use the address valid on the date of sale.

Field 14: Date of Certification

The final blank, DATE OF CERTIFICATION, is the date the disclosure is signed.

Write the date in MM/DD/YYYY format, such as 06/06/2026. This date should match the bill of sale and the actual day of transfer.

James Carter and Priya Nair both date it the day they meet to swap the car and money. A date that conflicts with the bill of sale raises a fraud question, since the disclosure must reflect the true transfer date. A common myth is that the date can be left blank to be “filled later”; an undated disclosure is incomplete and invites tampering claims.

The 2021 Federal 20-Year Exemption Rule

A major source of confusion is which older cars still need a disclosure. Before 2021, vehicles 10 years old or older were exempt. A NHTSA final rule effective January 1, 2021 extended that exemption from 10 years to 20 years, with a phase-in for model-year 2011 and newer vehicles that runs through 2031.

In plain English, this means newer cars stay covered for a longer stretch of their life, closing a loophole that let mileage fraud slip through on 10-to-20-year-old cars. The consequence of ignoring it is real: if you skip a required disclosure on a car you wrongly thought was exempt, the DMV will reject the transfer. For example, a 2012 model sold in 2026 is only 14 years old and still needs a disclosure under the phase-in, even though older rules might have exempted it.

The misconception to drop is that “any car over 10 years old is exempt.” That has not been true since 2021, and the Delaware DMV still lists its own exemptions for vehicles 10 years old or older, commercial vehicles over 16,000 pounds, and non-motorized vehicles, while honoring the longer federal rule for newer model years. When in doubt, complete the disclosure; doing it when not required is harmless, while skipping it when required is not.

Three Filled-Out Examples Using Real Scenarios

Below are the three most common Delaware sales, each followed through the form from top to bottom. Each table shows what the seller enters in the key fields.

Scenario 1: Standard Used Car Under 100,000 Miles

James Carter sells his 2018 Honda Accord with 84,210 actual miles to Priya Nair.

Form Field	What James Enters
Seller’s Name (Print)	JAMES R. CARTER
Odometer Reading (No Tenths)	84,210
Brand Box 1 (exceeds limits)	left blank
Brand Box 2 (not actual)	left blank
Make / Model / Year	HONDA / ACCORD / 2018
VIN	1HGCV1F30JA123456
Seller’s Signature	James’s signature
Buyer’s Signature and Name	Priya Nair signs and prints her name
Date of Certification	06/06/2026

Scenario 2: Five-Digit Odometer That Rolled Over

Sofia Reyes sells a 1999 pickup whose five-digit odometer rolled past 99,999 and now reads 5,634.6 miles, with true mileage around 205,634.

Form Field	What Sofia Enters
Seller’s Name (Print)	SOFIA M. REYES
Odometer Reading (No Tenths)	5,634
Brand Box 1 (exceeds limits)	checked
Brand Box 2 (not actual)	left blank
Make / Model / Year	FORD / RANGER / 1999
VIN	1FTYR10C0XPB12345
Last Plate State / Number	DE / PC 88231
Buyer’s Signature and Name	Buyer signs and prints name
Date of Certification	06/06/2026

Scenario 3: Replaced or Broken Odometer

Daniel Okafor, a dealer, sells a 2015 sedan whose odometer was replaced at 50,000 miles and reset to 0, now reading 12,400.

Form Field	What Daniel Enters
Seller’s Name (Print)	DANIEL OKAFOR
Odometer Reading (No Tenths)	12,400
Brand Box 1 (exceeds limits)	left blank
Brand Box 2 (not actual)	checked – WARNING ODOMETER DISCREPANCY
Make / Model / Year	CHEVROLET / MALIBU / 2015
VIN	1G11C5SL5FF123456
Seller’s Signature	Daniel’s signature
Buyer’s Signature and Name	Buyer signs and prints name
Date of Certification	06/06/2026

How to File the Completed Form

In Delaware, the odometer disclosure is filed as part of the title transfer, not as a stand-alone mailing. You bring the signed title or standalone statement to the DMV when the buyer titles and registers the car.

In person. Take the completed disclosure, the title, the bill of sale, and your ID to a Delaware DMV lane in Dover, Wilmington, Georgetown, or New Castle. The buyer pays the document fee (4.25% of the purchase price or NADA value, with a minimum), accepted by cash, check, or card, and the new title is typically mailed within a few weeks. Keep your stamped copy as proof of filing.
By mail. Some title transfers can be mailed to the Delaware DMV; include the signed title with the disclosure complete, the bill of sale, and payment. Processing takes longer than in person, so keep copies of everything you send.
Through a dealer. Licensed dealers submit the disclosure and title work on the buyer’s behalf as part of the sale. The buyer should still receive a copy of the signed disclosure.

For sellers, Delaware asks you to file a Seller’s Report of Sale to end your liability, and to keep a copy of the disclosure for your own records. Always retain proof, since § 6407(f) requires that a copy of the signed disclosure go back to the seller.

What Happens After You File

Once the DMV accepts the transfer, it records the disclosed mileage and issues a new Certificate of Title in the buyer’s name. The new title prints an odometer “brand” that follows the car for the rest of its life.

That brand reads as one of four labels: Actual vehicle mileage, Mileage exceeds odometer mechanical limits, Not actual vehicle mileage, or Mileage disclosure not required. A “not actual” brand never washes off in Delaware, so it lowers the car’s value at every future sale. This is why an honest disclosure matters even when the news is bad.

If the disclosed mileage is lower than the prior title reading and no brand box is checked, the DMV rejects the transfer until the issue is fixed. The buyer then gets a clean processing path only after the seller corrects the form, often using the MV809 Affidavit to Correct an Odometer Disclosure.

The buyer should check the new title when it arrives to confirm the mileage and brand are right. Catching an error early is far easier than untangling it years later when the car is sold again.

Mistakes to Avoid When Filling Out the Form

Each field on this short form is its own chance to slip. Here are the errors that most often sink a Delaware odometer disclosure.

Writing tenths of a mile. The DMV may reject a reading like 84,210.5, because both state and federal rules forbid tenths.
Estimating the mileage. Guessing a number instead of copying the odometer can create a false statement that carries fraud penalties.
Leaving both brand boxes blank when the reading dropped. A lower-than-prior reading with no box checked gets the title rejected automatically.
Checking both brand boxes. The two statements contradict each other and void the disclosure.
Mismatching the seller’s name to the title. A name that differs from the title stops the DMV from processing the reassignment.
Copying the VIN wrong. A single wrong character voids the statement and can look like fraud.
Forgetting the buyer’s signature. Without the transferee’s signature, the disclosure is incomplete under § 6407(f).
Using pencil or erasable ink. Non-permanent ink invites tampering claims and is not accepted.
Signing as both buyer and seller. Section 6407(h) forbids one person signing both roles in the same deal except in narrow cases.
Leaving the date blank. An undated disclosure is incomplete and raises a fraud flag.
Writing the purchase year instead of the model year. A wrong year can misapply the 20-year exemption rule.
Skipping the disclosure on a car you assume is exempt. Since 2021 the exemption runs to 20 years, so many “old” cars still need it.

Do’s and Don’ts

A few simple habits keep your disclosure clean and your title moving.

Do’s

Do read the odometer the day you sign, because a fresh reading prevents a lower-than-record mismatch.
Do copy every field from the title, since matching the title is what lets the DMV process the transfer.
Do use permanent ink, because erasable marks invite tampering disputes.
Do check the correct brand box when needed, as it protects you from a fraud claim by telling the truth.
Do keep a signed copy, since § 6407(f) requires the seller to retain one.
Do confirm the form is the current DMV version, because outdated sheets may lack the required federal warning.

Don’ts

Don’t write tenths of a mile, because the DMV may reject the reading.
Don’t estimate the mileage, since a guess can become a false statement with penalties.
Don’t leave the buyer’s signature blank, as the disclosure is then incomplete.
Don’t sign as both buyer and seller, because § 6407(h) bars it in ordinary sales.
Don’t backdate or leave the date blank, since a wrong date flags possible fraud.
Don’t skip the disclosure on newer “old” cars, because the 2021 rule extends coverage to 20 years.

Pros and Cons of Filing on Your Own vs. With Help

Most private sellers complete the disclosure themselves, but a dealer or title service can handle it for you. Here is how the two paths compare.

Pros of filing on your own

It is free, since you pay no service fee on top of the DMV’s document fee.
It is fast for simple sales, because a clean, under-100,000-mile car takes minutes.
You control the accuracy, as you copy the numbers yourself.
You learn the process, which helps with future sales.
No third party sees your information, keeping the deal private.

Cons of filing on your own

You carry the risk of errors, since a wrong VIN or missing box is on you.
Branded or rolled-over odometers get tricky, and a wrong box can cause rejection.
You must make the DMV trip yourself, costing time.
You handle the seller’s report of sale alone, which some sellers forget.
No one catches your mistake before filing, so a rejection means a return trip.

FAQs

Do I have to write tenths of a mile on the odometer line?

No. Delaware and federal rules forbid tenths. If the odometer shows 84,210.6, you write 84,210 with no decimal point.

Do both the buyer and seller have to sign the disclosure?

Yes. The seller signs and prints their name to certify the mileage, and the buyer signs to acknowledge it, as required by 21 Del. C. § 6407.

Do I check a brand box if the car has under 100,000 actual miles?

No. Leave both boxes blank when the odometer shows true mileage and has not rolled over. The form then defaults to “actual mileage.”

Do I write the new or old reading after my odometer was replaced?

Yes, write the new odometer’s current reading, then check Box 2 for “not the actual mileage” with the odometer discrepancy warning.

Do I put my model year or purchase year in the Year box?

No, use the model year from the title, such as 2018, never the year you bought the car.

Do I write the make or the model in the Make field?

No, the Make field takes the manufacturer, like HONDA; the model, such as ACCORD, goes in the separate Model field.

Do I need to disclose mileage on a car over 10 years old?

Yes, often, because the 2021 federal rule extended the exemption to 20 years with a phase-in, so many older cars still need it.

Do I have to use the back of the title, or can I use a separate form?

No, you are not limited; use the title’s odometer block normally, and the standalone statement only when the title has no space.

Do I write the buyer’s future address or current address?

No, use the address valid on the date of sale, since that is where the new title and registration are mailed.

Do I sign as both buyer and seller if I am moving a car between my own names?

No. Section 6407(h) bars one person signing both roles in the same sale except in the narrow cases under §§ 6410 and 6411.

Do I face penalties for a false odometer statement?

Yes. Federal law allows fines and imprisonment for odometer fraud, and the form itself must warn of this under § 6407(d).

Do I fix a mistake by scratching it out on the title?

No, never alter the title; file the MV809 Affidavit to Correct an Odometer Disclosure to correct an error instead.

Related reading