Odometer Disclosure Statement: What the Federal Rule Says

Where the disclosure is made

49 CFR 580.5(c) says: “In the case of a transferor in whose name the vehicle is titled, the transferor shall disclose the mileage on the electronic title or the physical title, and not on a reassignment document.”

On the title and the documents used with it, 49 CFR 580.4(a) says: “Each physical title shall be set forth by means of a secure printing process or other secure process. Additionally, a physical power of attorney issued pursuant to §§ 580.13 and 580.14 and physical documents, which are used to reassign the title, shall be issued by the jurisdiction and shall be set forth by a secure printing process or other secure process.”

On electronic titles, 49 CFR 580.6(j) says: “A physical reassignment document shall not be used with an electronic title.”

For a vehicle that has not been titled, 49 CFR 580.5(g) says: “If the vehicle has not been titled the written disclosure shall be executed on a separate physical document or by electronic means and incorporated into the electronic title record.” The rule defines the word in 49 CFR 580.3: “Physical when referring to a document means a manufacturer's certificate of origin, title, reassignment document, or power of attorney printed on paper by a secure printing process or other secure process that meets all the requirements of this part.”

Source: 49 CFR Part 580, Odometer Disclosure Requirements (opens in a new tab) (ecfr.gov). Last checked September 28, 2026.

What the disclosure contains

49 CFR 580.5(c) says: “This disclosure must be signed by the transferor and must contain the transferor's printed name. In connection with the transfer of ownership of a motor vehicle in which more than one person is a transferor, only one transferor need sign the disclosure. In addition to the signature of the transferor, the disclosure must contain the following information:”

• “(1) The odometer reading at the time of transfer (not to include tenths of miles);”
• “(2) The date of transfer;”
• “(3) The transferor's printed name and current address;”
• “(4) The transferee's printed name and current address; and”
• “(5) The identity of the vehicle, including its make, model, year, body type, and vehicle identification number.”

The three statements about the reading

49 CFR 580.5(e) says: “In addition to the information provided under paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section:”

• “(1) The transferor shall certify that to the best of their knowledge the odometer reading reflects the actual mileage, or;”
• “(2) If the transferor knows that the odometer reading reflects the amount of mileage in excess of the designed mechanical odometer limit, they shall include a statement that the mileage exceeds mechanical limits; or”
• “(3) If the transferor knows that the odometer reading does not reflect a valid mileage display or differs from the mileage and that the difference is greater than that caused by odometer calibration error, they shall include a statement that the odometer reading does not reflect the actual mileage, and should not be relied upon. This statement shall also include a warning notice to alert the transferee that a discrepancy exists between the odometer reading and the actual mileage.”

What the transferee does

49 CFR 580.5(f) says: “Upon receipt of the transferor's signed disclosure statement, the transferee shall sign the disclosure statement, which shall include their printed name, and make copy available to their transferor.”

49 CFR 580.5(h) says: “No person shall sign an odometer disclosure statement as both the transferor and transferee in the same transaction, unless permitted by §§ 580.13 or 580.14.”

A title held by a lienholder, lost, or not accessible

49 CFR 580.13(a) says: “If otherwise permitted by the law of the jurisdiction, the transferor may grant a power of attorney to their transferee for the purpose of mileage disclosure under one of the following conditions: (1) The transferor's physical title is held by a lienholder; or (2) The transferor's physical title is lost; or (3) The transferor's electronic title is held or controlled by a lienholder; or (4) The transferor's electronic title cannot be accessed.”

49 CFR 580.13(c) says: “In connection with the transfer of ownership of a motor vehicle as described in paragraph (a) of this section, where the transferor elects to give their transferee a physical or electronic power of attorney for the purpose of mileage disclosure, the transferor must appoint the transferee their attorney-in-fact for the purpose of mileage disclosure and disclose the mileage on the physical or electronic power of attorney form issued by the jurisdiction in which the transfer occurs.”

Vehicles the rule exempts

49 CFR 580.17 opens “Notwithstanding the requirements of §§ 580.5 and 580.7:”, and its paragraph (a) says: “A transferor or a lessee of any of the following motor vehicles need not disclose the vehicle's odometer mileage:”

• “(1) A vehicle having a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, as defined in § 571.3 of this title, of more than 16,000 pounds;”
• “(2) A vehicle that is not self-propelled;”
• “(3)(i) A vehicle manufactured in or before the 2010 model year that is transferred at least 10 years after January 1 of the calendar year corresponding to its designated model year; (ii) Example to paragraph (a)(3): For vehicle transfers occurring during calendar year 2020, model year 2010 or older vehicles are exempt.”
• “(4)(i) A vehicle manufactured in or after the 2011 model year that is transferred at least 20 years after January 1 of the calendar year corresponding to its designated model year; or (ii) Example to paragraph (a)(4): For vehicle transfers occurring during calendar year 2031, model year 2011 or older vehicles are exempt.”
• “(5) A vehicle sold directly by the manufacturer to any agency of the United States in conformity with contractual specifications.”

Paragraphs (b) and (c) of 49 CFR 580.17

49 CFR 580.17(b) says: “A transferor of a new vehicle prior to its first transfer for purposes other than resale need not disclose the vehicle's odometer mileage.”

49 CFR 580.17(c) says: “A lessor of any of the vehicles listed in paragraph (a) of this section need not notify the lessee of any of these vehicles of the disclosure requirements of § 580.7.”

State requirements

49 CFR 580.11(a) says: “A state may petition NHTSA for approval of disclosure requirements which differ from the disclosure requirements of § 580.5, § 580.6, § 580.7, or § 580.13(f) of this part.” This page does not say which states have such requirements.

Where we could confirm it, a state's page says on which document that state asks for the mileage to be written, and links to the source. This site's vehicle state pages are listed on the vehicle bill of sale page.

False statements

49 U.S.C. 32705(a)(2), a federal statute, says: “A person transferring ownership of a motor vehicle may not violate a regulation prescribed under this section or give a false statement to the transferee in making the disclosure required by such a regulation.” This page does not cover penalties.

Source: 49 U.S.C. 32705, Disclosure requirements on transfer of motor vehicles (opens in a new tab) (govinfo.gov). Last checked September 28, 2026.